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Board approves retenancy, site cleanup for Gowen Street auto sales and service
Summary
The Zoning Board approved a minor site plan and variances allowing Model 1 (Bridal 1) to locate a commercial small‑bus and van sales and service operation at 2 Gowen Street, with conditions on parking, hours, employee counts, trash enclosure sizing and other site controls.
The Sayreville Zoning Board of Adjustment approved a minor site plan and associated variances for 2 Gowen Street (application 25022), allowing a national bus and van sales and service operator to occupy an existing service building. Larry Calley, attorney for the applicant CPIOS Sayreville LP, described the filing as a retenancy that will bring a national operator to a site with existing nonconformities.
Tom Tirado of Dynamic Engineering, the project's civil engineer, presented the site plan and said most changes are cosmetic and operational: re‑striping pavement, adding a screened trash enclosure and plantings, formalizing parking (including tandem spaces for inventory), and repairing/milling pavement. Tirado said the site is about 1.5 acres, contains a 7,868‑square‑foot building with five service bays, and currently has multiple nonconformities that will remain.
The board received operational details from the operator's representatives. Robert Arndt, regional operations manager, and Keith Hontz of Dolphin Industrial said hours will be Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with no weekend operations. The tenant anticipates starting with around four employees and, at full scale, up to 12 employees. Inventory typically will be 40 to 50 commercial vehicles on‑site at peak, and vehicles are expected to be sold to institutional buyers (schools, agencies, commercial fleets) by appointment.
The applicant requested a design waiver to allow tandem parking and sought a bulk variance for a trash enclosure located in the front yard because the dumpsters are already in that location. The board's questions focused on loading and circulation, security and keeping delivery and loading activity on‑site rather than on Gowen Street (a private roadway currently plowed by the borough under a long‑standing informal arrangement).
The board tied several conditions to approval: the shaded areas on the site plan are the only areas that may be used for vehicle storage and parking; a maximum of 12 employees; hours limited to 7:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday (employees may arrive a half hour earlier or leave a half hour later); the trash enclosure resized to accommodate trash and recyclables; fire department review for markings and fire lanes; submission to Middlesex County planning if required; and that the site operate without tire work, painting or major body work. The board also agreed, as a practical matter, that the applicant may stage vehicles (“equipment”) on the property prior to memorialization of the resolution, but interior operations and customer service activities were not to begin until required occupancy/COs and permits are in place.
After public comment was closed, the board voted to approve the application on a roll call vote. Board counsel and staff indicated they would draft a memorializing resolution for the next meeting that will enumerate the conditions for building‑department review.
