UPDATE: Planners Approve Change At Boulevard at Brick

After an evening of testimony that continued into the wee hours of the morning today, town planners approved a proposal by the developers of the Boulevard at Brick to lift a previously-determined age restriction.

The vote was not unanimous, as one board member had to leave the meeting early and another voted against the proposal, but all other board members approved the change.

 Several residents appeared at this meeting and a previous meeting to question representatives from the development on what their architect described as the "upscale community" of 120 units.

One witness has testified the average apartment would house about 2.3 people, or less than one child per home, or an estimated 21 in all.

Officials said they did not have statistics that could prove or disprove whether homes would increase or decrease after the apartments are placed in that area. Witnesses pointed out those estimates fluctuate from year-to-year, with the real estate market.

Thomas J. Brennan, an architect on the project,  has previously characterized the units as "upscale." He said the units would be larger than other apartment communities in the town, and amenities of the buildings would include a clubhouse and pool.

The planners considered whether to approve the change in the original application, which was for an adult community to an non-age restricted community, and whether or not some of the changes in the most recent application warrant approval.

John Jackson, an attorney for the developer, told Patch in an earlier interview that he felt the changes met the standards needed to qualify for the conversion.

He asked the board to consider a devariance, which would keep the conditions of the original approval "virtually identical" to that planned in 2010  - with the exception of the age and condo designation - in exchange for the developers' paying $440,000 to satisfy the complexes' Mt. Laurel obligation elsewhere, and an agreement from the developers for a deed restriction that would eliminate Section 8 housing on the property.