Inserra Introduces Revised Site Plan on ShopRite Application

The attorney's representing the ShopRite application introduced a revised site plan before the Planning Board on Wednesday night that Inserra Supermarkets attorney James Jaworski said would eliminate a number of variances from the application, thus speeding up attempts to redevelop the vacant site on Greenwood Avenue with a 62,174-square-foot supermarket.

"Through multiple design reviews and through multiple shade trees and multiple objectors we've tried as best as we can to present the best application," Jaworski said. "What's not going to change is that the objectors are going to continue to object regardless of how this application evolves."

Describing the changes as "minor in nature" Jaworski said the building footprint and location would stay the same. What would change would be an earlier request for a subdivision within the property. "'It's gone from the application," Jaworski said. "The variances associated with that subdivision are no longer part of what we are talking about."

Jaworski also said the revised plan eliminated the request for a parking variance. "You'll recall that we created future parking or phantom parking for our phantom square footage. We don't have to have that discussion anymore.  We now not only have conforming parking at 380 but four extra spaces," he said. 

Andrew Missey, an engineer with Lapatka Associates of Paramus hired by Inserra, walked the Planning Board through each of the revisions. "The removal of the railroad parcel from consideration of the application is the most significant change here. We no longer require variance relief from this board for all the efficiencies associated with making the railroad parcel smaller," Missy said.  

Gail Price, who represents neighboring Stop & Shop, released a statement saying the revised plan was only slowing down an already cumbersome application.

"I'm troubled that ShopRite's plans continue to change, month after month, all in an effort to fit an over-sized super store on a lot that was never intended to house a single store of this size," Price said. "This lot should be used as a place of business for local merchants with safe and easy access for pedestrians."