Community Corner

Edgewood Road Subdivision Proposal Rejected by Rumson Planning Board

Facing heavy opposition from Rumson residents of Edgewood Road and surrounding neighborhoods, a subdivision application proposed by Edgewood Development, LLC, is rejected by the Planning Board after three months of meetings.

An application to subdivide two Rumson lots in to three homes on Edgewood Road in Rumson was rejected at the Rumson Planning Board meeting on Monday night. 

It was the third time Edgewood Development, LLC had come before the board on the matter of the subdivision of Lots 4 and 14. Edgewood Development attorney Richard Stone and project engineer Matthew DuBois presented maps of the current and proposed lot plans and topographies. Residents who opposed the proposal presented historical and photographical evidence for their opposition during the lengthy town discussion.

The proposal design DuBois presented to the residents and Planning Board showed how Edgewood Development planned on subdividing the front portion of Lot 4 facing Edgewood Road into two lots, with the southern or back portion combining with Lot 14 to create a third subdivision. 

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Stone presented to the board other lots along Edgewood Road that did not fall under the “lot circle” variance and acreage requirements in the R1 and R3 zones as an appeal to the board and residents to consider allowing the proposal despite variance differences. 

Stone and DuBois then took questions regarding major concerns for storm drainage and runoff as a result of the changing properties by attorney Rick Brodsky, hired by opposing Edgewood residents Howard and Lauren Wolfe and Marie Cottrell. 

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Rumson Zoning Board chairman John Conklin also appeared before the Planning Board to voice concerns over the uncertainty of where storm run-off and drainage might move to with any topographical changes, and a need for further meetings to address these major issues jointly between the Rumson Zoning and Planning Boards if the proposal were to be accepted. 

Edgewood Road resident Herb Kaiser used a Powerpoint presentation of photographs showing the landscaping of the frontages along Edgewood Road, in opposition to the application’s plan to remove 40 trees from the property, including a holly tree, which Kaiser said is a “tree that is everywhere in Rumson, and a part of the town’s look.” 

Removing the trees would add to drainage and run-off issues by disturbing the absorption in the landscaping, and also “would expose the houses right along those lots to full views with no privacy.”

Residents from Edgewood Road, as well as neighboring streets including Buena Vista and Circle Drive, unanimously stood against the subdivision primarily to preserve the character of the neighborhood. 

Realtor and Edgewood Road resident Janet Kaiser also used a Powerpoint presentation to show photographs of current and former homes along the road, emphasizing the historical value that she said Edgewood Road provides to the community of Rumson by adhering to a one home per lot standard, and how the size of the homes on the road provide one of the scenic views. Several other Rumson residents appealed to the Planning Board to preserve the character of the road and the homes built along it.

Kathy Grabowy, a resident of Circle Drive, praised the “dream home” character of Edgewood Road, and specifically how “beautiful” the large homes on the large, spaced out lots makes the street stand out from surrounding roads. In response to Edgewood Development’s attorney Stone's testimony that the proposed lot acreage was the same as other Edgewood Road lots, Grabowy said, “I live directly behind Edgewood, and I have the same lot acreage, but our lots cannot be any more different. It’s not about the lot size- it’s about the way it looks.”

Planning Board member Ann White also agreed with residents’ statements on preserving Edgewood’s character and beauty. “When you drive down the street, you see that everything is continuous; they go together beautifully. This is exactly what people want when they’re looking to buy their home in Rumson. Perception is everything.”

Other residents were concerned over how changing the aesthetics of Edgewood may decrease the other homes’ values. “In my personal opinion, when people are searching for their dream home, they’re looking for certain qualities,” Edgewood resident Steve Cottrell said. “Having these homes cramped on to these lots is going to negatively affect the view of the street, and bring the value of the other properties down.”

 “I grew up in Rumson and moved back ten years ago primarily because the town hasn’t changed,” Edgewood Road resident Brett Lawrence said, also concerning home values. “We shouldn’t bend the rules, allowing this ‘zig-zag’ design to bring down the quality of the street, by adding houses where the rules state there shouldn’t be one.”

After three and a half hours of debate and discussion, the Rumson Planning Board unanimously voted against the Edgewood Development application, with one member abstaining from vote. At this time, there is no further action planned in regards to the application’s proposal from Edgewood Development, LLC.


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