Hearing Tonight on Plan to Convert Chevy's to Retro Wings Restaurant

Patrons of  could soon be dining on the wings and burgers offered by Quaker Steak & Lube if the Planning Board grants approval to modify the existing Brick Plaza restaurant.

The board will hold a special meeting at 7 p.m. tonight in the to hear testimony from Lube it Up LLC on the Allendale company's plan to convert the existing Chevy's at 1036 Cedar Bridge Road into a Quaker Steak & Lube restaurant. Lube it Up seeks several variances and final site plan approval to "rebrand and modify" the Brick Plaza mainstay, according to application documents filed at the municipal building.

The plans, which earned the recommendation of the township's Architectural Review Committee on Sept. 14, call for a modest expansion of the building. The applicant seeks the addition of outdoor seating and cosmetic enhancements to brand a restaurant that features a retro, 1950s aesthetic and promises the "Best Wings USA."

If successful, the existing restaurant would be expanded from 7,080 square feet to 8,148 square feet, according to plans prepared by Pontia Architecture of Ohio and InSite Engineering of Wall. Lube it Up will utilize the existing water hookup and proposes no changes to sanitary sewer or water services.

However, the company seeks signage beyond what's currently featured as well as what code allows. Variances are sought to install a roofline sign, 15 wall signs, a pylon ground sign, among others. Lube it Up also seeks variance relief on parking size, (among other waivers) as code requires each spot to be 10 feet wide, as opposed to the 9-foot-wide spots that currently exist.

"Deviations can be granted without detriment to zoning and/or zone plan," argues the application's representatives in a letter to the Planning Board.

However, township Planner Michael Fowler has recommended several changes to the application in a letter to the board dated Nov. 28. 

Fowler believes the proposed signage be reduced "in number and intensity to provide a building that is consistent with the aesthetic elements of the existing buildings in Brick Plaza." He also proposed the addition of a bike rack, questions how outdoor smoking will be handled and backs the requirement of a cooking exhaust system, among other recommendations.

The public will have its opportunity to speak at tonight's hearing, and action to approve or deny the application could be taken.