224 years after first battle,
Americans repel Brits again
Manalapan zoners reject
BP-Amoco application for gas station, small market
MANALAPAN — The British are not coming back to western Monmouth.
Acting on an application filed by British Petroleum-Amoco, the zoning board has unanimously rejected the firm’s request to build a gas station and small food market at the corner of Tennent Road and Route 522.
Zoning board members noted that the subject property is in the heart of the Monmouth Battlefield area, where American and British forces fought the Battle of Monmouth on June 28, 1778.
The vote to reject the applicant’s request for a use variance and site plan approval came at the board’s March 21 meeting. The BP-Amoco plan called for a 2,280-square-foot building, a parking lot with 23 spaces and gasoline pumps.
Prior to the vote by zoning board members, Richard Cramer, Manalapan’s municipal planner, gave his perspective regarding the application.
"I believe this application is about the township vision for the future of this crossroads location in Manalapan," Cramer said.
He said it is a planning issue about what the appropriate land use is and what should be allowed to occur at the location. Cramer said there are a number of actions township officials have taken over the years to recognize that this is a unique area. One of those things was to recognize (in 1989) that a permitted use was not a service station, he said.
As each board member voted against the BP-Amoco application, each explained his reason for the vote.
"We have to make our decision based on certain criteria that we’re governed by," said board member Rudy Schmid. "Does it meet the criteria that we have to consider in order to grant a variance?"
Schmid said the only special reason for this application that came across his mind was that it would be an excellent location for BP-Amoco.
"The corner has a lot of traffic, and this is exactly what they want," he said. "This is not a reason for the township to approve an application, (just) because it’s beneficial to the applicant. They didn’t meet the criteria for special reasons."
Board member Diane Padlo said the biggest shortfall in the testimony was a lack of special reasons. She said she couldn’t find any special reasons to grant the requested use variance and noted there is no lack of gasoline stations in the area.
Board members Donald Holland Jr. and Cynthia Maurino agreed with the assessments offered by Schmid and Padlo.
"I think they covered everything," said Holland. "My vote is no."
Maurino noted the impact on the community and said she is looking at the master plan vision.
Board member Stephen Cohen said he couldn’t find a need to grant the use application.
Board member Fred Stone pointed to the township seal hanging on the wall behind the board and said, "By not granting the variance, we hold open the hope that this area can develop in a way that is sensitive to the potential to honor the heart of Manalapan."
Board member Arthur Tortorelli said, "It just doesn’t make the cut. This is about profitability for BP-Amoco."
Tortorelli also pointed to what the vision of the township master plan is now, and he noted that historic preservation and the zoning intent concerned him.
Board Chairman Salvatore Vitale said he agreed with all of his colleagues and added his no vote to make it unanimous.