HOWELL — On Sept. 4, applicant Sierra Builders I LLC received final approval from the Howell Planning Board to create 19 lots for single-family residential development and three stormwater management lots in an R-3 Zoning District.

The approval was granted with the condition that the applicant meets state Council on Affordable Housing and Residential Site Improvement Standard requirements.

The primary concern with the application was emergency access into the proposed residential development.

According to a report prepared by the engineering firm of CME Associates, the 11.8-acre tract is north of Aldrich Road, east of the Spruce Road intersection, and west of the Godell Drive intersection. Currently the property is a vacant wooded lot bordered to the east, west and south, opposite of Aldrich Road, by single-family residential lots.

Initially, the applicant wanted to provide access into the proposed development by connecting Sierra Drive to Fern Road, and having the main entrance connect to Aldrich Road.

Those plans had to be modified after police reports deemed the proposed entrance to be dangerous.

The applicant also proposed to provide emergency access to Godell Drive (culde

sac and easement).

Due to public complaints against the applicant's proposal, it was decided to cut off access to Aldrich Road and Godell Drive and to make Fern Road the only access to enter and exit the property.

Voting in favor of the Sierra Builders I LLC application were board members Chairman Christopher Estevez, Township Councilwoman Angela Dalton, Robert Nicastro, Paul Sayah, Vincent Tantillo and Curtis Vislocky.