Planning Board Approves Mellon Farms Application

The Freehold Borough Planning Board approved plans for Mellon Farms to move into the former Silvert’s furniture store, 45 South St., by a 5-1 vote on Wednesday, July 13.

The market owned by Bryan Kim is currently located at 17 South St. The two-story Silvert’s building will house a 25,087-square-foot farmers market-style supermarket on the first floor and 4,039 square feet of office space on the second floor.

Kim will convert the current Mellon Farms location into a deli, according to the application.

The municipality’s land use ordinance requires 293 parking spaces for a 29,000-square-foot supermarket, however only 30 are proposed. Kim indicated in his application that only eight percent of his current customers arrive by car, with 88 percent walking and three percent arriving by bike. The percentages were arrived at after Kim and his employees conducted a headcount survey of customers at the cash register over a four-week period.

As part of the approved plan, Kim was granted a waiver on the 263 additional parking spots.