Hillsborough Planning Board continues Homestead Road warehouse hearing, allows limited public comment and sets June 5 return date

The Hillsborough Township Planning Board on May 8 continued its review of an application from Homestead Road LLC for two large warehouses and a small office building, set a follow‑up hearing for June 5 and extended the board’s time of decision to July 31, 2025.

The continuation followed a procedural dispute between the applicant and objectors over whether response letters and technical memos submitted after expert testimony—identified by the applicant as responses to board professional review letters—should be admitted into the record and whether objectors should have the right to cross‑examine on those responses.

Craig Giannetti, attorney for the applicant Homestead Road LLC, said the materials are “responses from Van Cleef Engineering and Dolan and Dean to the board professional review letters” and asked that the documents be admitted. Objector attorney Brian Tarantino said the responses contained “new expert analysis” and were submitted out of time and therefore should not be part of the evidentiary record. Board counsel and board professionals discussed asking the board engineers to submit a final supplemental memo identifying whether any of the recent submissions contained new, substantive material that would require live testimony or cross‑examination.

The board voted to allow members of the public who were present that night to give final comments on the application with the explicit condition that those speakers who spoke that night would not be permitted to speak again at the June 5 public portion. The motion to open a final public comment period tonight passed by acclamation. The board also approved, by roll call vote, a motion to carry the matter to June 5, 2025, at 7 p.m., and to extend the board’s time of decision to July 31, 2025.

Many residents used the public comment period to oppose the project on traffic, safety, noise, flooding and air‑quality grounds. Gail Martin, a Hillsborough resident who said she organized a neighborhood petition, told the board, “I have a paper petition with 666 signatures against these warehouses.” Jo O’Connell, a White Meadow Road resident, said the proposal “is anything but neighborhood friendly” and warned that diesel fumes and overnight operations could “make the air around my house intolerable.” Former state trooper Nestor Pla testified on trucking enforcement, saying truck drivers “will not follow restricted roadway signs” when profits and schedules are at stake.

Several speakers summarized technical and local concerns that the board must weigh. Speakers quoted application figures included in the public record: a larger building of about 368,995 square feet with about 60 loading docks and space for roughly 50 trailers; a smaller building of about 68,304 square feet with about 30 loading docks and space for about 62 trailers; and an overall total the petition text described as “more than a half a million square feet” and “90 loading docks” with parking that could accommodate “almost 500 trucks and truck trailers.” Residents also said the development would add nearly 1,000,000 square feet of impervious surface (as described by commenters) and worsen local flooding along Royce Brook, which several speakers tied to severe flooding during Hurricane Ida.

Objectors pressed the board to treat supplemental submissions cautiously. John Lanahan said the applicant’s responses forced objectors into a “treasure hunt” through prior transcripts and reports; Brian Tarantino argued that the applicant’s late submissions contained “over 10 pages of new data” beyond rebuttal. Board counsel and several board members agreed it was reasonable to ask board professionals Mr. Mayhew and Mr. Kois to say whether anything submitted since the last hearing contained new expert material requiring live testimony; the board set a deadline for any final memos from its professionals to be filed by close of business Thursday, May 22, 2025.

Board members also discussed schedule constraints: the board has limited meeting dates through July and noted it typically does not meet in August. The board chair and counsel confirmed that applicant expert Gary Dean will appear at the June 5 hearing for any cross‑examination reserved by the objectors.

Next steps: the board set the June 5, 2025 session as the next hearing date; board professionals were asked to submit any supplemental memoranda by May 22, 2025; and the board’s time of decision was extended to July 31, 2025. If members of the public spoke on May 8 they were recorded as having used their opportunity and will not be allowed to speak again at the June 5 public comment session.

The board took two other procedural votes at the meeting: cancellation of a May 22 business meeting and a reminder to the public that the township master plan survey remains open through May 18.

The application will return to the board on June 5 for the continuation of testimony, public comment (limited to those who did not speak May 8), any final cross‑examination of returning experts and board deliberations that could lead to a subsequent decision before the July 31 deadline.