Plans Go Awry for Service Station Expansion

A proposal to expand a convenience store and gas station on Route 22 stalled during the June 7 zoning board meeting.

HMS Realty appeared before the zoning board to request a minor site plan with variances to expand the Valero Service Station on Route 22.

The plans submitted called for expanding the back of the building to create a walk-in cooler and adding a second floor with storage space, employee rest rooms and office space, said Steve Kutch, engineer for the applicant.

Board member Carl Schulz admitted he was “skeptical” about the second-floor storage space.

“That’s a lot of space,” he said.

Board Attorney Lawrence Vastola also asked the applicant’s representatives if they were familiar with “any other two-story convenience stores.”

The number of parking spaces was also an issue for several board members.

But the immediate issue became clear when board members realized that they were looking at plans submitted in February and Kutch was referencing plans submitted in March.

Because of the discrepancy, the hearing was continued to the board’s June 28 meeting in order to give the applicant time to make sure board members have the most recent plans in hand.