PB 25 12 Application

PROFESSIONAL PLANNER’S REPORT 262 Main Street Realty, LLC & 270 Main Street Realty, LLC 262-270 Main Street / Block 114, Lots 50 & 55 Township of West Orange, Essex County, New Jersey This Professional Planner’s Report has been prepared on behalf of 262 Main Street Realty, LLC and 270 Main Street Realty, LLC, in support of an application for development at Block 114, Lots 50 and 55 in the Township of West Orange, Essex County, New Jersey. The purpose of this report is to evaluate the zoning compliance of the proposed development and to set forth the statutory basis for the granting of the requested variances by the Planning Board. BACKGROUND 262 Main Street LLC (the “Applicant”) is seeking preliminary and final major site plan approval with bulk “c” variance relief from the Township of West Orange Planning Board in connection with a proposal to redevelop an underutilized property along Main Street with a two-story supermarket and associated parking and other improvements. EXISTING CONDITIONS The subject property is designated as Block 114, Lots 50 and 55 on the official tax maps of the Township of West Orange and is commonly referred to as 262-270 Main Street. The subject property is irregularly shaped and has a total area of 30,218 square feet. It features frontage along three streets: 162 feet along Erwin Place, 210 feet along Main Street, and 24 feet along Prospect Place. It generally slopes downward from northwest to southeast. Lot 55 is presently improved with a 1-story brick building (formerly Walgreens) and associated surface parking areas. Lot 50 contains a 1-story former diner and surrounding surface parking areas. The subject property is primarily accessed via two (2) driveways along Main Street and one (1) driveway along Erwin Place. Sidewalks provide access along all three street frontages of the subject property. Chain-link fencing lines the northwestern property line of Lot 50 and borders the driveway along Prospect Place. Properties within the immediate vicinity of the subject property include residential 1-2 family dwellings to the west, and a corner store and garage directly north. The surrounding land use context along Main Street is generally characteristic of a small traditional downtown, with

ial 1-2 family dwellings to the west, and a corner store and garage directly north. The surrounding land use context along Main Street is generally characteristic of a small traditional downtown, with neighborhood commercial services and food/drink establishments either in stand-alone buildings or as part of mixed-use structures with upper floor residential apartments or other uses. Surface parking areas are generally located along the side or rear of buildings. A number of NJ Transit bus stops are also provided along the Main Street corridor within proximity of the subject property. The surrounding neighborhood largely consists of lower density residential development (1-2 family). Other notable surrounding land uses include Thomas Edison Historical Park further south and Washington Elementary School to the north.