INSERRA SUPERMARKETS CONTINUES TO PURSUE PROPOSED SHOPRITE OF WYCKOFF PLAN
Recent Planning Board Meetings Focus on Expert Traffic Testimony and Improvements to Site Plan
WYCKOFF, N.J. – February 17, 2012 – (RealEstateRama) — The Inserra Supermarkets development team appeared before the Township of Wyckoff Planning Board to present further testimony on the proposed ShopRite at Wyckoff and Greenwood avenues. The 62,042-square-foot structure would replace a distressed former supermarket in the heart of Wyckoff’s central business district.
Jay Troutman, Jr., PA, a principal with McDonough & Rea Associates, Inc., of Westfield, N.J., has analyzed the circulation of cars and trucks to and from the proposed site and has addressed traffic concerns throughout the application. He restated that Wyckoff Avenue, a county road, is still considered a “candidate for signalization,” but county officials have yet to issue a final decision.
“Inserra will comply with whatever recommendations the county makes on traffic signals or restrictions,” said James Jaworski, Esq., who is representing Inserra in this application. “The development team is also working closely with local officials to ensure the safest layout of this site.”
Inserra has already addressed recommendations from township officials, engineers and the Shade Tree Commission. They recently introduced minor revisions to the site layout plan that remedied minor parking, landscaping and drainage concerns and eliminated the need for several variances.
In the revised plan, parking lot islands and light posts were relocated to address concerns raised by the Shade Tree Commission. “The lot’s reconfiguration not only enhances the symmetry and aesthetics of the site, but also allows for an increased number of parking spots,” said Andrew Missey, a licensed professional engineer at Paramus-based Lapatka Associates. The plan now calls for 386 spots, exceeding the code requirement of 380 and eliminating any discussion of the need for a parking variance. In addition, a proposed variance for the size of a loading space was also eliminated.
Revisions to the landscaping plan result in a total of 38,696 additional square feet of on-site greenery, along with increased buffers around the property. Changes to the species and arrangement of the plants and trees were also added at the suggestion of the Township’s Shade Tree Commission. Improved visual interest in the site will be achieved by staggering the trees, spacing them closer together, and replacing deciduous species with evergreens.
Additionally, Troutman testified that neither the parking lot reconfiguration nor the landscape enhancements will negatively impact sight lines or traffic circulation on the site. The project’s architect, Thomas Ashbahian, also confirmed that the architectural plan was unaffected by the revisions.
Based in Mahwah, N.J., Inserra Supermarkets is one of the largest supermarket chains in the metropolitan area. Established in 1954 as a privately held family business, the company owns and operates a total of 21 stores throughout New Jersey and New York.
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