The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
A developer wanting to erect a two-building mixed-use office and retail center across from the Somerset Run housing development was told by the Planning Board on May 21 to rethink its plans.
The plan, submitted by NPH Real Estate, calls for the construction of a one-story, 4,690-square-foot building and a two-story, 21,374-square-foot building at the intersection of Davidson Avenue and New Brunswick Road.
The one-story building would be strictly retail, while the two-story building would be a mix of retail and office use, the Board was told.
Board members were not happy with the plan to construct two buildings, and also had suggestions about landscaping.
Things appeared to be moving along with the applicant’s first witness, Shri Kotdawla, the project’s engineer, when testimony turned to a letter written about the project by Mark Healey, the Township’s Principal Planner.
Matt Flynn, the developer’s attorney, asked Kotdawla if he wanted to respond to several of the points raised by Healey in the letter concerning placement of parking areas and screening.
“No, we would be able to satisfy those requirements,” Kotdawla said.
“I’m a little confused about the statement you just made that you’d comply,” Healey said. “And the reason I’m confused is some of my comments speak to some potentially significant changes to the site layout.”
Healey said one comment he made was that one building was so close to teh road that it would be very visible to drivers approaching the intersection.
“So my comment was that you should explore changes to the site layout to make the rear of that building less prominent, perhaps … instead of having the parking lot to the north, putting that parking lot to the south and moving the building further to the north,” Healey said.
Healey also suggested that the developer’s team look at other small retail centers in the township to see that they created larger landscaped areas close to roads.
“One of the major themes of the design standards is to put parking lots behind buildings and out of sight,” he said. “And here you have … along both frontages, it’s basically gonna be lined with parking lots. And the way that those other sites dealt with that, because they also have parking in the front, but they dealt with that by having much wider landscaped areas in front of their site.”
“So my comment was, you should be looking at those other similar developments just down the road and emulate what they did,” Healey said. “So respectfully, I’m not sure how you address that by, well, we’ll just comply with Mark’s comments, without showing the Board how you’re going to do that.”
“I think the point was generally that we understood the intent of your comments and that we’re willing to work with the design to incorporate your suggestions in a revised set of plans that would be, especially … to the landscaping, to your review and satisfaction as the township planner,” Flynn said.
Kotdawla said the landscape area along the building could be expanded so that drivers would only see the top five feet or so of the building.
“I don’t think the Board is necessarily gonna make decisions on the fly without seeing a plan showing what you’re discussing,” Healey said. “I had recommended originally that there be a 3D rendering from that location so the Board can get an understanding of what you’re talking about. I don’t know if the Board is going to require that if you move the building back and if that satisfies them, but I think the Board needs to see something so they can be assured that what you just described, that it won’t be visible, they can’t do that based on what you just did.”
Board chairman Michael Orsini suggested that the project could be “re-imagined in a much better way.”
Rather than have two buildings, perhaps there could be one L-shaped building, he said.
“And I think, overall, the design standards and the precedent set by the similar shopping centers on the corners of Elizabeth and Schoolhouse and Elizabeth and Old New Brunswick could be emulated, perhaps on a smaller scale,” he said.
“The one thing I just want to make clear, just for the Board’s edification and for the applicant’s, is, this is not Mark Healey’s desire,” Healey said. “Every one of these comments comes under the heading of commercial design standards that are in the ordinance. So this is trying to make it consistent with what the ordinance has set forth of what these type retail developments should have.”
Board member Robert Thomas suggested that each of the two buildings be situated to front on one of the intersecting streets, and that parking be placed behind them.
Kotdawla told him that various environmental constraints forced them to put parking where it could be placed.
Flynn asked Orsini for a break to discuss the Board’s comments with his comment.
Orsini said that was possible, “but here’s what I would suggest. I would suggest that you’ve kind of gotten the board’s feedback. I suggest you go to the drawing board, and revise the plan and then come back with a better one.”
Board members suggested the developer place more buffering and screening around the property.
The application’s next hearing is scheduled to be at the Board’s July 16 meeting.
Stay ‘In the Know,’ subscribe to the Franklin Reporter & Advocate!
No other media outlet covering Franklin Township brings you the depth of information presented by the Franklin Reporter & Advocate. Period. We are the only truly independent media serving the Eight Villages.
But we can only do that with your support. Please consider a yearly subscription to our online news site; at $37 a year, it’s one of the best investments you can make for yourself.
To subscribe, please click here.
