Board: If Chase Wants a Bigger Branch, It Should Do its Homework

The Morris Plains Planning Board sent J.P. Morgan Chase packing again Monday after its application to build a new, bigger branch was unanimously deemed incomplete.

The bank, which currently has a branch at the corner of Morris Plains Ave. and Speedwell Ave., plans to demolish that building and build a bigger branch that extends into the property formerly occupied by Ronnie's Deli, which also would be torn down.

Attorney Nancy Lottinville of the Gibbons law firm appeared on behalf of Chase and voiced the firm's desire to have its public hearing at the next planning board meeting.

Board chairman Ralph Lopez made no secret of his annoyance that this request was being made when the borough did not yet have a complete application in hand.

"This is a major corporation," he said. "I thought you'd have things in order."

The application had been deemed incomplete at the previous meeting and board members were expecting it to be finished before Monday's meeting. However, borough engineer Leon Hall and borough planner William Denzler reported to the board that various aspects of the application still needed to be addressed.

These included a mislabeled setback, missing site easement information and recalculation of lot-line dimensions. Board member Sydney Leach also pointed out that the wrong town name appeared on the plans. Most important, according to Hall, was an incomplete soil disturbance permit.

According to Hall, Chase had indicated it planned to remove 11,000 cubic feet of dirt from the site. This soil, Hall said, would have to be tested if it is to be placed anywhere else in Morris Plains. Mayor Frank Druetzler questioned the large amount of soil to be displaced and asked that Chase confirm the numbers when the application is resubmitted.

Despite the issues cited with the application, Chase may still have the opportunity to move to the public hearing stage at the next planning board meeting. After Lottinville said Chase was mere days away from completing the application, the board agreed on a compromise.

If Chase is able to submit a complete application by Friday, and if this allows time for the town planner and engineer to review it for–and confirm–its completeness, a public hearing may be allowed at the next planning board meeting on June 20.

Despite this decision going her way, Lottinville did not make it out of the meeting chamber without a closing salvo from the mayor.

"I drove by the property today and the grass is a foot tall, right there on Speedwell Avenue. You should maintain your property," Druetzler said. 

Lottinville said she would be sure to pass the message along to her client.