Franklin Township Planning Board Meeting - October 21, 2026

The Franklin Township Planning Board, chaired by Chairman Arsini, held a meeting on October 21, 2026. The primary agenda item was a public hearing and unanimous vote on the Preliminary and Final Major Site Plan application (PLN-26-00007) for GOT YOUR SIX Dispensary. The Board took no action on minutes, resolutions, or discussion items and heard no comments from the general public on general planning issues.

General Public Comments

• The board opened the floor for general public comments on any planning issue. No members of the public came forward to speak.

Hearing: GOT YOUR SIX Dispensary (PLN-26-00007)

• Applicant's Representation: Attorney Michael Silbert of Murphy Schiller and Wilkes LLP represented the applicant, joined by Freddie Herrera, CEO and Founder of Got Your Six Dispensary, and Mitchell Ardman, a licensed professional engineer and planner.
• Project Description: The application sought approval to reactivate an existing drive-thru window at an active cannabis dispensary located at 4437 Route 27 (Block 5.02, Lot 117.03) within the NB zone. The property, a pad site in the Princeton Marketplace shopping center, was formerly a bank. The proposed drive-thru is strictly for pre-placed orders (submitted via app or website) with mandatory ID verification at pickup. No on-site ordering or payment transactions are conducted at the window.
• Variance Request: The applicant originally sought a setback variance for a sign but eliminated that request. The remaining variance sought was permission to install a second freestanding sign on the property, as the zoning ordinance only permits one freestanding sign per lot.
• Witness Testimony (Mitchell Ardman):
  • Ardman testified that the second freestanding sign (20 square feet, 5 feet tall with a stone base) is intended for wayfinding to direct customers to the pad site. He argued the sign qualifies for a C2 variance under the Municipal Land Use Law, stating it serves purposes A (promoting creative development) and I (ensuring a desirable visual environment), is approximately 350 feet from the existing shopping center sign, and will cause no substantial detriment to the public or the zone plan.
  • He confirmed the site meets all bulk standards of the NB zone. A traffic analysis and a New Jersey Department of Transportation (DOT) letter of no interest are on file. Ardman stated the projected queuing is minimal (approximately two cars expected, with room for six in the drive-thru aisle), and operations will comply with all Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) regulations, including a strict pre-order and ID verification system.
• Board Discussion & Professional Input:
  • Board members questioned operational details. The applicant confirmed that the person picking up the order must be the same person who placed it, children may be present in the vehicle, and that the service is comparable to a pharmacy drive-thru pickup, specifically prohibiting transaction ordering at the window.
  • A board member expressed strong reservations about the viability of proposed shade trees in a narrow landscaped strip near the drive-thru, suggesting shrubs would be more appropriate to avoid constant replacement. The applicant's team agreed to work with the board's landscape professional on suitable plant species.
  • The Chairman and board professionals emphasized that the application and eventual approval are strictly for a drive-thru pickup window. They stated that if the operational dynamic were to change in the future (e.g., adding an ordering or payment kiosk), the applicant would be required to return to the board for new approvals.

Key Outcomes

• Motion and Vote: A motion was made and seconded to approve the application as presented. The motion included the variance for two freestanding signs, fulfillment of all comments and conditions raised during the meeting, and conformance to the Technical Review Committee (TRC) report.
• Result: The motion carried unanimously. Members voting in favor were Councilman Barrison, Robert LeCourt, Jennifer Ragnow, Robert Thomas, and Chairman Arsini.
• Scope of Approval: The board granted Preliminary and Final Major Site Plan approval, authorizing the reactivation of the drive-thru and the requested variance for a second freestanding sign.

Board Comments & Announcements

• A board member provided announcements for several upcoming community events, including a Revolutionary War author talk, a spooky stories event, the Washington-Rochambeau plaque unveiling on Veterans Day, and the 250th anniversary of the Conference on Horseback scheduled for January 3, 2027.

Work Session / New Business & Adjournment

• No work session or new business was conducted. The meeting was adjourned following board comments.