Planning board clears Chase Bank site plan at 1180 Raritan Road, grants signage and parking variances

The Clark Township Planning Board approved a site plan on Feb. 6 for a new Chase Bank at 1180 Raritan Road, a redevelopment of part of the existing shopping center that will replace parking with a roughly 3,368‑square‑foot branch and associated site improvements.

Applicant representative Stephen Hale said the bank will include a 24‑hour lobby ATM, a drive‑up ATM with night‑deposit capability, community financial‑advising services and a typical staffing pattern of four to five employees on a typical day (up to eight to 10 at maximum staffing). The proposed building includes architectural detailing, landscape buffering, lighting and on‑site pedestrian connections.

Why it matters: The proposal converts a portion of a large surface parking area into an active commercial building at a highly visible intersection. The board granted relief from the township’s parking table, impervious‑coverage caps and the limit on the number of building signs; testimony and engineering evidence were the basis for the board’s finding that the project would not create unacceptable traffic or parking impacts.

Technical testimony and variance rationale: Dynamic Engineering’s Adam Westenberger said the project reduces impervious area on the immediate parcel and will install oversized subsurface conveyance pipes with a smaller orifice to slow post‑development runoff; the township engineer, Rich O’Connor, accepted that approach as a stormwater detention measure in the pipes. Westenberger also described added landscaping, a new trash enclosure and pedestrian sidewalk connections.

Traffic engineer Craig Peregoy presented trip‑generation and parking analyses using ITE (Institute of Transportation Engineers) data, Urban Land Institute shared‑parking methods and on‑site counts. He testified the combined peak parking demand for the existing restaurant (Chili’s), the Hackensack Meridian medical office and the proposed bank would be far below the township’s ordinance calculation. Peregoy said published standards produced peak estimates between 232 and 251 spaces, while on‑site counts showed a maximum observed occupancy of 72 cars during a recent peak period; the site will provide 269 physical spaces (283 when accounting for a 14‑space state credit). He also testified that expected new trip generation is well below common thresholds for off‑site impact review.

Architect James Lolli (Core States Group) described the 3,300‑square‑foot branch layout — public lobby, conference rooms, teller area, employee support spaces — and showed color renderings. He said the building will include solar panels on a flat roof area and screened mechanicals. The applicant proposed four building signs of about 36.9 square feet each (internally illuminated), producing a quantity variance because the ordinance limits building signs; planner testimony said the finished building is four‑sided and signage on multiple elevations supports wayfinding.

Professional reviews and conditions: Board professionals (engineering, planning and traffic) testified they had no objections after the applicant agreed to conditions in their letters, including provision or coordination of EV charging infrastructure, bollards requested by the police department, and conversion of one aisle to one‑way circulation to reduce conflicts. The applicant stated it will pay the applicable commercial affordable‑housing development fee and comply with listed technical conditions.

Board action and vote: After deliberation the board moved to approve the variances and site plan with the professionals’ conditions. The transcript records affirmative roll‑call votes from the members present: Mayor Albanese; Mr. Algraz; Mr. Triola; Mr. Altman; Mr. Steinberg; Mr. Brocato; Mr. Rancio; and Mr. Gribb. The chair declared the application approved.

Next steps: The applicant said it has a 10‑year lease with options to extend and will proceed with county and municipal approvals and construction coordination with the center’s other tenants and utilities (applicant noted remaining EV‑charger transformer work is subject to PSE&G).