Nursing Facility Application Not on Zoning Board's Feb. 23 Agenda

The application for a skilled nursing facility will not be heard when Manchester's zoning board of adjustment meets on Thursday night. 

First introduced in June, 2011, the controversial application for a proposed $25 million Manchester Rehab Realty facility on Route 571 near the intersection of Route 70 has drawn hundreds to the board's regular meetings. A special meeting just for the application has been set for 7 p.m. on March 8 at . 

Board members will hear a variance request to build a home on an undersized lot in Pine Lake Park at the 7 p.m. meeting in the . Realtor Lisa Duerkes asked for two variances during the January regular meeting; she was granted one thus far. Neighbors came to the township council's Feb. 13 meeting that variances are granted for those who want to build on the small lots. 

Last month's regular meeting, which had the nursing facility application on the agenda, was held in the courtroom of Manchester's municipal complex and . 

A variance is required to build the nursing facility since the property where the applicant wants to build the facility is zoned as residential. Since the application's introduction in June,  have spoken out against it, as they fear it may lower their quality of life and property values. The last time testimony on the facility was heard was in , when traffic and landscape experts were questioned.