Factory expansion plan in Branchburg hits legal snag
BRANCHBURG – An expansion proposal by a Meister Avenue firm that assembled 72 million cans of personal care sprays last year is hanging in a legal balance whether it should be heard by the Planning Board or Zoning Board of Adjustment.
American Spraytech's proposal to use another Meister Avenue building for a high-speed production line was supposed to begin a review by the Planning Board on April 25.
But a neighboring landowner argued that the proposal should be heard by the Zoning Board of Adjustment because it did not meet the zone's definition of "light manufacturing."
Instead, Matthew Moench, the Bridgewater mayor who as an attorney is representing Cyzner Properties, argued that Spraytech's operation is "heavy manufacturing" because it involves petroleum products not allowed in the zone.
Moench contended that the proposal should be heard by the Zoning Board of Adjustment, a much more rigorous standard of approval than gaining site plan approval from the Planning Board.
Cyzner Properties is converting a building at 3421 Route 22, which used to house Sun National Bank, to a "state-of-the-art" self-storage facility. That property backs to properties on Meister Avenue.
After hearing testimony from Spraytech and Cyzner, the Planning Board will decide May 9 whether the application should remain before the board or be transferred to the Zoning Board of Adjustment.
More: How will proposed warehouse affect Branchburg's busiest intersection?
Allen Lalwani, the president of Spraytech, told the Planning Board the firm now owns or leases nine buildings on Meister Avenue to meet the growing demand from global consumer companies, like Unilever, Proctor & Gamble and L'Oreal.
A 10th building is under construction, bringing the company's footprint to 330,000 square feet. The company also has the largest research laboratory for spray products in the world, Lalwani said.
The company, which has 300 permanent employees working in two shifts and 100 temporary workers, is expected to produce 100 million cans this year.
When he acquired the company in 2003, he said, there were only 20 employees working one shift and the annual output was only a million cans.
Lalwani said Spraytech works with the consumer firms which develop the formula for their products. Spraytech then mixes the chemicals and assembles the cans, he said.
Lalwani said the company has operated "without incident" for three decades and the state Department of Environmental Protection has already approved the plan.
Spraytech, whose main office is at 205 Meister Ave., has purchased the 18,600-square-foot Hahn's Woodworking facility at 181 Meister Ave. Both facilities are on the western portion of Meister Avenue off County Line Road.
American Spraytech is a manufacturer of personal care sprays in the health and beauty aid market with a wide range of products, including over-the-counter drugs, pet care and specialty industrial sprays. Some of the products include air freshener, foam soap conditioner, dry hair shampoo, face cleanser and hair spray.
The proposed tank farm would have three 12,000-gallon tanks to store the propellants used in the products, including hydrocarbons (propane/butane), hydrofluorocarbon (152A) and dimethyl ether.
American Spraytech, in its application to the Planning Board, said those same propellants have been used safely at the company's other Meister Avenue location.
Because the previous use of the building was for woodworking, American Spraytech is proposing to remove the dust collection system, install a prefabricated propellant charging room and two 6,000-gallon alcohol storage tanks.
American Spraytech is also proposing two small additions for a compressor room and a boiler room.
The manufacturing of the cosmetic sprays requires the facility to be characterized as an "extraordinarily hazardous substance facility," which is a permitted conditional use in the zone.
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: Branchburg NJ factory expansion plan hits legal snag
