By Michael Benavides
Staff Writer
JACKSON – The Planning Board has approved a development application that will bring offices and warehouses to Challenger Way, off Hyson Road.
Board members heard the application from Jackson Properties Inc. on April 3 and voted 7-1 to approve the project.
Board Charman Joseph Riccardi, Vice Chairman Robert Hudak, Township Council President Kenneth Bressi and board members Andrew Kern, Larry Josephs, Michele Campbell and Martin Flemming voted to approve the application.
Board member Diana Brunner voted no and said she believes the project will affect the quality of life for residents on Hyson Road.
“I respect the fact that the project is being permitted to be constructed under the Highway Commercial (HC) zoning because of a prior approval that was in place,” Brunner said. “Under today’s zoning, (this property) is in a Limited Commercial (LC) zone and there are residences that are adjacent to it.
“Specifically, I feel that (two homeowners) will be heavily impacted by this. I do not think that when (the residents) purchased their homes, they were anticipating a business warehouse park being constructed in their backyard,” Brunner said.
The board’s planner, Ernest Peters, said the property to be developed will use Highway Commercial zone standards even though the current zoning is Limited Commercial, because the two parcels were created by a 2009 action when the Highway Commercial zoning was in effect.
Engineer Ian M. Borden, representing the applicant, said no materials will be stored outside the buildings Jackson Properties plans to construct.
“We are proposing a contractor’s office, a showroom, a garage, warehouses and shops, which are permitted in the HC zone. We are not proposing any outdoor storage, nor are we proposing any manufacturing or retail sales,” Borden said.
When the meeting was opened to the public, resident Tim Harrigan said he is concerned about the safety of children on Hyson Road. He said the warehouse uses would increase the volume of traffic on the road.
“I have three children and there are many children on Hyson Road. At 7 a.m. when you park your car, all you are going to see is school buses and children on the road. Safety is a big concern for all the residents, not just across from Challenger Way, but all across Hyson Road,” Harrigan said.
“I want to make sure all these trucks (and) tractor-trailers coming in there are not going to be racing down the road to get there on time and becoming a hazard to all the children waiting for a bus,” Harrigan said.
Harrigan’s wife, Aleida Harrigan, said, “The volume of traffic is high in that area (of Hyson Road). If you live there you can barely get your mail without getting run over.”
Resident Shane Balo said, “I am speaking on behalf of my neighborhood. I do not see this (proposed project) happening. Hyson Road is a heavily used road. I think it is unsightly to our neighborhood to have this type of industrial park (here).”
Resident Teresa Morales said, “I hope this project is not approved. It is a high traffic area. This project just does not make sense to me. I am 100 percent opposed to it.”
Attorney Ray Shea, who represents Jackson Properties, said the applicant has a right to develop the two lots on Challenger Way. He said the project would not affect the neighborhood in any way.
“I do not want this to be lost, but this (project) is a fully permitted use of the property and it is a fully conforming application,” Shea said. “I just want to remind everyone this area was highly commercial for years. This is not something new that got introduced to the neighborhood.
“There is clearly residential development here and commercial development and we are hoping the plans as guided by the board’s professionals and by the applicant’s professionals will be such that we will not be a foreign intrusion into the neighborhood.
“In terms of buttressing landscaping and lighting to minimize that effect, we are prepared to do that with the board’s professionals. We are sensitive to the people who are expressing their opinions here,” Shea said.
