JACKSON — The Jackson Planning Board has approved a development application that proposed the construction of three buildings on Herman Road near East Commodore Boulevard. The application was known as Westgate.
There will be a two-story building with 14,400 square feet of space; a one-story self-storage facility with 5,400 square feet of space; and a one-story self-storage facility with 4,350 square feet of space.
The board’s engineer, Doug Klee, noted that the applicant was seeking preliminary and final site plan approval. A slightly different version of this project was approved more than five years ago.
Klee said the contractor’s office space and warehouse concept remained as originally approved.
In a previous version of the application there were two one-story buildings. The two-story building has been added to the two mini-warehouse buildings, he said.
Klee said the project will not encroach on wetlands that are on the property. The applicant requested waivers from having to provide an environmental impact statement and a traffic study.
The traffic patterns to Herman Road remain as originally approved, Klee said.
The site requires 49 parking spaces for the use. There are 15 parallel parking spaces provided.
Environmental scientist Ian Borden, testifying on behalf of the applicant, said the plan does not propose to impact the property’s freshwater wetlands or the freshwater wetlands buffers.
“The self-storage structures produce minimal traffic impact,” Borden said. “The original use of the building was for storage by small contractors, plumbers or electricians, and an office.”
Tenants will only have access to a center promenade, and there will be a roll-up door for each storage unit.
Borden said that even though the revised application will bring the project above 20,000 square feet, it will not generate any traffic impact on the area.
In a discussion of a tree buffer, attorney Ray Shea, representing the applicant, said the developer will abide by what Jackson’s forester requires for a tree buffer.
The board’s planner, Anna Wainright, agreed with the applicant’s representatives that the traffic impact of the project would be minimal, but she questioned the parking issue, which she said could be a problem.
Shea noted that the use of the property would be low volume.
Board member and township engineer Dan Burke noted that the site will have 15 spaces for parallel parking.
Klee noted that no overnight parking of vehicles will be permitted.
Borden said there will not be any outdoor storage at the site and none of the three buildings will have a basement. No waste will be allowed to be left at the site, and there will not be any retail sales at this location, he said.
Burke said he believed the environmental impact statement could be waived.
Board members voted 8-0 to grant the waivers for the environmental impact statement and the traffic study, and then voted 8-0 to approve the Westgate application.