Zoning Board of Adjustment
Craig Peskin, Chairman
Tabitha Trela, Land Use Administrator | (908) 322-6700, ext. 307
The Zoning Board of Adjustment conducts public hearings once a month to hear and decide upon applications for Zoning Code variances, appeals of the Zoning Officer's decisions, and interpretations of the Zoning Code. The Zoning Board is made up of seven regular members all of whom are appointed by the Township Council and serve four-year terms without compensation. In addition, the Zoning Board hires its own consultants at the beginning of each year when it reorganizes. In addition, the Township Council may appoint up to two alternate members of the Board of Adjustment, both of whom will serve in rotation during the absence or disqualification of any regular member or members. The term length for an alternate member is two years.
Individual homeowners may appear before the Zoning Board of Adjustment without legal counsel. Commercial applicants, however, are required to have legal representation. A Zoning Variance Application and checklist can be obtained from the Zoning Board Clerk in the Zoning Division Office.
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LEGAL NOTICE
OCTOBER 1, 2026
TOWNSHIP OF SCOTCH PLAINS
ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that pursuant to the Open Public Meetings Act, N.J.S.A. 10:4-6 et seq., the regular meeting of the Zoning Board of Adjustment of the Township of Scotch Plains is scheduled for October 1, 2026 at 7:30 p.m. and held by online/virtual means and telephonically only.
The following applications will be heard:
Caldwell, Barry, 1271 Cooper Road, Block 15004, Lot 19, R-1 Zone, has applied requesting permission to retain an existing approximately 384-square-foot outdoor covered patio/kitchen located approximately 11 feet from the property line. A variance is required under the following:
Chapter 23-3.4D, Paragraph A, Column 2, which requires accessory buildings and structures greater than 200 square feet to maintain minimum side and rear yard setbacks of 30 feet.
Perez, Andrea, 10 Jacobs Lane, Block 13501, Lot 5, R-1 Zone, has applied requesting permission to retain an existing 30' x 40' basketball court, consisting of approximately 1,200 square feet of concrete surface, located in the approximate rear-right corner of the above-referenced property. Two setback variances are required under the following:
Chapter 23-3.4D, Paragraph A, Column 2, the basketball court is located approximately 0 feet from the rear property line, where 30 feet is required; and the basketball court is located approximately 20 feet from the right-side property line, where 30 feet is required.
ELRAC, LLC (Enterprise Rent-A-Car), 2048 NJ State Highway Route 22, Block 2801, Lot 2, B-3 Highway Business Zone, has applied for preliminary and final site plan approval and variances to renovate the existing Enterprise Rent-A-Car facility, including selective demolition and the construction of a small addition at the rear of the building to bring the existing vehicle-preparation operations indoors. Variances are required under the following:
Chapter 23-3.12, B-3 Highway Business Zone, because the existing rental-car business is a pre-existing nonconforming use and the proposed improvements constitute an expansion of that use;
Chapter 23-3.11(d)(2), which requires a 10-foot-wide landscaped buffer where the property abuts a residential or public zone, whereas the applicant proposes a 10-foot-wide landscape buffer along the rear of the property adjacent to Valley Street without the required landscaping and planting details;
Chapter 23-2.3(l)(3), which prohibits off-street parking within a required front yard, whereas six parking spaces are proposed within the front yard;
Chapter 23-3.11(d)(1), which requires truck loading and unloading facilities to be provided on the property outside the front-yard area, whereas no such facilities are shown on the proposed plans; and
Chapter 23-3.4A, Paragraph L, which requires the following:
- A minimum lot area of 20,000 square feet, whereas 18,000 square feet exists and is proposed to remain;
- A minimum front-yard setback of 50 feet, whereas 42.9 feet exists and is proposed to remain;
- A minimum side-yard setback of 20 feet, whereas 3 feet exists and is proposed to remain; and
- A minimum combined side-yard setback of 40 feet, whereas 39.9 feet exists and is proposed to remain.
Members of the public who wish to monitor and/or participate in these public meeting procedures may join from a computer or capable device at:
Topic: Township of Scotch Plains ZBOA Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/3718671959?pwd=NXU4blMvQzJSRFoyQ1BUdDh3aG1BQT09
Meeting ID: 371 867 1959
Passcode: Qay11J
Join instructions
The agenda for the meeting on October 1, 2026 will be posted on the Township of Scotch Plains website.
Alternately, members of the public may contact the Land Use Administrator by email at
Tabitha Trela
Land Use Administrator
Meeting Schedule
In compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act, Chapter 231, P.L. 1975, in order to project the health, safety and welfare of our citizens pursuant to standards promulgated by law to address the Coronavirus pandemic, Regular Meetings of the Zoning Board of Adjustment of the Township of Scotch Plains, Union County, New Jersey, shall continue to be held by online/virtual means and telephonically only*, at 7:30p.m. on the following Thursdays in 2025 unless otherwise noted. Should in-person attendance be announced at a future date, those meetings will occur in Council Chambers, First Floor, Municipal Building, 430 Park Avenue, Scotch Plains, New Jersey.
| Date | Time |
|---|---|
| * 1-8-26 | 7:00 p.m. |
| 2-5-26 | 7:30 p.m. |
| 3-5-26 | 7:30 p.m. |
| 4-9-26 | 7:30 p.m. |
| 5-7-26 | 7:30 p.m. |
| 6-4-26 | 7:30 p.m. |
| 7-9-26 | 7:30 p.m. |
| 9-10-26 | 7:30 p.m. |
| 10-1-26 | 7:30 p.m. |
| 11-12-26 | 7:30 p.m. |
| 12-3-26 | 7:30 p.m. |
| * 1-7-27 | 7:00 p.m. |
| 1-7-27 | 7:30 p.m. |
* Reorganizational Meeting
** Meeting Cancelled
*** Special Meeting
– Members of the public should regularly check the Township of Scotch Plains’ website, or may contact the Land Use Administrator by email at
In accordance with the Americans and Disabilities Act, any person that might require special needs should be in touch with the Board office during normal business hours so that their needs may be addressed. All interested persons may be present and be heard.