Developer reduces controversial warehouse plan across from Hillsborough senior community
HILLSBOROUGH – A controversial proposal to build a warehouse for a bedsheet and towel distributor on Weston Road has been reduced by almost 7% to address changes suggested by the Planning Board.
The Board's hearing on the proposal by Weston Road LLC, of Franklin Park, to build the warehouse opposite the Hearthstone at Hillsborough senior community will continue May 4.
Michael O'Grodnick, attorney for the developer, told the Planning Board Thursday that "substantial changes" were made to plan after comments made at the Feb. 2 board meeting.
The size of the building has been reduced from 140,115 square feet to 130,418 square feet, he said. The building would have 125,118 square feet of warehouse space and 5,300 square feet of office space.
The number of parking spaces has been reduced from 139 to 99, with five electric vehicle charging spaces.
The location of the building has "slightly" shifted, O'Grodnick said, and the proposed height has been reduced.
In addition, the plan has been architecturally “enhanced” and color has been added, he said.
Michael Ford, the project's engineer, testified about the changes and was questioned at length by Jordan Asch, an attorney hired by Hearthstone residents, about the drainage and soil conditions for the proposal.
Asch will continue questioning Ford at the May 4 meeting after which residents, not represented by the lawyer, will have an opportunity to question the engineer.
Todd Hay, the Board's engineer, said he was "happy to see" the changes in the revised plans.
The deadline for the Board to act on the plan is June 30.
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Miracle Brand, the prospective tenant of the warehouse, sells imported bedsheets and towels online. The company, based in Florida, markets itself as selling the "first hygienic luxury sheets" with "natural bacteria fighting silver." The cotton is grown in India with the sheets made in Bahrain and the towels made in Turkey.
The proposal in the northeast corner of the township near the Manville border has been vehemently opposed by members of the senior community. The 18.2-acre property is zoned for light industrial use next to the CSX railroad and is on the other side of the tracks from Central Jersey Regional Airport.
Weston Road LLC wants to build the warehouse on land that was previously the township's landfill and was auctioned in 1969.
The township approved a plan in 1990 to build 13 warehouses on the site, but the proposal never came to fruition.
In 1998, soil testing on the site discovered contamination from the landfill which led to a lawsuit against the township, claiming that Hillsborough had committed fraud by not disclosing information about the landfill in its auction materials.
The property was zoned for industrial use before Ryan Homes developed the Hearthstone community.
Email: mdeak@mycentraljersey.com
Mike Deak is a reporter for mycentraljersey.com. To get unlimited access to his articles on Somerset and Hunterdon counties, please subscribe or activate your digital account.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Hillsborough NJ warehouse plan on Weston Road scaled down
