Warehouse Use Removed As Permitted Use In Hillsborough Zone

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ — Large-scale warehouse applications have been growing in Hillsborough. Currently, the township has five warehouse applications pending.

In an effort to take back control, the Hillsborough Township Committee amended an ordinance last week to remove warehouse use as a permitted use in the "TECD Transitional Economic Development District" of the township.

"We are taking local control," said Mayor Shawn Lipani at the April 25 meeting. "We have all the districts holistically coming up with a master plan."

The amended ordinance specifically strikes out "Warehousing, shipping and receiving located completely within an enclosed building."

One objector to the amendment was Amanda Curley with the Parsippany law firm Day Pitney, who is representing Homestead Road LLC.

Homestead Road LLC is seeking preliminary and final major site plan approval to reconfigure two lots, demolish existing structures and construct two warehouse/office buildings on 203 and 189 Homestead Road.

"I am here tonight to simply place our objection on the record as to these proposed changes to the zone to remove warehouses as a permitted use," said Curley at the April 25 meeting.

While the amendment won't impact the Homestead Road LLC or any other pending warehouse applications, Curley still wanted to object to the removal "as it is incredibly broad and without reasoning."

"For one, the town has absolutely no basis for removing warehousing use," said Curley adding that the township hasn’t provided a planning report indicating why.

Curley also noted the TECD zone is has access to Route 206, is next to the light industrial zone which permits warehousing, and there are some current warehouses down the road from the TECD zone.

"It kind of makes no sense why we are prohibiting it in the TECD zone but not in the light industrial zone," said Curley.

Another resident named John also felt the amendment was a "knee jerk reaction" to all of the warehouse applications coming before the township.

"I think what bothers me is we are in the middle of applications for warehouses in town," said John. "We need the money. I think we all need to take that into consideration where the ratables are going to be."

Some residents living near Homestead Road were in favor of the change.

Ultimately, the township committee unanimously voted to approve the change.

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