RESOLUTION

RESOLUTION RESOLUTION OF APPROVAL ALLOWING EXPANSION OF A PRE-EXISTING NON-CONFORMING USE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT TOWNSHIP OF ABERDEEN BLOCK 86, LOT 3 Application# SP 25-001 SANTANDER BANK, N.A. / SOVEREIGN BANK N.A. 342 LLOYD ROAD WHEREAS, Santander Bank N.A., S.I.I. Sovereign Bank has applied to the Board of Adjustment of the Township of Aberdeen for permission to make improvements to its pre-existing non-conforming bank facility located at 342 Lloyd Road which is officially designated as Block 86, Lot 3 on the Tax Map of the Township of Aberdeen; and WHEREAS, the applicant has provided notice to all property owners within two hundred feet and has caused notice to be published regarding said application in accordance with N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 et seq., this Board gaining jurisdiction thereunder; and WHEREAS, a public hearing was held in the within matter at a regularly scheduled meetings of the Board of Adjustment held on October 22, 2025 at which time all persons having an interest in said application were heard; and WHEREAS, the Board having carefully considered the evidence and exhibits presented; NOW THEREFORE, be it Resolved by the Board of Adjustment of the Township of Aberdeen that the following findings of facts and conclusions are made: 1. The applicant, Santander Bank, N.A. / Sovereign Bank, N.A. has come before the Zoning Board seeking approval to make improvements to its pre-existing non-conforming Santander Bank facility located at 342 Lloyd Road, which is officially designated as Block 86, Lot 3 on the Tax Map of the Township of Aberdeen. 2. The property is situated within the Township's PC (Planned Community Single Family Residential) Zoning District which does not permit the existing bank facility. Said facility predates the enactment of the ordinance which prohibits the existing bank and therefore the business has been grandfathered pursuant to the provisions of N.J.S.A. 40:55D-68. 3. Throughout the course of the application, the applicant was represented by its legal counsel, Michael D. Malloy, Esquire who has law offices located at 50 Cardinal Drive, Suite 203, Westfield, New Jersey 07090. 4. In support of the application, the following exhibits were marked into evidence: Exhibit A-1: The Development Application Exhibit A-2: Site Plan last revised August 29, 2025 as prepared by Joshua H. Kline, P.E. of Stonefield Engineering and Design 5. In addition to those Exhibits submitted by the applicant, the Board also marked the following exhibits of its own: Exhibit B-1: Denial of Zoning Application letter dated October 17, 2024 Exhibit B-2: Engineering Review Letter dated September 9, 2025 as authored by Board Engineer Bruce M. Koch, P.E., P.P. of CME Engineering Exhibit B-3: Planning Review Letter dated September 11, 2025 as authored by Board Planner Aaron Kardon, P.P. / A.I.C.P. of ARH Associates 6. In further support of the application, testimony was provided by the applicant's engineer, Olivia Kononiuk, P.E. of Stonefield Enginee1ing & Design. 7. As explained by Ms. Kononiuk, the existing bank is a 2,380 sq. ft. building with a three lane drive thru area at the rear of the building. The lane closest to the building serves a through the wall ATM. 8. The site has twenty-seven (27) parking spaces. Eleven (11) of those spaces are located back behind the drive-thru area and sixteen (16) spaces are located in the front. These are accessed by a 24 foot one way aisle heading from the left to the right 9. The site requires two ADA spaces, which exist, but they are on opposite sides of the parking row against the building with no van accessible aisle for either. 10. The current signage is not compliant with ADA standards, and the overall accessible path to the building is not compliant as well. 11. The existing ramp in front of the building does not have a compliant landing at the bottom, middle and top of the ramp. This top of the non-compliant landing also serves the stairs. 12. Additionally, there is no accessible Right of Way (ROW) access from the building to the pedestrian sidewalk along Lloyd Road. 13. All of the above is depicted within the site plan marked into evidence as Exhibit A-2. 14. As explained by Ms. Kononiuk, the applicant seeks to improve the deficiencies at the site as indicated below, all of which were also depicted upon the site plan. 15. The parking stalls will be rotated from 60 degree stalls to 90 degree stalls, allowing two way access in the front area. The drive aisle will remain 24 feet wide which is the required width for two way traffic. 16. The changing of the stall angles and the addition of a van accessible aisle between the ADA spaces will result in a decrease of one (1) parking space. The zoning ordinance requires twelve (12) parking spaces for the facility. As the property will still have twenty-six (26) spaces it remains compliant with this provision. 17. There will be curb and asphalt construction to allow for the parking layout and grading updates, but all proposed work will meet seamlessly back just outside of each of the landscape islands. This will decrease the existing 30.6 % impervious coverage on the site by 19 square feet, which will be a notable improvement. 18. The sidewalk, concrete ramps and steps to the building will be reconstructed to ensure all slopes are compliant at 2 % or less. Currently the sidewalk cross slope is at 4 % and actually reach slopes up to 12 %. 19. The ramp and stairs will both feature handrails and stairs will be outfitted with stair tread on each step. 20. Access to the Right of Way (ROW) will be provided from the ADA access aisle via crosswalk to the sidewalk in front of the property. This will have compliant slopes as well. 21. The parking area will be restriped with ADA compliant signage being added. "Stop" and "Do Not Enter" signage as well as a stop bar will be installed at the one way aisle leaving the site to ensure traffic safety for those leaving the parking area. 22. There will also be landscaping improvements installed throughout the front parking area to supplement the site aesthetics. Shrubs and ground cover were proposed as well as general maintenance including removing overgrown vegetation, pruning mature trees and similar clean out items. Headlight screening will be provided along the frontage which will serve as an improvement for passing drivers in the nighttime. 23. The Board's professionals, both of whom were present during the application, indicated that they had no objections to the application being granted as presented. 24. No one else testified with respect to the subject application. 25. In reviewing this application finds the necessary relief can be granted pursuant to the provisions of N.J.S.A. 40:55D-70(d)(2). 26.The Board notes that the subject bank facility is a pre-existing non-conforming use at the site. Here, the applicant does not seek to make any changes to the existing bank building itself Instead, all of the improvements are to the exterior of the property and are specifically designed to make the property safer for the public to utilize and make it more aesthetically pleasing for the community. 27. The Board finds that the proposed improvements will allow the non-conforming use to function in a better capacity than it currently does in a manner which the site can certainly more than accommodate. 28. There are no negatives associated with this application. To the contrary, if the application were to be denied, the bank would continue to exist in a manner which is not ADA complaint which would be a benefit to absolutely no one. 29. The Board finds that the applicant has more than met its burden in establishing its entitlement to improve the conditions at its pre-existing non-conforming site. NOW THEREFORE, be it further resolved by the Board of Adjustment of the Township of Aberdeen, that the application of Santander Bank, N.A., / Sovereign Bank, N.A. for property located at 342 Lloyd Road and officially designated as Block 86, Lots 3, be granted subject to these conditions: 1. The improvements must be made in conformance with the site plan marked into evidence as Exhibit A-2. 2. Subject to compliance with the review letters (Exhibits B-1 & B-2) authored by the Board's Professionals. 3. This application is granted only in conjunction with the conditions noted herein and but for the existence of the same, the within application would not be approved. 4. Subject to any and all other approvals as may be required by the Township or any other governmental agency, prior to the issuance of any permits. 5. Subject to the payment of any fees, escrows and taxes as may be due to the Township, prior to the issuance of any permits. 6. All representations made under oath by the applicants or their agents shall be deemed conditions of this approval, and any misrepresentations or actions by the applicant contrary to the representations made before the Board shall be deemed a violation of this approval. 7. The action of the Board of Adjustment in approving this application shall not relieve the applicant of responsibility for any damage caused by this project, nor does the Board of Adjustment of the Township of Aberdeen or its reviewing professionals and agencies accept any responsibility for the structural design of the proposed improvements or for any damage that may be caused by the development. 8. The applicant must publish adequate notice of this Resolution in the official newspaper of the Township of Aberdeen at their sole cost and provide proof of publication to the Board Secretary within thirty days. The foregoing was Moved by Ms. McLeod Seconded by Ms. Sigmund and on Roll Call, the following vote was recorded: Affirmative: 5 Mr. Brenner, Mr. Bucco, Ms. McLeod, Ms. Sigmund, Mr. Campos Negative: 0 Abstentions: 1 Mr. Inzeqiuo The foregoing is a true copy of a Resolution adopted by the Board of Adjustment of the Township of Aberdeen as copied from the Minutes of its meeting on November 12, 2025. /s/ Eric Walker Eric Walker, Secretary Board of Adjustment November 19 2025 LNYS0408944 $169.40