Victory Road Warehouse Proposal Before Howell Planners Thursday

HOWELL, NJ — A proposal for a 203,802-square-foot warehouse/with office on Victory Road is once again on the Planning Board agenda for this Thursday, continued from prior dates.

And Howell NJ First, an organization that has opposed "mega-warehouse " applications here and elsewhere in town, is encouraging residents of the area to turn out for the hearing.

The AAVRHW Property - or Victory Road - application calls for 25 loading dock spaces, two drive ramps, 68 trailer parking spaces, as well as 73 passenger vehicle parking spaces, according to the application.

The matter was first scheduled before the board in November 2022 and has had many continuations, although there also has been past testimony and many exhibits and site plan drawings submitted for various aspects of the project.

You can refer to the Planning Board agenda to links to the exhibits, including a rendering of the proposed building.

The meeting is Thursday, Oct. 5, at 7 p.m. at the Township Hall on Route 9.

The application came up at a Township Council meeting last week when several residents expressed opposition to the plan, particularly because of the truck traffic the warehouse will create.

The people who spoke said not only is safety an issue, but so is quality of life.

"This is a small farm road," one resident said.

While the residents urged the Township Council to change the zoning in the area to prevent warehouse development, town planning professionals noted this application was already underway and would not be affected by any future zoning changes.

However, Director of Community Development and Land Use Office Matt Howard said the township and the board are continually reviewing the Master Plan to consider revisions throughout the township.

The residents in the area have retained a lawyer to fight the application, attorney Stuart J. Lieberman of Princeton.

The firm represents 10 Howell residents as objectors, and it also retained two expert witnesses who testified on environmental engineering issues and traffic issues.

Marc Parisi, of Howell NJ First, said the environmental engineer testified that the proposed development is on a property with a high water table, and as a result will need to bring in 80,000 cubic yards of fill to raise the ground up - that's 6,000 dump truck loads to bring in the fill, the expert said.

Parisi said that if the site is approved, there are concerns about storm water drainage.

One exhibit cited by the developer in the application indicated brooks in the area would accommodate drainage.

Parisi said the traffic engineer testified about an S curve on Victory Road, which would be reduced to 25 mph in that area. The shoulders of the road would be widened. He said trucks would be directed to Route 547. But he said there isn't an easy T intersection there and turning would require a wide swing.

Parisi said the county lists Route 547 in that eastern part of the township as a scenic road. But he said the character of the road would change with the warehouse traffic.

"It's important the community is present and engaged in what is happening. The time to get involved is now," Parisi said, urging attendance at the meeting Thursday.

He said residents in the areas of Oak Glen and Maxim Southard roads will all be affected.

A large portion of the existing woods would be removed for the warehouse/office building. Access will be provided via two new full movement driveways along Victory Road and a 30-foot-wide circulation aisle around the eastern, southern and western sides of the building, according to the application as presented on the agenda.

Other improvements listed by the developer include concrete sidewalks, curbing, ADA curb ramps, storm water management as well as new landscaping and lighting throughout.

The site is at Block 41, Lot 17, Victory Road.