The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
A proposal to raze a vacant office building on Atrium Drive and build in its stead two small warehouses was presented to the Planning Board at its July 16 meeting.
The developer, 500 Atrium LLC, wants to build a 74,460-square-foot warehouse and a 72,213-square-foot warehouse on the 7.5-acre lot.
Both buildings would have nine loading docks each, and the parking lots would hold 73 vehicles, including two EV charging stations.
Although the Township has taken steps to limit the size of warehouses and where they can be built, the 500 Atrium application was grandfathered under the Township’s old zoning rules.
Board members seemed generally amenable to the proposal, although they did want some more information and some changes.
Specifically, the Board asked for colorized renderings and plans to be presented at the next hearing, which is set for 7:30 p.m. October 8 in the Township Council chamber.
Members also suggested that since the developer will be razing the office building, the plan for the warehouses could be modified to allow for more permeable surfaces.
The Board also wants more landscaping on the property, especially along the Atrium Drive frontage. That’s because the Township has a parcel across Atrium, whose street address is 260 Davidson Avenue, targeted for affordable housing.
“I think it’s a good idea to find a way to put as much landscaping in the front yard as possible,” Board member Robert Thomas said.
“There are going to be quite a few residents directly across the street,” Thomas added. “So any landscaping that can be added or directed or any front yard improvement, maybe in width or whatever, I think would be called for.”
One of the variances sought by the developer concerns the amount of impervious surface on the property. The Township ordinance calls for a maximum of 60 percent of the property, while the project shows slightly more than 75 percent.
“You’re tearing down a vacant building, you’re starting with a clean slate,” Thomas said. “Why couldn’t we get, or would you look at ways that we might get closer to 60 percent impervious coverage? You’re basically taking uncharted property there now when you tear it down, you can do anything you want. It kind of looks a little crowded.”
“I would like to see it less,” Board Chairman Michael Orsini said of the percentage. “You’re demolishing the building … I think when you’re starting from that position, you can do better.”
“And so we’re going to ask you to support it, to try to do better as you can,” he said. “I’d like to see it more go towards 70 (percent).”
Orsini pointed out other items the Board would like to see.
“I’m not here to redesign it for you, but I think we’re here to just kind of try to guide you,” he said. “We need the color renderings, we need the elevations. I’d like the staff to look at those. I’d like the architecturals to be more obvious to the Board.”
“I think it’s an opportunity to make the site look as good as it can, which is going to help you and it’s going to help the town,” he said.
Craig Stires, the project’s engineer, said he would consult with Mark Healey, the Township’s Principal Planner, and Darren Mazzei, the Board’s engineer on changes, and would “take what the board has said to us in mind and try and address as many comments as we can for the next meeting.”
Board Vice-Chairman Charles Brown said he didn’t see any reason why the project should need any variances from current standards.
“Given that this is essentially going to be a blank canvas, I see no justification for not meeting the current standards,” he said. “Based on how it’s designed, I think you can go back to the drawing board and bring us a product that fits within our specifications.”
The project’s architect, Brian Debarbieri, told the Board that both solar-ready buildings will have similar designs and will be “state-of-the-art and in full compliance of all building life safety, energy codes, fire safety.”
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