Truck Congestion Addressed At Industrial Site In Cranford

CRANFORD, NJ — A longtime industrial site in Cranford is being updated with a mix of operational changes and environmental improvements, with a focus on reducing truck congestion near surrounding residential streets.

The plans were discussed at Wednesday night Planning Board meeting, where representatives outlined updates tied to Anacapri Foods and its expanded footprint in town. The wholesale food business has operated in Cranford for roughly 30 years.

The property owner, Jerry Gasparro, recently acquired an adjacent parcel to support operations. Under the plan, two existing buildings will be used for overflow storage, while the largest building is expected to be leased to Bright Planet Solar, a solar installation company.

A major focus of the discussion centered on truck traffic, particularly concerns raised over tractor-trailers idling and waiting on Winans Avenue while making deliveries to the business.

Gasparro said the company has now put new delivery procedures in place aimed at keeping trucks off residential streets.

“We have had many complaints from our neighbors about trucks idling on Winans Avenue at all hours of the day and night,” Gasparro said, reading from a letter sent to vendors. “If, for any reason, you need to wait longer than 15 minutes, please do not park on Winans Avenue. Instead, pull in our parking lot at 49 Meeker, next door.”

Project engineer and planner Victor Vinegra said the site redesign also includes physical changes intended to improve circulation and reduce paved surfaces.

“What we're going to do is remove some of the impervious surface in the rear of the building that we do not need, and we're going to trim around the site,” Vinegra said. “In essence, we have a reduction in total impervious surface, and we're not adding any building square footage. We're trying to square this site off to make it usable for the vehicles on site.”

The updated plan also calls for new landscaping, including shrubs and ground cover, along with the addition of an electric vehicle charging station on the property.

Planning Board Member Steven Jandoli said the changes improve how the site functions while also reducing paved space.

“I think it's making much more effective use of the site and softening it with some vegetation and removal of the impervious surface, which is a big issue here in town,” Jandoli said.

During the discussion, Planning Board Member Stephen Dunn noted that the business still receives some bulk deliveries via rail.

“I don't think I knew that there was any deliveries being made by freight in Cranford, still,” Dunn said. “It solves a lot of the traffic issues that we talk about on this board.”

The application moves forward as the site continues through the township review process.