Retail building proposed forW. Veterans Highway
BY DAVE BENJAMIN Staff Writer

JACKSON - An application for a new retail building, Gelori LLC, on West VeteransHighway nearHawkins Road, has been presented to the Planning Board.

Testimony on the application was heard at a recent meeting of the board.

In introducing the project, Planning Board engineer Douglas Klee said the applicant is proposing to build a 16,000- square-foot retail facility with an attic area of 16,000 square feet and a basement area of 16,000 square feet for a total of 48,000 square feet which would require an environmental impact statement and a traffic study.

"The use also has to be discussed along with the ability to restrict the basement and attic area," he said.

According to statements made at the meeting, a traffic report is required if there is more than 20,000 square feet of gross floor area. In this case the applicant is proposing 16,000 square feet of retail space, as well as a basement and an attic, a total of 48,000 square feet. According to a Jackson ordinance, even if the basement or attic is only used for storage that square footage has to be included in the totals for gross floor area. Therefore, a traffic study is required.

Klee said the applicant is proposing a septic systemfor the retail facility andmust submit a formal description of the system's operation. In addition, the driveway connection will be subject to a review by the Ocean County Planning Board Engineering Deportment.

It was not stated exactly what type of uses will be housed in the retail space. One possible use that was mentioned was a restaurant.

The board's planner,Anna R.Wainright, said several items are missing from the applicant's file, including a tree-save plan and a traffic impact study.

Attorney Ray Shea is representing the applicant before the board.

"This is a 16,000-square-foot building proposal," Shea said. "Any restrictions you want to place on the attic space or the basement is fine."

He said there is only one area that is being developed and told the board that the number of parking spaces for the project is based on 16,000 square feet "and that is all that is before you."

"It's a pretty simplemathematical equation," Shea said. "There is nothing wrong with the plan. I have two professional reports from an engineer and a planner. Is it 16,000 square feet or 48,000 square feet? I'm saying, by the representation of the applicant, that it is 16,000 square feet that is being developed."

Representing the applicant, Sean Savage, a senior associate with LGAEngineering, said he has direct responsibility with the design of the project.

"The site is on the north side ofWest Veterans Highway," Savage said. "We are proposing a 16,000-square-foot retail building located approximately in the center of the site." He said the property is in a neighborhood commercial zone.

"To the rear of the site there is a residential zone," said Savage. "On the south side of West Veterans Highway is a rural development zone."

Parking is based on the proposal for 16,000 square feet.

"There are 83 parking spaces where 80 are required," he said. "Four of those spaces are handicapped spaces. Themajority of the parking is on the eastern side of the proposed retail building. There is also parking on two other sides of the building."

He said there is full circulation around the building and a loading zone to the rear in the eastern portion.

"We are also supplying a trash enclosure in the northwest corner of the site," he said. "There is drainage grading which runs from the north to the south toward West Veterans Highway and there are underground pipes in the parking area and some recharge pipes. The storm water [plan] meets all the requirements for water quality."

The depth of the storm water basin is about 5 feet, Savage said. This is an infiltration basin so all the water will drain out in 45 hours even though the state Department of Environmental Protection permits 72 hours, he said.

Savage said the site will be serviced by a well which will be on the southwest side of the building and a septic systemwhich will be east of the entrance drive in front of the building. This is subject to health department approval.

Landscaping will form a buffer on the eastern portion of the site and there are existing trees along the western property line, he said. Evergreens will enclose the area near the garbage bin.

"There are a substantial number of trees which will remain in the rear of the site," Savage said.

Only one identification sign is being proposed for the site. The sign will be on the western side of the entrance drive and will be set back about 25 feet.

"Sidewalks were not required by the county in their first review letter," Savage said. "[However,] we are putting in curbing. The sidewalk kind of falls in where the existing trees are located."

Shea told the board that he would have to discuss the matter of compiling a traffic report with his client and said he would get back to the board.

It was noted there is a possibility that the building may have to be built without the basement to reduce the square footage.

The applicant's representatives will return onMarch 17 to give further testimony.