BY MICHAEL ACKER
Staff Writer
The Spanish Riviera restaurant, Sayreville, hopes to expand its parking lot with eight more spaces. SAYREVILLE – The Spanish Riviera restaurant plans to demolish an adjacent convenience store building in order to expand the restaurant’s undersized parking lot.
The Route 35 restaurant purchased the site of the former convenience store, which has a one-bedroom apartment above it, so it can add to its undersized parking lot and perform landscaping work around the parking area.
Attorney Thomas Melani presented the borough Planning Board with the restaurant’s proposal during an informal hearing April 19.
The restaurant, which opened its doors to the public last December, underwent architectural improvements that increased aesthetic appeal and even improved property values in the area, Melani told the board. He added that the restaurant is looking forward to operating in the borough for a long time to come.
The business hopes to demolish the neighboring building and construct eight additional parking spaces, also improving traffic flow in the restaurant’s parking lot, Melani said.
He said the restaurant currently has approximately 28 parking spaces, which is not in compliance with borough parking regulations, since the restaurant has a seating capacity for about 189 patrons. While eight more spaces will not bring the business into compliance, it would improve parking conditions, particularly on busy weekend nights, Melani said.
He told the board that the restaurant already decreased its seating capacity by creating a bar area in the restaurant, and the restaurant now accommodates about 140 patrons.
Borough Engineer Jay Cornell verified that parking is insufficient for the business, and agreed with Melani that the additional parking being proposed would improve conditions. Cornell said the number of parking spaces required for a restaurant is contingent on the number of seats for patrons, and noted that the layout of the site is going to require waivers from borough regulations as well.
Melani said Saturday nights are the busiest for the restaurant, and noted that customers sometimes need to park on nearby streets.
Planning Board Chairman Dr. John Misiewicz said he does not foresee any problem with the project, provided that the business works with the borough engineer and planner. He sympathized with the restaurant’s parking situation.
“The existing conditions cannot be changed, [so] we want to work with you,” Misiewicz told Melani. He added that the demolition of the deli and apartment structure is in the borough’s interest as well, since it will be eliminating an eyesore for the community.
“They want to be a good neighbor to Sayreville,” Misiewicz told the Suburban, “and in turn I feel the Planning Board should try to help them comply with all of the ordinances.”