New cleaners design approved
By: Stephanie Brown
JAMESBURG Fast food restaurants do it, banks do it, even some pharmacies do it.
And now, a new dry cleaners will offer the convenience of a drive-through service to its customers.
The borough’s Land Use Board approved preliminary and final site plans Dec. 14 to turn a one-and-a-half story residence on the southeast corner of Buckelew Avenue and Lake Street into a drive-through dry cleaners. The application was carried from last month’s meeting so that concerned neighbors and the property owner could work out differences concerning the site plans.
The site, which is located at 180 Buckelew Ave., is zoned for General Business. It currently houses a residential rental unit, which is a nonconforming use of the borough’s General Business zone.
The applicant, Yong Jung of Livingston, plans to renovate the existing 1,320-square-foot building to make room for his dry cleaning business.
Plans by Delaware-Raritan Engineering Inc., of Freehold, show additions at the front and rear of the house as well as a drive-through on the west side of the house for a proposed area of 2,959.5 square feet.
The plans also call for five off-street parking spots, including one for handicapped drivers behind the building, and four on-street parking spots along Lake Street.
The design shows two access points: one on Lake Street and another on Buckelew Avenue. The Lake Street access point is located behind the parking lot at the end of the lot and is for exiting and entering. It requires paving a portion of a 20-foot-wide gravel alleyway behind the lot, which is owned by the borough and will require Borough Council approval. The other access point is an exit-only onto Buckelew Avenue that drive-through customers would use.
Mr. Jung, who has been in the dry cleaning business for seven years, said his Jamesburg location will include both wet and dry cleaning and tailoring. Hours of operation will be Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., he said.
Mr. Jung also provided testimony that the cleaning solvent he will use will not pose a potential health threat. He said he will use the solvent DF-2000 hydrocarbon, which is non-toxic. The solvent is only handled by licensed professionals and is stored inside the dry cleaning machine, he said. The use of the solvent is monitored by the state Department of Environmental Protection.
Last month, Richard and Sandra Crawford, whose property abuts the site, said they had several issues concerning the design of the new business.
The Crawfords said they wanted to make sure that the fencing and curb along the drive-through bordering their lot will prevent cars from accidentally entering onto their property and that the outside lights would not interfere with their young children’s sleep. They also requested that the paving of the alleyway be extended to the portion behind their house.
Since then, the Crawfords, Mr. Jung and his professional have met to incorporate the Crawfords’ concerns into the site plans.
As a result of the meeting, the outside lights will be turned off half an hour after business hours; the fence between the Crawfords’ property and the dry cleaners would be subject to review and approval by the borough engineer’s office; and the alleyway would be paved if approved by the Borough Council.
Both Mr. and Ms. Crawford said they were pleased with the outcome.
"I’m happy if everything goes the way they say it will," Mr. Crawford said.
The board allowed three variances, which includes a side yard setback for the Lake street side of the property of five feet where eight feet is required, a side yard set back on the southern side of the property of .73 feet where 10 feet is required, a total lot size of 7,000.

