Freehold Twp. rejects Route 9 car dealership concept
By linda denicola
Staff Writer
FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP — The message from the Township Committee is clear: No more car dealerships on Route 9, at least south of the intersection of Route 9 and Route 33.
A letter from Freehold Jeep/Hyundai to Township Administrator Tom Antus, expressing an interest in building a dealership on the Gordon’s Lumber property on Route 9 north near South Street was the subject of discussion at a recent committee meeting.
The Gordon’s Lumber property has been for sale for several years.
George Mackey, vice president of the Jeep/Hyundai dealership which now has a location on Route 9 south, about a half-mile south of Craig Road, said that if there is an interest on the township’s part to turn the lumber yard property into an auto dealership, he would proceed with negotiations on the property.
But the committee is not interested in rezoning the lumber yard property for automotive sales, Mayor Raymond Kershaw said.
The rest of the committee members, except for Committeeman Eugene Golub who was not there to express his opinion, agreed with Kershaw.
"That’s why we designated an area north of the [Route 9 and Route 33 intersection] for old and new car sales. We wanted to keep all of the dealers north of the circle," Kershaw said.
Committeewoman Dorothy Avallone said she was sick at the time the ordinance came up for vote, but she felt so strongly about the issue that she got out of bed to vote on the ordinance that keeps the automobile dealers north of the former Freehold traffic circle.
"I have no interest in talking to anybody about a new automotive dealership," Avallone said.
Committeeman David Salkin said he doesn’t have anything against car dealerships but said he would vote to deny the request to change the ordinance to permit an auto dealership on the south end of the township’s stretch of Route 9.
"There are two dealerships there, Ford and Chrysler, that predate the ordinance [requiring dealerships to be north of Route 33]. We don’t need another one."