Bellmawr Zoning Board’s Resolution, Minutes & Testimony for Royal Farms

The minutes and testimony from July’s Zoning Board Meeting, along with the formal Resolution granting Preliminary and Final Site Plan approval to applicant, Mark Bellmawr, LLC, have all been uploaded on Bellmawr.com.

The Bellmawr Zoning Board granted Mark Bellmawr, LLC approval to construct and operate a Royal Farms at the location of the old Walgreens.

The Resolution indicates Mark Bellmawr, LLC, proposed a 5,371 square foot building for the convenience store, four pump islands with 16 fueling stations, six outdoor tables with four seats each, canopy, façade and freestanding signs and site improvements. The existing building will be demolished.

During July’s Zoning Board hearing, the Board heard testimony from engineer, Samuel Renauro, traffic engineer, David Shropshire, Professional Planner, Tiffany Cuviello, and Applicant’s Director of Real Estate Jeff Bainbridge. Two Bellmawr residents and a business owner also testified at the hearing.

Highlights from the testimony of engineer, Sam Renauro:

• The development of the property is to redevelop a vacant site, a positive for the Borough.
• More “green” space is proposed in comparison to the site as it currently exists.
• The site was designed utilizing the standards of the Light Industrial Zoning District.
• Non-fuel deliveries will normally be made by box-type delivery trucks, scheduled for non-peak hours with fuel deliveries made by the normal 18-wheeled fuel trucks.
• Fifty parking spaces are provided where 35 spaces would be required for the proposed uses, including interior and exterior seating.
• Fourteen seats will be interior with the number of outside tables reduced to four.
• The site will utilize the existing Browning Road and Black Horse Pike driveways with a new Walnut Avenue driveway added.
• The Walnut Avenue driveway is located over 100 feet away from the nearby school property.
• The site will be serviced by public water and sewer.
• The sign package includes two Royal Farms canopy signs, one on each of the short sides of the canopy; a Royal Farms signs on the building’s front façade, a World Famous Chicken & Fresh Kitchen sign also on the front façade and two freestanding Royal Farms signs with fuel pricing information;
• No signs are proposed for the sides or rear of the Royal Farms building.

Highlights from the testimony of traffic engineer, David Shropshire:

• A permit will be required from the New Jersey Department of Transportation even though the existing Black Horse Pike driveway is unchanged and a letter of no interest will be generated that the proposed use will not generate a significant increase in traffic.
• Approximately 75% of the traffic accessing the site will be pass-by traffic, that is, traffic already on the roadways.
• The Walnut Avenue driveway is being added as a third driveway because the New Jersey Department of Transportation encourages alternate access points for sites along State roads.
• At peak times, approximately 10 –12 cars will utilize the Walnut Avenue driveway.
• It is not likely that cars will utilize the Walnut Avenue driveway and make a left hand turn onto the Black Horse Pike as the Browning Road driveway with its proximity to a lighted intersection would make a better alternative for traffic to make left turns onto the Black Horse Pike.
• It is a safer alternative to have the Walnut Avenue driveway as drivers wishing to utilize Walnut Avenue when exiting the site will not be required to exit onto the Black Horse Pike Drive and then make an immediate right turn onto Walnut Avenue, which would otherwise increase the traffic onto the Black Horse Pike and the number of traffic movements to access Walnut Avenue.
• The parking demands for a convenience store with gasoline dispensing pumps is a minimum of 50 parking spaces.
• The 50 parking spaces complies with the ordinance requirements for the proposed uses of the Property.

Highlights from the testimony of Professional Planner, Tiffany Cuviello:

• It is more common that gasoline stations have convenience stores attached to their use rather than the service of automobiles.
• Uses that are permitted in the Light Industrial Zone, like supermarkets and automobile repair facilities, are more intense uses than the proposed uses.
• The applicant’s proposed development of the property will create a more desired visual environment as the convenience store building is designed with stone and not block, has a cupola and peaked roof rather than a flat roof. Decorative street lighting is proposed to enhance the aesthetics of the site.
• The design of the site also eliminates vehicular traffic behind the Royal Farms building as it existed with the Walgreens site, which had traffic routed next to the adjacent residential uses.
• The proposed uses are particularly suited for the property as the Black Horse Pike area through the Borough has significant traffic and is situated between exits of two State highways, namely Route 295 and the New Jersey Turnpike.
• The freestanding signs are sized in area and height in order to provide proper visibility for traffic and are not located in the sight triangle areas.
• The façade signs are sized appropriately for the size of the building façade and canopies; complying with the ordinance would result in signs that would look out of place and detract from the aesthetics of the building.

Highlights from the testimony of Royal Farms’ Director of Real Estate Jeff Bainbridge:

• Royal Farms will receive deliveries from approximately 10 vendors a week utilizing box-type delivery trucks with deliveries scheduled for non-peak hours.
• Fuel will be delivered once a day, also scheduled for non-peak hours.
• Trash removal will also be scheduled for non-peak hours.
• The 50 parking spaces are sufficient for Royal Farms’ uses on the site.
• The Royal Farms will create 45-50 jobs with most employees being local with full-time employees entitled to job benefits.

Other testimony:

Mary Tanealian submitted photos as part of her testimony. The following are excerpts from her testimony:

• The Walnut Avenue driveway is located directly across from her bedroom window and she will be subjected to the constant shining of headlights as cars exit the site onto Walnut Avenue.
• Traffic is already a mess on Walnut Avenue, especially at the school drop off and pick up times, and more traffic on Walnut is not needed;
• A rodent problem existed with the outside dumpster area for Walgreens and the proposed outdoor eating area will increase the rat problem.
• A privacy fence is needed and noise levels will increase.

David Cundiff testified in part:

• He is very familiar with the Walnut Avenue/Black Horse Pike intersection as his family has operated a business there for generations.
• Traffic is a mess on Walnut Avenue and the driveway will only increase the traffic problem on Walnut.
• Questions the need for the freestanding sign near Walnut Avenue and is concerned that his business sign will be obstructed by the freestanding sign.

James Wayne testified in part:

• His house is the first property next to the Royal Farms site.
• The Walnut Avenue driveway is a bad spot as traffic is too fast.
• There is a rat problem on the property.
• The existing wooden fence is falling down and not maintained.
• The area immediate next to his property is overgrown and a pigsty.
• The dumpster needs to be relocated away from the residences.

In July, the Zoning Board unanimously approved Royal Farms’ proposal. In August, the Zoning Board finally adopted it. To read the full Resolution and minutes from the meeting, click below.

Zoning Board Resolution Findings and Conclusions for Royal Farms

July, 2016 Zoning Board Minutes for Royal Farms

August-2016-Royal Farms Final Adoption

In Magnolia, the demolition of St. Gregory’s School and Church is almost complete. There are “Royal Farms Coming Soon” and “Now Hiring” signs on the site, but there is no updated information on the “Coming Soon” section of its website.

SJO will provide updates as they become available.