By Linda Boker-Angelo
NEWS Correspondent
The Gloucester City Planning Board last week approved an application to combine four properties on Bergen Street, which will eventually be the site of four new twin homes.
Jamie Megee, owner of Taylor Capitol Group, said he plans to combine the four properties and then subdivide the one large tract of land into two lots.
A pair of twin homes would then be built on each lot, complete with driveways for off-street parking.
Local Attorney Charles Wigginton, representing the builder, said Megee completed a similar project on Hunter Street.
Board members said they were enthused about the possibility of developing the vacant lots.
Neighbor Margaret Schemilia, however, was less than thrilled at the prospect of more homeowners competing for the limited number of parking spaces currently available on the one-way street.
She said the homes on Hunter Street are very nice, but complained that the neighbors on Hunter do not have the same parking issues as Bergen residents.
She added that cars now line the street bumper-to-bumper every night, which would make the loss of even two spaces—to allow for driveways for the new homes—a hardship on the existing residents.
\”What about when they have company?\” asked Schemilia. \”We can\’t have company on that street. There\’s no place to park.\”
Board member Jess Torres, also a resident of Bergen Avenue, agreed that parking is a big problem in the city. However he added that it is a situation of which residents must try to make the best.
\”I know what it\’s like,\” Torres said. \”When we have company, they just have to park wherever they can find a space. It\’s just something that we have to deal with. You can\’t stop progress.\”
Councilman Nicholas Marchese was pleased that new homes will be built on the land, which has been vacant for very long time.
The Board also granted the appeal of Silvestrini and Silvestrini, Inc., who wanted to use the back office of their building on the unit block of Broadway as a rental unit.
Joseph T. Silvestrini said that when he and his partner purchased the building, they were told the back portion of the building could be used as a rental.
However, the new owners were told the extra space could not be rented, as a separate certificate of occupancy has never been issued for the second office.
Silvestrini presented the Board with documentation showing the separate address on the second office, which was last rented over 10 years ago.
Board members felt enough evidence supporting Silvestrini\’s claim to overturn the zoning officer\’s decision.
The firm of Ilves and Pedrick also received permission to rent out the apartment on the second floor of the former Kings Pharmacy at the corner of Market Street and Broadway.
Steven Pedrick testified that the apartment is about 1,350 square feet and has two bedrooms, one bath and two other large rooms.
Three properties in the City\’s Historic District were also approved for improvements.
Those homes are located in the 200 block of Mercer Street, the 100 block of South Burlington Street. and the 100 block of North King Street.
The Board will meet again at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 18, in City Hall, 313 Monmouth St.
