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SARA authorizes Panera building reorientation, allows planning‑board filing before formal agency site plan approval
Summary
SARA commissioners voted to approve a change in the Gateway service center concept plan to reorient a Panera Bread building and authorized the applicant to file with the planning board before formal agency site‑plan approval, provided the formal site‑plan documents are submitted to the agency engineer for review.
The SARA Redevelopment Agency on Monday approved a change to the Gateway service center concept plan that reorients the proposed Panera Bread building and allows the applicant to proceed to the borough planning board without waiting for formal agency site‑plan approval, subject to conditions.
Engineer Justin reported the tenant requested the building be rotated from a north‑south orientation to east‑west; the change also shifts parking and internal circulation. Justin said the building area and the number of parking spaces will not change and that the applicant sought expedited handling to lock into a tenant contract.
Agency counsel and staff recommended a conditional approach: allow the applicant to file with the planning board to save substantial time, provided the applicant submits printed, hardlined plans and formal site‑plan documents to the agency’s engineer for review so the agency retains a record and can take formal action retroactively if needed.
Action taken: the agency adopted a resolution that "approved the change in the concept plan as shown on the drawing prepared or marked up by Jay Cornell, changing the orientation of the building from north south to east west, and authorize the applicant, SSA, to appear before the planning board without having to have formal site plan approval from the agency provided that the formal site plan documents are submitted to the agency engineer for review." A roll‑call vote was taken and the motion passed.
Why it matters: commissioners said expediting the change will help keep the Gateway project moving and preserve its economic benefits for the borough while retaining agency oversight because final plans must be submitted to the agency engineer.
Discussion vs. decision: this was a formal agency action (resolution authorizing conditional waiver of the requirement to obtain agency site‑plan approval before filing with the planning board). The resolution includes the condition that formal site‑plan documents be submitted to the agency engineer for review; staff will retain the right to require subsequent formal action and record the final configuration.
Next steps: applicant to submit complete, printed site‑plan documents to the agency engineer; staff and the planning board will review the plans; the agency indicated it will prepare a formal on‑the‑record resolution for official filing.
