JACKSON – Members of the Jackson Planning Board have approved a development application that will see the iconic Glory’s Market replaced by a Wawa convenience store and gas station at 584 Cedar Swamp Road, Jackson.
The applicant, Dreamview, LLC, was granted preliminary and final major subdivision approval, and preliminary and final major site plan approval by the members of the Planning Board during a June 21 meeting.
The applicant will subdivide two lots at 584 Cedar Swamp Road into five lots for development. Of the five new lots being created, three are accounted for in the site plan the board members approved. The remaining two new lots will be reserved for future development.
Dreamview’s representatives proposed to construct three buildings: a 4,736-square-foot Wawa convenience store and gas station; a 5,244-square-foot liquor store; and an 8,538-square-foot retail/pharmacy building.
The Wawa will have 55 parking spaces and the gas station will have eight fueling pumps. The convenience store will replace Glory’s Market and the Glory family will operate the approved liquor store.
In a previous interview, Clara Glory said the original Glory’s store has been on the property since the 1940s. The current market was incorporated in 1973.
Attorney Dennis Collins and engineer Paul Mutch represented the Dreamview application at the June 21 meeting during the continued public hearing.
Mutch reviewed the proposed site plan and responded to several concerns about the application that had been raised during a previous meeting.
“Since the last meeting, we worked with Wawa to make sure there is a location, as well as an operational standpoint, where we can include some oversized parking spaces.
“It is Wawa’s operations, as well as their policy, that this site is not designed for, nor do they want to attract tractor-trailers to this site. The diesel pumps are not the high-speed diesel, so we did not include tractor-trailer parking,” Mutch testified.
The applicant has included two oversized parking spaces behind the building.
“Those (oversized parking spaces) are intended to accommodate landscaping vehicles … because certainly, we are looking to accommodate those vehicles on our site.
“We are also reviewing the application and some of the logistics with the (New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection) regarding wetlands that are to the west of the property, and there is a chance we could fit a third (oversized parking space) at the site if that is the board’s preference, we need to work through the DEP permitting,” Mutch said.
He said the design of the site is such that tractor-trailers will not be accommodated.
Wawa will provide electric charging stations for vehicles.
“Wawa has an agreement and kind of a working partnership with Tesla, mostly based on the fact that Tesla charging spaces are able to charge a vehicle in 15 to 20 minutes, which is what Wawa is looking for on the turnover rate for their parking lots. They do not want to see electric charging stations that take several hours, with cars parked on their site for several hours,” Mutch said.
He said Tesla representatives will make a final determination regarding the electric charging stations after the Wawa site is operational.
There is no guarantee Tesla will proceed until its representatives have an opportunity to review the site specifics, the area and what the customer base is for that use, Mutch said.
In regard to environmental concerns that had been raised at the previous meeting, the applicant’s representatives submitted all of the requested information.
“We heard the comments loud and clear and we submitted all of our application materials, including all the documents the Environmental Commission requested. We also sent them everything else that would be relevant to them,” Mutch said.
Following the conclusion of testimony, a motion was made to the approve the Dreamview, LLC, application.
Board Chairman Robert Hudak, Jackson Business Administrator Terence Wall, who sits on the board, Township Councilman Martin Flemming, who sits on the board, and board members Timothy Dolan, Jeffrey Riker, Andrew Jozwicki, Anthony Luisi, Manuela Brito and Joseph Riccardi voted “yes” on the motion.
“Please make us proud, this (location) is a gateway property to Jackson,” Hudak said to the Dreamview, LLC, representatives.
