Planning Board - Regular Meeting

All right. on December 12th at the annex building and published in the uh local source. Let's do a roll call. Let's do a salute to the flag. I think we to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Okay. Roll call, please. Mayor Rich Huber, committeeman, Alex Kaiser, Mr. David Barnett, here. Miss Marissa Rogerio, Mr. Aaron Laugher here, Mr. Richard Cedarquist here, Miss Julie Tameo here, uh, Mr. Scott Wishna here, vice chair Sharon Kessle, and chairman Jeff Tiger. Yes, here. So, the four people that are out have excused absences. Thank you. For the record. Okay. So, the first thing we're going to do is a resolution. This is Ross Stores just for the signage that we did, temporary signs. It was on the on the Google Drive. Anyone have any questions, concerns? Can I have a motion to adopt the resolution? So, move. Roll call. Misso. Yes. Mr. Laugher.

Mr. Cedarquist. Mr. Wishna. Yes. Mr. Barnett was not here. Correct. Okay. And Chair Tiger. Yes. Okay. Then we're going to hear NRG Springfield LLC 5-20 5-2025S 350US22 3701 lot one. So I'm going to cut you off to do this. So from the board's uh to give the board the information this is a permitted use. Um the reason I had to come to the planning board was because there was several site site issues the parking lot some landscaping. Uh there was a question with the restaurant. We wanted to get some information but I think we Mr. Disco they've agreed to do every single thing in your letter. Also no variance is needed because Macy's is a warehouse not we don't do the calculation with that. We all know that there wasn't an issue with parking. So you could just let us know if there was any concern. And I'll just further add that um I received this afternoon a revised parking assessment which took into account the Macy's warehouse to document that there's not even a paper variance required for the parking. So I I believe we met on Monday with the applicants team and they were um I don't want to speak for Mr. H but I believe they were acquiescing to basically the site issues that we had uh indicated in the review letter. Perfect. So the really the only thing is to get some more information on the restaurant seating and stuff. Let's do that and then just if you can agree to both the letters and then the board can just please raise your right hand. Swear affirm that the testimony about give is the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth. Uh, state your name for the record, please. Spell your last name, please. Just put the sign the board and we'll mark it as A1.

You don't need the one with the site plan in the back. Just with the the graphics looking down there. Oh, that one's good. Just you can hold it right there. That's fine. Perfect. just so that way the people can see what the inside's going to look like in the restaurant. So I guess we can mark that one as A1 and just briefly describe tell them a little just very quickly what NRG is and what's inside and touch on as chairman Tiger said the restaurant aspect of it. Yeah. So NRG is a family entertainment center. It's a mixture of an arcade uh trampoline park and soft soft play for toddlers from 5 to 8 years old. Um it's not really restaurant say it's more of a cafe. U our equipment in our c in our cafe is all electric gas appliances no grease lady. So that's the reason not required any type of hood and we have a small seating area roughly around like 4 to 500 ft that will probably be anywhere between our primary people don't come to us just for our restaurants or our cafe. They come for the park, the party rooms, birthday parties, graduations, whatever. Okay. Can you shed some light? You know, I I this is an arcade with kids and stuff. Uh I think I don't you know, I'm sure you'll have some sort of security, but I'd like to have your attorney reach out to the township chief of police or his designate just to make sure that you guys are in line on how that that would be handled. I don't want to put that on the record so anyone hears or doesn't hear, but that's more of a police issue that you guys listen. Yeah. So, we have a risk management plan and we also have core monitors throughout the park that act with our security. We not heavily on security because we really don't need it through our parks, but we do have trained security throughout the park.

Any members of the board? Mr. Wisher? So the the So to be clear, this is an arcade which is a permitted use there as well as a restaurant which is permitted use. So the reason it went to the board was for more of the site plan issues. If there weren't site plan issues with the parking lot, the landscaping, all they've agreed to do all that stuff prescribed as Mr. Disco said and the restaurant use is a conditional use as long as the conditions are met which is grease trap, adequate parking. Uh there is a requirement for a g a hood but if they don't need it per se then board can wave that at your discretion. It's electric so that they wouldn't need it. Not cooking and having smoke build up. We do have a grease trap. Yep. This would not have come if it hadn't been sight issues. anything you're not requesting any sign variances. Everything's no sign that the back of the building. Yeah, we're actually in the process of finalizing designing. My issue was on buildings. I know years ago we tried Christmas. So while I hate to say this, it's easier for

light that matches better. It is a raceway, which is what we would normally prefer. Those two signs, no one cares. No, I I think it does look very inongruous congruous whatever the word is because there's two building much better. You could put in more trees. I think that's fair. You're not going to get all Mr. Disco. Uh, I really don't have anything to add other than what I said earlier. So you're agreeing to everything with the landscaping, the parking lot. Yeah. Appreciate them coming out and meeting with us out of the site and get reports from your professions. Perfect. Anything from the planning side? Uh this are you going to do signage on both the freestanding signs because there's one on Springfield and one on 22. We we are the one on

Okay, that's it. Thank you. The board want to see the pylon because he has a um Can we pull up the uh the exhibit A2 as you're going to mark that? Yeah. Yeah. So, we we tal So, like what we're going to hear with Bottle King next, we looked at seeing if we could do something similar here, but Mr. Disco went out and felt the signs were in decent shape that we didn't need to go that route. So, we have two. So, one is on 22. Yeah, I was focused on Route 22 as the prominent sign that seemed to be in not like what we had on the other app. Scott, I thought that was on the board, but it's was in my packet. So, they're just going to replace You're just putting a panel in. Great. Any Gabe, anything further? That's it. Any further counselor? No, that's it. Thank you. Any members of the public wish to speak on uh energy Springfield LLC? Seeing none, I'm the board. Um seeing there's none, is any I think the only condition was obviously they have to meet Mr. Disco's all his letters. They're going to redo the sign and what you said more in the Macy's blocking the Macy's letters that you uh said so it completes uniformity. Um that was it right? Great. Can I entertain a motion? I'll second.

Mr. Wishna, yes. Chairman Tiger, yes. Mr. Barnett, yes. Mr. Lawer, yes. Mr. Cedarquist, yes. Miss Tao, yes. Great. And then there's a resolution for this application on the Google Drive. be amended to add in the conditions that we just outlined. Um, seeing that, anyone have a a concern about adopting the resolution? We will councelor will amend it with the well there's actually three conditions. We forgot the security reach out. So to get a security discussion that's in there that's in there uh to change the lettering to match what Mr. Barnett said and then the letters agreement. So, is anyone concerned with adopting a resolution? Type and size. Can I entertain a motion to motion what you just second? Can I have a roll call? Mr. Barnett? Yes. Misso? Yes. Mr. Ler? Yes. Cedarquist? Yes. Mr. Wishna? And Chair Tiger? Yes. Okay. And then do you want us to wave reading or you So anyone concerned with that because I know that you guys wanted to move in right away. Okay. Any concern with waving reading? All right. Good. So we're going to wave reading. He'll he'll change the resolution and I'll sign it late later today. Great. Perfect. Thank you. Thank you very much. Yes. Uh our next application is for Bottle King. Now um if the board and David you were not here but the board at the last meeting approved the use of the bottle king and all the ancillary things that were around it. They had to do landscaping. They had to they were able to use two docks, two

loading docks in the back and so forth. We pulled the sign from the application um because we wanted them we thought the sign was not in great shape um and that they're going to they they were going to propose a design for us similar to General Green with with the Brickish like General Green did. So um councelor uh well one second counselor I know that um Aaron met with Mike Disco reviewed it and they made some little changes and then we're at a standpoint where Aaron and you are comfortable with this. So, if you would just come up, uh, tell us a little bit about the sign, show it to us, and then we can go forward. I was not here. My understanding is that you have a Do you have a rendering of that sign? Jen has it. Okay. So, maybe Jen look like this. Yeah. So, from the board and then we'll have to Yeah. So, it has the look and feel like we discussed with um with General Green. Aaron had a chance to spend some time, made some improvements, and I believe the sign's going to be lit from inside. Yeah, I think there was some comments that the sign should be lit and per discussion with the applicant, they said it's going to be internally lit as opposed mounted lit and the existing sign was

internally lit. It was just wasn't evident. And and also Erin, you already saw it. So, and Scott, for the record, I went like two or three times and I do agree with you that corner sign would not have made a difference, but whatever. Um, so if the other issue landscaping new trees and eight new trucks. Mr. Disco, were you comfortable with it? Yeah, there was three trees added along the Fedom uh frontage. Is that enough? Yeah, it is enough only because you had three driveway, excuse me, four, five curb cuts of driveways. Two in the front of Staples, two on the side of the building, and then one or two in the rear. So, basically, wherever we could get a a street tree in between the driveways, they did it. Uh they also added three in the interior of the parking lot that probably at one time had trees and over time was lost. The testimony at the last hearing was they really didn't want to put it along the Route 22 frontage for a variety of reasons, visibility of the of the building, blocking the sign, and god forbid it's an obstruction for exiting the thing. Although it is a one-way in, but you know, looking even from Fedom if you're at the stop bar. But you're good with this? I'm good with it. I mean, I think if you're going to force anything more in, you're you're literally forcing it in. You know, I'm I'm not here to say you couldn't get a seventh, but I'm I'm

fine with it. Is the B. So, we'll let let's do it as this. You know, we'll say okay with six, but if I'm on on when they go put in for being planted, if he feels they can get a seventh or something else or or an eighth, it'll be a a site visit, but Mr. Disco will do that. You okay with that, Mr. Disco? I'm okay with that. Okay. Gabe, anything concerning with the sign? No, Mr. Chair. Uh, anything further? Okay. So I'm pull the board but I have one one question Mr. Mr. Wishna Mr. even called worc. it it's actually in the same location and the same size for both uh tenant spaces. The the only really add is the the the curved nature on the top which has the address on it. Seems like a nice feature. They put the brick around the bottom and instead of the metal uh post, you've got something slightly wrapped, more decorative. The only thing I have is I would like the board's thoughts on I know that originally was having two top one bottle king whatever was fine with that obviously done but in the future if this use goes away bottle king that they would have to the new tenant would have to come back from a sign standpoint So that way the board can decide whether one is appropriate or two is

appropriate. So it's not overkill. So that would be my recommendation. See what the board has to say. Anything further the board okay with that condition? This is a separate. Yes. Just voting on the sign. All the other conditions. Mr. Chairman, I think the testimony again was that um board members may recall the the sign is very wordy. It was very important. They provided testimony that it not only said bottle king, but it also discount wine, liquor, beer, etc. So that was the justification for the double panel which was already there. Um, and as you noted, um, that sign is bigger than Staples. The the design team with the owner and Staples obviously came up with this. Staples obviously isn't asking for anything larger. So your point is well taken that if there's another applicant in the future that doesn't need a size of a sign that large for the wording, it's appropriate to lose that as um comfortable. Okay. Any members of the public wish to speak on application um 4-2025s? Seeing no one rushing up to the front, we'll close it. Um can I enter a motion to approve the application? the application for sign. Everything else stays the same. Any conditions that were done before seconding Mr. Locker? Yes. Mr. Cedarquist. Mr. Barnett. Yes. Misso. Yes. Mr. Wishna. Yes. And Tiger. Yes. Okay. And the resolution was also on the Google Drive and councelor added in anticipating the sign get approved.

Any concerns with adopting a resolution tonight so that way they can move forward. Okay. Can I enter a motion to approve the resolutions on the Google Drive with the additional condition? Second. Call. Mr. Barnett. Yes. Mr. Mayo. Yes. Mr. Locker. Yes. Mr. C. Yes, Mr. Wishna. And chairman. Okay. Do you need to wave reading? You guys move starting right away? Good. Anyone concerned with that? Nope. You proceed on your own risk. Good luck. Uh last thing is um our next planning board meeting is a special meeting via Zoom at six o'clock. The board secretary will put it we'll put a calendar invite. It is Zoom. that meeting. All we will be doing on that meeting is discussing um the master plan and a potential uh ordinance change to like a setback with the generator thing. That that's it via Zoom. So, if you can make it, great. It's more of an update on the master plan and what we need to do over the next two months. We will may have to add a meeting or something in order to line up more with the township committee, but we're looking through that now. Okay. I have a motion to Oh, any members of the public wish to speak? Seeing none, we're going to close it. Can I have a motion to adjurnn? Seconded. All in favor? I. All right. Good job, Mr. Chair. Yes.