By Matt Chiappardi, Staff Writer
EAST WINDSOR — In an attempt to bring its site plan more in line with the township Planning Board’s wishes, D&E Realty this week presented an updated version of its proposal for a mixed-use complex featuring a bank and restaurant on the south side of Route 130.
But at least one member of the board was highly critical of the developer’s internal traffic arrangement. And Mayor Janice Mironov and other members of the board indicated that the developer still had a bit of work to do before a final site plan could be approved.
A third presentation is expected Dec. 15.
The property in question lies between the Carduners and Town Center shopping complexes, and is the former home of the ShopRite Garden Center and Frank’s Nursery, both of which would be demolished. D&E is proposing is a large restaurant, a bank, and a two-story office and retail building on the 4.25-acre lot.
When the company first presented its plan in September, the board expressed concerns over traffic, lighting, landscaping and the site’s internal configuration.
On Monday night, D&E showed a plan that would increase the amount of trees and shrubs on the site, reduce the overall brightness of the lighting, put concrete barriers around Dumpsters and waste disposal areas, include room for an outdoor seating area with benches and, thus, include a new internal traffic arrangement.
The latter calls for a main access road running through the heart of the complex that would funnel traffic in and out from Route 130.
And while the board did have a few concerns for some of the changes, it was the traffic configuration that dominated the discussion.
Board member Anthony Catana called the planned main entrance from southbound Route 130 “crazy,” saying it would not only cause problems for internal parking but also that most cars would likely enter and exit from the traffic light near the Americana Diner instead.
”Very few cars will be making this a grand entrance,” he said. “This is not a main entrance, it’s an ‘I missed my turn’ entrance.”
D&E engineer Brett Skapinetz explained that the entrance lane would measure about eight or nine car lengths and would force cars to make a right or left turn at the end.
”It’s safe, simple and proven to work,” he said.
Mr. Catana disagreed.
”I don’t see how you’re justifying the boulevard,” he said. “It’s not a major entrance. It’s a minor. I’m not coming in that way.”
Both Mr. Skapinetz and D&E traffic engineer John Jahr aggressively defended the design, saying their studies indicate that traffic coming to the complex with its new use would be substantially lower than when ShopRite Garden Center was open, and that much of it would be coming from the adjacent shopping center without actually entering Route 130.
In addition, Township Planner Richard Coppola disagreed with the engineers’ characterization of the traffic layout as “urbanist and pedestrian-oriented.”
Mr. Skapinetz said Tuesday that he plans to keep the traffic configuration the same as their plans move forward, reiterating that be believes it is safe and would work for the site’s uses.
As for lighting, Mayor Mironov had told D&E to reduce the overall luminance for the site during the September hearing. Mr. Skapinetz said Monday that the lighting had been brought down to about 2 foot-candles, with the exception of the area around the bank. By law, he said, lighting must be at 10 foot-candles within 5 feet of an ATM.
Foot-candles are the units used to measure brightness of light sources.
Board Chairman Steve Kelly said he believed the lighting could still be reduced.
D&E did address the board’s desire to see an outdoor area with benches, where people could eat outside. Mr. Skapinetz said that rotating the two-story office/retail space 90 degrees would accommodate that.
The only potential tenant for the site that D&E has landed so far is Chase Bank. They would operate a 4,200 square-foot branch on the site’s northeast corner. The restaurant would be considerably larger at 5,830 square feet with a capacity for 220 seats.
The office building is planned to be 6,000 square feet and be able to house up to four businesses on the ground level.

