Park East Restaurant Seeks OK to Modify Building, Parking Lot

Park East is scheduled to come before the Hazlet Zoning Board of Adjustment on Tuesday, Dec. 13 to seek permission to to make changes to the restaurant building, parking lot and driveway.

The popular nightclub/bar/restaurant is named for its location "East of the Parkway" at the corner of Holmdel Road and Route 35.

The owners, Related Restaurant Group, are seeking a use variance, bulk variance, design waiver and amended preliminary and final site plan approval to modify the existing restaurant building. According to a published public notice on Nov. 17, Park East owners want to add on about 100 square foot of additional floor area. The additions would include a first and second floor smoking patio.

They would like to modify the entranceway and add a sign tower, a gazebo for valet parking, and change the parking lot design, layout, circulation and curb cuts. 

Related Restaurant would also like to include additional lawn and landscaping areas.

Use variance relief is required because a portion of the parking lot and driveway for the commercial business is located in the R-100 zoning district where some of those things are not permitted.

Bulk variance relief is required for the following, according to the notice:
a. Minimum lot area of 16,867 square feet for the BH zoning district, where 40,000 square feet is required. This is an existing condition for which reaffirmation is requested.
b. Minimum lot width, 120 feet is existing condition, where 150 feet is required. This is an existing condition for which reaffirmation is requested.
c. Minimum lot depth, 168.7 feet provided, where 200 feet is required. This is an existing condition for which reaffirmation will be requested.
d. Minimum front yard setback, 9 feet provided, where 50 feet is required. Bulk variance relief will be requested.
e. Minimum side yard setback, 0 feet provided, where 20 feet is required. This is an existing condition for which reaffirmation will be requested.
f. Maximum lot coverage, 50% provided, where a maximum of 25% is permitted. The applicant will request additional impervious coverage increasing the lot coverage to 50.6%. Bulk variance relief for same will be requested.
g. Maximum building height, 33 feet is existing condition, where 25 feet is maximum. This is an existing condition.
h. Minimum side yard for accessory building, 9.3 feet provided, where 10 feet is required.
i._ Non-residential wall 8 feet high within the front yard area, where 50 feet setback is required and maximum height of 6 feet.
j. Three (3) facade signs on the east elevation and two (2) face signs on the north elevation where one (1) sign per elevation is permitted. Bulk variance relief for same is requested.
k. The proposed height of the event board sign is six (6) feet where five (5) feet is permitted. Bulk variance relief for same is requested.
l. Two hundred (200) valet parking spaces and forty-nine (49) striped parking spaces are provided where 152 striped parking spaces are required. Bulk variance relief for same is requested.
The applicant reserves the right to request additional variance and/or design waiver relief if determined to be necessary and/or appropriate by the Board or staff prior to or during the public hearing.
And shown on the Hazlet Township Tax Map as Block 211, Lots 7.01 & 8.01. This property is located partially in the R-100 zone and partially in the BH zone. The Applicant requests that the Hazlet Township Zoning Board of Adjustment approve a variance from Section 403.01 R-125 of the Hazlet Township Development Review Ordinance (DRO) to permit the said development/construction/use.
Copies of the Applications, Plans and other Supporting Documents are on file in the Office of the Hazlet Township Zoning Board of Adjustment at 1766 Union Avenue, Hazlet, NJ and are available there for inspection Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Attorney Kenneth L. Pape of South Amboy represents Related Restaurant Group.

The Hazlet Township Zoning Board of Adjustment meets at  7:00 p.m. in the Meeting Room of the Township Municipal Building, 1766 Union Avenue, Hazlet.