Don Quixote neighbors oppose day care at site BY KAREN E. BOWES Staff Writer MATAWAN - Neighbors of the old Don Quixote Inn banquet hall may be dreaming the impossible dream: asking a developer to let a prime piece of real estate remain vacant. Plans to build a bank and day-care center on the Route 34 property where the iconic windmill once stood had several residents outraged at the June 4 Unified Planning and Zoning Board of Adjustment meeting. Applicant ESK Builders Incorporated of Sayreville is requesting a variance regarding the side yard setback. According to Sal Alfieri, the applicant's attorney, the parcel's side yard abuts the property line of a residential home. The crowd was visibly outraged by the prospect of the new day-care facility, often heckling and speaking out of turn during the testimony of the applicant's hired professionals. "What about the diapers? Hello?" one angry woman yelled during the testimony of property owner Steve Kontos. Alfieri spoke on behalf of his client, explaining that the day-care center would only require minimal parking because parents will only be on the premises a short time, picking up and dropping off their children. With between 15 and 20 employees slated to work at the facility, Alfieri said there would not be a parking issue. Neighbors of the proposed project complained about a whole range of topics, including the garbage pickup schedule, the potential increase in traffic generated by the project, the dangers of making a left turn onto Route 34, fumes from passing vehicles, hours of operation, lighting in the parking lot, noise factors, height of a proposed buffer fence and placement of shrubbery, among other concerns. Kontos testified that garbage would be collected from the day-care center about once a week. Many members of the audience expressed particular outrage at this comment. "I heard someone say diapers," said board Chairman Ken Cassidy. "I have to agree. Once a week, that doesn't seem enough to me. But I don't know. I'm no garbage collector." Citing legal guidelines, the firm's planner, John E. Leoncavello, listed several reasons why the use variance should be approved. The parcel is odd-shaped and would be difficult to meet the setback requirement, a difference of approximately 10 feet, he said. "We're not asking for something that's 200 percent different than what's allowed," said Leoncavello. "We're asking for a couple feet here, a couple feet there." Also, the area is located along a highway improvement zone, Leoncavello said, and the new structures would be an improvement over what is currently in place. "You have a demolished site there now," Leoncavello said. "It's not very pretty." The planner added that he did not see any significant negative impacts of approving the use variance. "There is a need for day care," Leoncavello said. "There's not many single-income families here. You have to have day care because you need it for the children." But residents were not interested. Resident Marc Kieffer said the First Friends Day Care center is located just down the road and there are two other facilities nearby with another currently under construction. Kieffer also said that traffic will start at 6:30 a.m. and run late into the evening. Testimony and comments carried on until after 10:30 p.m. With no motion on the floor and the late hour at hand, Cassidy asked if the board was prepared to vote regarding preliminary approval of a use variance. The board was unresponsive, so Cassidy called for an informal vote to determine if a majority of the board was prepared to vote that evening. The response was split, leaving little clue as to how the real vote would eventually pan out. Mayor Mary Aufseeser was the deciding vote in the informal poll, but could not make up her mind. It was therefore decided that the decision would be postponed until July 2 at 7:30 p.m.