Edison’s fight against massive warehouse plan will continue in 2022
EDISON – Residents trying to prevent a large warehouse from being built in their South Edison neighborhood will continue their fight into next year.
Brooklyn-based developer 41 Glendale LLC was scheduled to continue the hearing on its application to build a 161,580-square-foot warehouse off Silver Lake and Glendale avenues at Dec. 7’s planning board meeting before the applicant asked for an adjournment.
In a letter last week to the board, attorney Steven J. Tripp said his client consents to an extension of time in which the board must act on the application until April 30, 2022.
At that time the township will have a new mayor and new planning board members, as six members seats, including one alternate, are set to expire on Dec. 31, 2021, according to the township website.
Mayor-elect Sam Joshi, however, remains steadfast in his opposition to the project.
"I have been opposed to this very early on and it's my definition of unnecessary development. In April, I'll be mayor and I'm confident that the planning board members I appoint will be closely aligned with my vision for Edison," Joshi said in a statement.
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Warehouse development in residential neighborhoods, as well as plans for 23 townhomes on the former Charlie Brown's restaurant site on Plainfield Road, were key issues during this year's mayoral election, with both Joshi and his main opponent, Republican candidate Keith Hahn, expressing their opposition.
With the Glendale project the developer is looking to build the warehouse and ancillary offices on a 11.49-acre site. The building would contain 146,893 square feet of warehouse space and 14,687 square feet of office space. Also planned are a new driveway around the perimeter of the building, car and trailer parking, loading docks and stormwater management facilities.
Driveway access would be from Silver Lake Avenue, and no driveway access is planned on Glendale Avenue. The property is in a light industrial zone where warehouses are permitted.
Truck traffic would travel on Silver Lake Avenue, which is about 29 feet wide and not enough space for two trucks to pass, especially if vehicles are parked on both sides of the street, according to township officials. Truck traffic has been a major issue for neighborhood residents.
Meanwhile the township continues efforts to acquire the property from the developer. Mayor Thomas Lankey said last month the township has begun assembling state grants, soliciting county funds and accepting donations to buy the South Edison property.
Earlier this month township voters approved the creation of an Open Space Trust Fund which adds about $18 a year in taxes to the average township home to help pay for open space purchases, as well as improvements to sports facilities and playing fields and upgrading parks and other neighborhood recreation.
With the trust fund taxpayers, both residential and business, will be charged 1 cent per $100 of assessed valuation tax which would raise $728,000 a year. In Edison where the average assessed value of a home is $180,600, the tax would be $18.06 per year. The tax is based on the assessed value, not the market value of the property.
The trust fund also makes the township eligible for 50% Green Acres Grants. Without the trust fund the town was only eligible for 25% Green Acres funding.
Edison has already received approval for $750,000 in Green Acres funding to acquire the 11.5-acre site for the Glendale Park Acquisition Project along the township’s waterfront. In addition, the township received approval for a $500,000 state Urban Parks grant for the acquisition of the Glendale Avenue property.
Those funds are just a small portion of the funding needed. The state Department of Environmental Protection website indicates Edison initially had sought $3.5 million in Green Acres grant funding and a $10.5 million low-interest loan.
No agreement has been reached with the developer to acquire the property. In addition, the exact amount of money needed to purchase the property has not been determined and the balance not covered by grants and donations would have to be funded by tax dollars.
Email: srussell@gannettnj.com
Suzanne Russell is a breaking news reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime, courts and other mayhem. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Edison NJ fight against massive warehouse plan will continue in 2022
