JACKSON – The Jackson Zoning Board of Adjustment will hear additional testimony on an application that proposes the creation of a recycling facility on Wright-Debow Road. A public hearing regarding the A and A Truck Parts application is expected to resume June 20.
The company is seeking a use variance from the zoning board to operate a recycling center for used truck and trailer parts. Recycling is not a permitted use in the Commercial Office/Light Industrial zone on Wright-Debow Road in Jackson.
The company was represented by attorney Ray Shea, engineer Ian Borden and traffic engineer John Rea during an April 18 meeting.
Attorney Ron Gasiorowski is representing resident Charles Baker, an objector to the application. The A and A Truck Parts application was approved by the board several years ago. Baker took the issue to court and won when a court ruled the board’s resolution describing details of the approval was insufficient. The case was remanded back to the board for reconsideration.
Gasiorowski asked Borden about the company’s existing facility in Freehold Township. He asked if that is the type of use the company plans to bring to Wright-Debow Road. Borden said that was correct.
Gasiorowski asked if the Wright-Debow Road property is in a zone where the use the company is proposing is not permitted.
“That is why you are here for a use variance, correct?” Gasiorowoski asked Borden.
“The use of the property for A and A Truck Parts is permitted,” Borden said. “A metal recycling facility is not a permitted use.”
Gasiorowski asked if a recycling facility is a permitted use.
“It is more than (a recycling facility). It is A and A Truck Parts and their business operations as well,” Borden said.
Gasiorowski said as he understood it, the primary use on the property would be to conduct a recycling facility. He then asked about retail sales on the property, alluding to the Freehold Township facility and the sale of truck parts.
“I would not consider that retail sales,” Borden said.
Gasiorowski asked how selling and advertising the sale of truck parts to prospective purchasers would not be considered retail sales.
“Because retail sales, in my opinion, implies that a member of the public is going to drive by and say, ‘I want to buy an engine’ and pull in a buy an engine, and these sales are to contractors and other buyers,” Borden said.
Retail sales is not a listed variance request.
Board members determined the A and A Truck Parts application would not be concluded that evening and the board’s chairman, Stephen Costanzo, said he wanted to allow residents a chance to speak.
During public comment, resident Ted Machcinski asked about the average wait time for a scale on the premises.
Borden said the trucks would be stopped for “a brief moment” and Machcinski asked him to elaborate.
Borden said each truck will stop on an electronic scale, an employee will push a button to weigh the vehicle, and the truck will move on. He estimated the process would take less than 10 seconds.
Resident Mike Testa asked, “Does anybody see what Wright-Debow Road looks like recently? Does anybody see it with the truck traffic that is on it right now? (It is in) bad shape and we are going to be bringing more traffic into that area and onto that road and that road is in horrible shape as it is. It has already cost the taxpayers a half-million dollars.
“There are so many other businesses in the area right now and it is really getting horrible. There are probably 25 tractor-trailers already stationed in and out of (the area) that are local and stable. Never mind the amount of (trucks) that are coming in and out (of Jackson).
“We are paying for these guys to come in and just run their garbage through our town and that is all they are bringing to us is garbage … you guys cannot do this. I’m a construction guy, I’m OK with building, but this is crazy,” Testa said.
The A and A Truck Parts application was carried to the board’s June 20 meeting.
