Warren Postpones Vote On Former King George Inn Site

WARREN, NJ — Warren officials have delayed a vote to decide the fate of the former King George Inn property.

The Warren Township Committee unanimously agreed on Thursday to table a vote on plans to build a childcare facility at the 1.54 acre lot located off Mountain View Road, King George Road, and Mount Bethel Road in Warren.

"At this point too, I've had my own concerns," said Mayor Mick Marion at the meeting. "This applicant had started more than 5 years ago. We've spent a lot of time on the design aspect. We've changed a lot of things. I have my own concerns with respect to design."

"The redevelopment plan is lacking," Warren Committee Person Jolanta Maziarz said. "I reserved judgment since this came before us. I never thought the redevelopment plan was very robust and I thought that it was lacking... I think we can do better if we are going to come up with a redevelopment plan."

The property manager of the Primrose School of Warren, a daycare and childcare facility on Mt Bethel Road, was among the many residents to voice their concerns with another childcare facility being built when none of the existing ones are full.

"Enrollment pre-COVID wasn't full, it wasn't at capacity and since COVID... now they are restricted from filling the school and are at limited capacity," the property manager said.

He noted the school is "frankly, suffering."

The lot owner and developer, Varma RE Development, had initially planned in 2018 to erect luxury condominiums at the site. The inn was demolished in May but the plan for housing has now fallen through.

The developer claimed that condominium housing is "no longer economically feasible on the Study Area, despite repeated efforts to market same for such use".

At its July 16 meeting, the Township Committee approved the change of plans which includes a two-story building that will be no larger than 10,000 square feet in size and hold a maximum of 180 children. There will also be an outside recreational area surrounded by decorative fencing.

The second reading of the ordinance and adoption was supposed to be held last Thursday but it has since been postponed to the Sept. 17 meeting.

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