Franklin Township Planning Board Regular Meeting - July 16, 2025

The Franklin Township Planning Board met on July 16, 2025, in regular session. The board approved two prior meeting minutes, discussed the mandatory stormwater regulation training, and held a continued public hearing on the 500 Atrium Drive warehouse application. No members of the public spoke during the general or application-specific public comment periods.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the May 21, 2025 regular meeting minutes; Charles Brown did not vote on this item.
• Approved the June 4, 2025 regular meeting minutes; Mahir Rafik did not vote on this item.

Discussion Items

• The chair reminded board members that the required stormwater regulation video must be watched and the attestation form submitted by the first meeting in August. The township engineer explained that staff performs the full technical stormwater review under NJAC 7:8, covering water quality, quantity, recharge, and proposed best management practices. He distinguished stormwater waiver/variance applications from planning variances, noting that waivers require a mitigation plan and that Franklin Township has not received a stormwater waiver/variance application in his experience.
• In response to board questions about non-recharging soils, the engineer stated that state soil maps and site-specific soil testing are used, and that type D soil areas may be exempt from recharge but still must detain stormwater.

Public Comments & Testimony

• The board opened and closed the general public comment period with no speakers.
• The board opened and closed public comment specific to the 500 Atrium application with no speakers.

Hearing: 500 Atrium LLC / PLN-23-00005

• Applicant 500 Atrium LLC, represented by Matt Flynn, presented a preliminary and final major site plan, minor subdivision, and associated variances to demolish the existing vacant office building and construct two warehouses totaling 145,673 square feet at 500 Atrium Drive (Block 468.01, Lot 21.07) in the B-I zone. The applicant stated the proposed use is conditionally permitted because of the zoning standards in effect when the application was deemed complete.
• Site data included a 7.53-acre lot, existing impervious coverage of 77.5 percent, existing floor-area ratio of 0.64, and 585 existing parking spaces. The proposed plan includes two warehouse buildings of 72,213 and 73,460 square feet, 71 physical parking spaces plus 2 EV spaces, 9 loading berths per building, one drive-in ramp per building, and a central loading court.
• The requested variances and waivers include impervious coverage of 75.27 percent versus the 60 percent maximum, a front-yard parking setback off the cul-de-sac, driveway width for the 65-foot truck-court driveway versus a 35-foot limit, the number/configuration of driveways, and a sidewalk waiver.
• Professional engineer Craig Styers testified on existing and proposed site conditions, including off-site stormwater basins from the original subdivision, type D soils with no recharge, and the use of manufactured treatment devices to help achieve 95 percent total suspended solids removal for the canal. The applicant stated that because impervious coverage is being reduced, stormwater recharge is not triggered.
• Architect Brian DeBarbieri testified that the buildings would be just under 50 feet tall with 40-foot clear heights, constructed of precast concrete panels, designed as sister buildings, with glass entrances, clerestory windows, LED lighting, and solar-ready roofs.
• Board members asked the applicant to reduce impervious coverage further, with one member stating there was no justification for not meeting current standards on a cleared site and another suggesting the applicant work toward 70 percent coverage. Board members also requested preservation of existing trees along the cul-de-sac, enhanced front-yard landscaping and screening, real evergreens near the loading docks, updated color renderings and elevations, and a calculation of the fire-lane area added to impervious coverage.
• The board discussed the sidewalk waiver, noting nearby applications had received waivers and that sidewalks add impervious surface; the applicant was asked to consider maintaining a two-percent grass strip along Atrium Drive.
• The traffic engineer was not present, and the planner's testimony was deferred to the continued hearing.

Key Outcomes

• The 500 Atrium application was carried to October 8, 2025, at 7:30 p.m., with no further notification required because a hearing was held. The applicant agreed to extend the decision deadline to October 31, 2025.
• The applicant was directed to revise the plans to address board and staff comments and to submit updated plans by approximately September 9, 2025, for review.
• The board noted that the NPH Real Estate, LLC application (PLN-24-00005) is carried to September 3, 2025, with notification required, and has a decision deadline of September 30, 2025.