Old Saks property
The Planning Board, being proactive, discussed the future of the old Saks property since this matter has been voluntarily dismissed by all parties, as have been all of the ancillary lawsuits among and between the parties. The Planning Board requested authorization from the Township Committee to allow the Board to have their planner research possible options for the future of the property. The Board also requested authorization to start discussions with the property owner and with the Township of Millburn. The Township Committee provided such authorization at their meeting of May 22, 2018. The Township planner Mr. Robert Michaels provided the Planning Board with a report and it was presented at the public meeting of the Planning Board on June 6, 2016. The Board concluded that the best option would be to have the property designated as “An Area in Need of Redevelopment”. The Board sent an official request to the Township Committee to consider engaging the Township’s redevelopment attorney and planner to prepare a study to determine whether it is an “Area in Need of Redevelopment” in accordance with the criteria specified in the Local Redevelopment and Housing Law (LRHL) at N.J.S.A. 4- A:12A-5. The Mayor, Planning Board Chairman, Director of Engineering and redevelopment attorney met on with the property owner’s representatives and discussed the “Area in Need” designation option and development scenarios. They were very receptive to the idea and they advised us that they will discuss the process with the stakeholders and will meet with us again at the end of August. Another meeting was held with the owners and Township staff on and a draft proposal was presented for the Township to review. The proposal includes apartments, townhouses and a parking garage. The Township staff, our redevelopment attorney and redevelopment planner discussed the proposal via a conference call on Tuesday September 18, 2018 and a meeting was held on October 17, 2018 to discuss the revised proposal. The proposal/renderings produced were not adequate. Another meeting was held on Monday November 19, 2018 and new renderings were presented. The new proposal was very well received by everyone. A meeting was held with the mayor of Millburn, Mayor of Springfield and the Director of Engineering on Monday November 26, 2018 to discuss the proposal and the response from Millburn was very positive. the Township Committee passed a resolution on September 25, 2018 authorizing the Planning Board to determine whether all or a portion of certain Properties identified on the tax maps of the township as Block 101, lots 1, 34, 45 and 46 constitute a non-condemnation Area in Need of Redevelopment. A public hearing was held by the Planning Board on December 18, 2018. The Planning Board recommended that the Study Area be declared a non-condemnation area in need of redevelopment in accordance with the Redevelopment Law. As a result, the Township Committee adopted a resolution on December 18th after the Planning Board meeting making this designation official. An official application for this project is expected to be submitted and heard by the Planning Board late Spring of 2019.
3. Wawa
This project received Planning Board approval to construct a proposed 5,585 sq. ft. Wawa convenience store with fuel sales. The site is located at the corner of Morris Turnpike (NJ Route 124), Cleveland Place and Morris Avenue, and will span a total of seven existing lots. The project site totals 1.61 acres in size. All existing commercial and residential structures will be removed. The proposed convenience store with fuel sales will operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. A 5,376-sq. ft. accessory structure fuel canopy with 6 product dispensers is incorporated into the site design. A 50-space parking lot will serve the site. The applicant will install a new traffic signal at the Morris Turnpike/Cleveland Place intersection. Construction is expected in late Spring 2019.
