No need for more food

on Rt. 18, board says

By vincent todaro
Staff Writer

on Rt. 18, board says

By vincent todaro

Staff Writer

EAST BRUNSWICK — The Amerada Hess Corp. has been told by the Zoning Board of Adjustment that the sale of snack foods at its Route 18 gasoline station is in violation of a township ordinance.

The company appeared at the Sept. 19 zoning board meeting to appeal a determination made by the township’s code enforcement officer that it is in violation. The code enforcement officer issued a summons to the company in the matter.

The Hess station, located on Route 18 North, sought to have the zoning office’s determination overturned by the board, and tried to get permission to continue selling the snack foods. However, the board denied it on both counts.

"I don’t think we need any more convenience stores on Route 18," said board member Joel Henkin. "You’re going beyond what is necessary.

"You’re bothering the community," he said. "You’re unnecessarily providing something we don’t need. We don’t need more food."

Henkin said selling snack foods also presents a safety problem because people pull into the gas station, park near the pumps and leave their engines running while they go into the store.

Cars getting gas are required to turn off their engines for safety reasons, he said, because of their proximity to the gas pumps, but no one makes the other cars turn their engines off even though they too are close to the pumps. A Hess representative responded by saying that the situation occurs at many other gas stations, and that there have not been any problems.

Board member Lew Kravet said the ordinance allows only soda and cigarettes to be sold.

If snack foods were also sold, traffic would increase, he said.

Board member Stuart Kohn said he did not feel as strongly opposed to the idea as his colleagues on the board, but that he would also vote against it. He said that if the board voted to allow the sales, it would basically be granting permission for other gas stations in the township to start selling them as well. He said he would rather the companies be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Board Attorney Gary Schwartz said the question facing the board was whether a snack shop kiosk constitutes an accessory use that is "customary and incidental" for a gas station. The board voted 7-0 that a snack shop does not fit that definition.

Hess representatives argued that the sale of snack foods should be allowed, saying it does constitute a customary and incidental use.

However, at least one resident said he too is against allowing the station to sell snack food.

Paul Dukat, of Andrew Place, said the ordinance clearly states that only soda and cigarettes can be sold at gas stations.

He said the neighborhood near the station has experienced a lot more noise from that Hess station, located at 234 Route 18, as the result of its sale of other goods. He said people stop and leave their engines running and car stereos blaring while running inside to buy food or beverages. He deemed the noise "unacceptable," and said it is particularly bad on weekends. Dukat said that because the station is open 24 hours a day, the noise also occurs in the middle of the night.

The township already has enough places to buy food, he said.

"We really don’t need to have gas stations combined with snack stores," he said. "This is why we have these ordinances in the first place, to protect homeowners.

"We can’t have every business do what they want without any regard to our citizens," he said.