Committee Approves Reduction in Mall Parking Requirement

The Township Committee this week approved a change to the zoning ordinance that reduced the parking requirement at the Mall at Short Hills.

The move was done at the request of mall officials and after committee members had their questions answered about development at the mall.

The measure would changes the parking requirements from 4.5 parking spaces for every 1,000 square feet of leasable area to 4.25 spaces. It's a proposal mall officials have brought forward and provided data from a study showing they only need four parking spaces per 1,000 square feet of leasable area.

During the first reading of the ordinance, committee member Daniel Baer raised concerns about the parking requirements if the mall developed a standalone restaurant. The committee sent the proposal back to the Planning Board for comment, including on the specifics.

Mayor Thomas McDermott, who sits on the Planning Board, said the committee received comments that if mall officials were to propose a standalone restaurant, the Planning Board would consider it as a separate use and there would be a different parking requirement.

Jim Suell, a committee member, said he had doubts about the measure, but he decided to vote yes after seeing the Planning Board's comments.

During the discussion at the first reading, Kenneth Leiby, Planning Board chairman, told the committee the mall's owners intends to develop 50,000 square feet in space into retail. They have not been allowed to develop it because of the parking requirement. Also, the lack of entertainment like restaurants at the mall reduces the need for parking.