The Alternative Press

BERKELEY HEIGHTS, NJ - On Wednesday night, the Berkeley Heights Planning Board continued to hear testimony from witnesses and experts regarding the CVS application, which carried over from the Jan. 16 meeting. However, the engineers and architects from CVS did not have a full site plan with them, so the planning board agreed to adjourn the application until March 20.

First Hartford Realty Corporation proposed to construct a CVS pharmacy with two drive-through lanes. The property currently contains an empty Pizza Hut building, which is slated for demolition. The site plan was reviewed by Neglia Engineering Associates on June 12 and revised on Nov. 6 and on Jan. 3. The major issues have been the installation of a traffic light at Springfield Avenue and Lone Pine Drive intersection and parking.

At the Sept. 18 meeting Township Planner Michael Mistretta said the signal construction plan would address the build-out of certain properties that would “benefit heavily” from the light. Drawing this survey would make clear any necessary right-of-way acquisitions, shoulders, turning lanes, easements and pedestrian sidewalks.

He said it’s possible the upper portion of Lone Pine Drive will need to be reconstructed because a light requires wider lanes and realignment. The plan will incorporate into one document the planned CVS improvements in the Berkeley Heights Shopping Center, the Lone Pine Drive improvements including sidewalks, and the traffic light improvements including pedestrian crossings for a period going out 25 years.

At Wednesday’s meeting, Howard Geneslaw, the lawyer representing Stop and Shop, which is in the shopping center, questioned Sharon Burke, the engineer testifying on behalf of CVS. Burke said they have been progressing to satisfy the requirements of the plan and have made the adjustments they were asked to.

During Geneslaw’s cross examination of Burke, he inquired about the layout, parking spaces, landscaping, materials that will be used and lighting. Burke had answers for some of his questions, but for many she said she didn’t have the site plan and could not answer.

However, Burke emphasized it is the same plan they submitted in October, but they modified the Lone Pine Drive improvements and carved out a right of way.

Geneslaw continued to interrogate her and seemed to grow frustrated with her responses and elected not to call all of his witnesses.

The next meeting about this application is Wednesday, March 20 at 7:30 p.m.