Warehouse Application Denied By Hillsborough Planning Board

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ — After a year of hearings, an application to build a 107,366 sq. ft. warehouse near the Green Hills Community was unanimously denied by the Hillsborough Planning Board on Thursday night.

"A spec warehouse number one is too hard for us to determine the impact to the neighbors both in sound, noise, congestion, environmental impacts… And in this case also the potential for more flooding in this area, I think is a concern I can not overlook," said Mayor Shawn Lipani

The biggest reason for the denial was linked to the lack of testing on the impacts of flooding in the area along with not knowing who the tenant would be to occupy the space to understand its full impact on the community.

"Given the flooding impact over the area and what it has gone through over time. I would’ve wanted to see that every 'I' was dotted and 'T' was crossed in regard to the testing. Maybe there were reasons it wasn’t done but frankly, it should've been done. Because we sat here for a year to see how this project would be acceptable for the neighborhood," said Committeeman Frank DelCore.

He noted there was not enough testing on the recharge basins.

"I am really troubled by that because of what this neighborhood has been subject to I would’ve expected above and beyond and frankly I am disappointed you didn’t do it," said DelCore to the applicant.

The application by Harvard Way JMJ4, LLC (Redcom / SAI) was looking to construct the warehouse at the end of Harvard Way off Route 206. The warehouse is roughly the size of 2.3 acres.

A group of concerned residents of the Green Hills Community objected to this application and hired Jordan Asch to represent them and protect their family's homes.

"Frankly they are terrified of the flooding that has happened and all likely hood will continue to happen due to various issues. This proposal as designed will exacerbate flooding issues, will increase the peak flow rate for the drainage area," said Asch prior to the vote asking the Board to deny the application.

Multiple residents also spoke at the meeting objecting to the application.

"We flood in this town, we've seen it worse and worse and everyone is in agreeance that there will be more runoff," said Rich Gahrmann of Winding Way.

Aside from flooding concerns Mayor Shawn Lipani noted that he was concerned with the lack of knowledge on who the tenant would be to occupy the warehouse space.

"We are left with mostly hypothetical. And the hypothetical is what the building is going to be? What tenants are going to be?... What the impact to the neighborhood is going to be? Take away the water. The traffic?" said Lipani. "The rest of the application, there are too many unanswered questions than there are answered questions."

• Read More: Controversial Warehouse Raises Flooding Concerns In Hillsborough
• More: Hillsborough Warehouse To 'Drastically Increase' Runoff: Engineer

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