BY ANN GENADER
WEST MILFORD — The West Milford Planning Board supported an application by West Milford LLC (ShopRite) seeking preliminary and final site plan approval to expand the existing ShopRite supermarket - and to improve the overall shopping center including improvements to building facades and parking lot areas. The purpose of this amended application was to modify the building expansion plan as well as the front and rear building additions.
This latest in a series of approvals by the board will be spelled out in a resolution being prepared by board attorney Thomas Germinario. The document is expected to be ready for board action at the annual planning board reorganization meeting on Jan. 5, 2017.
Construction work will begin “as soon as the weather breaks – probably in March” – said the applicant’s contractor Michael Feehan. He estimated it will take about eight months to complete the supermarket project, finishing in the fall of 2017.
Engineering figures showed that the building is now 62,037 square feet and when the renovations are completed it will be $73,766 square feet.
Except for those modified at the hearing, all prior approvals will stand, said Germinario. It was explained that revisions to the plans were required so that the architectural plans agree with the information on the engineering site plans.
The resolution being prepared will say that the applicant will comply with the state noise standard and the sound attending structures and vinyl fencing previously approved will be installed.
The propertyThe property, which is the subject of the application, consists of approximately 15 acres located in the CC-Community Commercial District on Marshall Hill Road. The site is currently developed with a ShopRite supermarket, a stand-alone building - formerly used as a movie theater, a parking lot and associated improvements. In previous resolutions, the applicant was granted preliminary and final site plan approval for improvements including the expansion of the ShopRite store, construction of a new retail store in the row of stores adjacent to ShopRite, and the demolition of the former movie theater building that has been replaced by a new stand alone TJMaxx store.
The development of the property includes relocation of the middle driveway entrance to the Shopping Center approximately 120 feet to the west of the current location on Marshall Hill Road as well as modifications to the parking lot configuration in front of the existing ShopRite.
Earlier in October, approval of revised plans said parking lot striping was to be incorporated in revised site plans; all lighting fixtures will be LED instead of metal halide and tracking mats shall include Marshall Hill Road, where required.
The Shop Rite project was amended primarily to address their ability to remain open during construction. Especially now without an alternate food store, this is considered important for residents.
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