Franklin Planning Board approves two 75,000-sq.-ft. warehouses with conditions

The Planning Board of the Township of Franklin on Feb. 19 approved site-plan applications from LION Franklin Development Group LLC for two warehouse buildings of 75,000 square feet each, subject to multiple conditions including a renewed state flood-hazard permit and state Department of Transportation approval for an emergency-access driveway.

The action resolves a court-remanded application and comes after testimony from the applicant’s engineer and traffic expert, review letters from the board engineer and planner, and comments from township consultants. The board’s approval was taken by roll call vote; all voting members present voted yes.

Doug Wolfson, attorney for the applicant, told the board the project is “a permitted use” under the zoning ordinance in effect when the application was filed and that the applicant would respond to review letters and accept conditions tied to outside permits. Craig Hermann, identified as senior project manager with Paul Sokoloski and Sarator (PSNS), described site orientation, noting the site fronts on Route 27, contains a stream along the west property line and that access will be provided via an internal driveway and an existing cross-access easement to Veronica Lane. Matthew Secler, a traffic engineer with Stonefield Engineering Design, testified that the site would generate roughly 25 vehicles in the busiest hour — “about 1 vehicle every 4 minutes” — and that on-site circulation and loading areas are sized to avoid operational conflicts.

Why it matters: The board’s conditions are intended to limit environmental and public-safety impacts while allowing the developer to proceed. Because the application was remanded by a court, the board and the applicant must meet some timing and permit conditions before the resolution of approval becomes effective.

Board members and staff repeatedly flagged three topics as central to approval: compliance with state DEP flood-hazard permitting and the township’s stream-buffer rules; a condition requiring an emergency access driveway through an adjacent parcel with DOT approval and limitations on its use; and site landscaping and screening to reduce visibility of loading docks from adjacent properties. The applicant agreed to seek reissuance of its DEP flood-hazard permit and to accept a condition that any board approval would be subject to that permit being issued. The applicant also agreed to provide cross-access easement documentation for the shared driveway and to work with township engineering on drainage and grading details.

The board approved land-banking of up to 12 parking spaces (applicant indicated willingness to bank 12 spaces and potentially more) rather than constructing all spaces now; the resolution as drafted allows parking to be provided later without returning to the board, so long as applicable permitting is followed. The applicant also agreed to add landscaping islands in the parking area, to retain mature trees where practicable, and to provide “wing” or low walls near loading docks and additional screening where the loading area faces publicly accessible shopping areas to minimize views from those properties.

On sustainability and operational controls, the applicant agreed to make the roofs solar-ready (able to support panels in the future) but declined to commit to rooftop solar installations at this time. The applicant agreed to place anti-idling signage in the loading area and said it would work with the board on electric-vehicle charging infrastructure placement; the board asked that dual chargers (or paired chargers) be dispersed so charging does not create additional queuing. The board also requested a colorized set of building elevations for staff review; the applicant agreed to provide them.

Traffic and pedestrian access: The applicant’s traffic expert said the project’s trips are modest relative to nearby large warehouses and that the shared access configuration reduces the number of driveways onto Veronica Lane. Board members pressed the applicant to explore a pedestrian connection or short crossing between the site and nearby retail (verbal direction only); the applicant agreed to study feasibility and report back. The applicant also agreed to cooperate with township staff and consultants on fire-department water-supply requirements, hydrant locations and any required pump/tank details.

Formal action: The board voted to approve the application with the conditions described above and standard conditions to comply with outside agency and staff reports, “except as otherwise indicated by the applicant during testimony.” The motion passed on a roll-call vote in which the voting members present recorded unanimous support.

What happens next: The approval is conditional on obtaining updated outside permits and completing documentation specified in staff and consultant letters; the record shows a court deadline or milestone in late March, which the board and applicant acknowledged would influence the schedule.

Quoted testimony (selected): “It is a permitted use,” Doug Wolfson, attorney for the applicant, said of the proposed warehouses. Craig Hermann, describing the site, said the property is “generally open space with some tree lines” and that “there is a stream along the Westerly property line.” Traffic engineer Matthew Secler said the busiest hour trip generation was modest: “This site would generate about 25 vehicles in the busiest hour… about 1 vehicle every 4 minutes.”

Ending: The Planning Board’s approval resolves a court-remanded application but leaves several conditions — notably DEP flood-hazard permit reissuance and DOT sign-off for emergency access — to be completed before the permit files with the township are final. The applicant and township staff agreed to continue coordinating on screening, drainage, and infrastructure details.