Post by BrianSullivan on Mar 26, 2010 7:29:30 GMT -5
newstranscript.gmnews.com/news/2010-03-24/Front_Page/Council_says_deli_plan_doesnt_cut_the_mustard.html
Council says deli plan doesn’t cut the mustard
BY CLARE MARIE CELANO Staff Writer
FREEHOLD — A Howell resident’s plan to convert the first floor of a Spring Street apartment building into a deli/grocery was not favorably received by members of the Borough Council at a meeting on March 15.
In accordance with the Freehold Center Core Redevelopment Plan, a project that is proposed in Freehold Borough’s downtown area that is classified as a major development must be heard first by the Borough Council before moving on to the Planning Board.
The proposed deli would be in a B-2 commercial zone that is part of the redevelopment district.
Attorney Vincent Halleran represented applicant Mohammad Mian of Howell before the council. Mian wants to open a deli/grocery on Spring Street, next door to the Freehold First Aid and Emergency Squad headquarters.
Mian was seeking a positive resolution from the council so that he would be able to bring his application to the Planning Board next month. The council did not pass a resolution of support that evening.
Issues such as parking and traffic circulation presented problems for council members.
Council President Jaye Sims expressed serious concerns about the back-up of vehicles that currently occurs at the traffic light at Spring and Main streets, especially at rush hours.
Parking for the deli was another concern for council members.
According to engineer Lesley Ramdeen, who represented Mian, the applicant is proposing to convert the ground floor of a twostory apartment building into a deli and grocery. The second floor will remain an apartment.
Ramdeen said that as part of the application, parking will be provided onsite for eight cars. The application indicates that 12 spaces are required and therefore, a parking waiver will be requested.
The engineer said Mian is willing to improve the adjacent sidewalk with brick pavers.
According to a report prepared by the borough’s engineer, William Wentzien, “The submitted application proposed one-way traffic entering from Spring Street and exiting onto an adjacent paved cart way on the neighboring property. The plans should be amended to indicate more of the surrounding circulation area, to provide an overall review of the effect of the proposed exit movements from the site onto the adjacent circulation.”
Wentzien’s report states that the adjacent lot is owned by the Freehold First Aid Squad and it appears that the adjacent paved cart way does not serve the first aid squad, but circulates back toward the rear of the subject property into a parking area which connects onto Main Street.
The report also states that the plans indicate one proposed handicapped parking space.
In a subsequent conversation with Sims, the council president said there is a real problem with traffic at the Spring Street- Main Street intersection now.
“Overall, the traffic and parking issues
in Mian’s plan) were the key concerns of the council,” Sims said. “We felt the applicant was not decisive enough about addressing these two major issues. Our job is to protect our residents and it is my hope that before the applicant appears at the Planning Board they do address these issues and revise the plan.”
Council says deli plan doesn’t cut the mustard
BY CLARE MARIE CELANO Staff Writer
FREEHOLD — A Howell resident’s plan to convert the first floor of a Spring Street apartment building into a deli/grocery was not favorably received by members of the Borough Council at a meeting on March 15.
In accordance with the Freehold Center Core Redevelopment Plan, a project that is proposed in Freehold Borough’s downtown area that is classified as a major development must be heard first by the Borough Council before moving on to the Planning Board.
The proposed deli would be in a B-2 commercial zone that is part of the redevelopment district.
Attorney Vincent Halleran represented applicant Mohammad Mian of Howell before the council. Mian wants to open a deli/grocery on Spring Street, next door to the Freehold First Aid and Emergency Squad headquarters.
Mian was seeking a positive resolution from the council so that he would be able to bring his application to the Planning Board next month. The council did not pass a resolution of support that evening.
Issues such as parking and traffic circulation presented problems for council members.
Council President Jaye Sims expressed serious concerns about the back-up of vehicles that currently occurs at the traffic light at Spring and Main streets, especially at rush hours.
Parking for the deli was another concern for council members.
According to engineer Lesley Ramdeen, who represented Mian, the applicant is proposing to convert the ground floor of a twostory apartment building into a deli and grocery. The second floor will remain an apartment.
Ramdeen said that as part of the application, parking will be provided onsite for eight cars. The application indicates that 12 spaces are required and therefore, a parking waiver will be requested.
The engineer said Mian is willing to improve the adjacent sidewalk with brick pavers.
According to a report prepared by the borough’s engineer, William Wentzien, “The submitted application proposed one-way traffic entering from Spring Street and exiting onto an adjacent paved cart way on the neighboring property. The plans should be amended to indicate more of the surrounding circulation area, to provide an overall review of the effect of the proposed exit movements from the site onto the adjacent circulation.”
Wentzien’s report states that the adjacent lot is owned by the Freehold First Aid Squad and it appears that the adjacent paved cart way does not serve the first aid squad, but circulates back toward the rear of the subject property into a parking area which connects onto Main Street.
The report also states that the plans indicate one proposed handicapped parking space.
In a subsequent conversation with Sims, the council president said there is a real problem with traffic at the Spring Street- Main Street intersection now.
“Overall, the traffic and parking issues
in Mian’s plan) were the key concerns of the council,” Sims said. “We felt the applicant was not decisive enough about addressing these two major issues. Our job is to protect our residents and it is my hope that before the applicant appears at the Planning Board they do address these issues and revise the plan.”