Parsippany planning board approves revised Dunkin' drive‑through plan, reduces pumps from six to four

The Parsippany (Troy Hills) Planning Board voted to approve Application 20:54, allowing Danni Realty to redevelop an existing gas station and convenience store at the corner of Route 46 and New Road into a Dunkin' quick‑serve restaurant with a drive‑through. The approval follows testimony about site changes intended to improve vehicle circulation and to comply with revised state flood‑hazard rules.

The board heard expert testimony from civil engineer James Henry, who said the proposed project would reorient the building, reduce the number of fueling pumps from six to four and shrink the building footprint to about 1,475 square feet with no indoor seating. "We are looking to basically redevelop the property... reducing the number of fueling pumps on the property from 6 to 4," Henry testified. He described several plan modifications aimed at reducing stacking and blocking, including additional pavement striping, directional arrows, a mountable curb island at the New Road driveway, and new "do not block" signage.

Henry also told the board that one small retaining wall shown on past plans was removed after the township's grading analysis and that the plan was revised to comply with recently changed New Jersey DEP flood‑hazard rules. "We had to basically reanalyze and regrade this area... the rules... changed the flood zones 2 feet in New Jersey," he said, noting the team avoided filling regulated flood areas so as not to push water onto neighboring properties.

Board members questioned how much the changes would reduce risky driver behavior where the driveway meets four lanes of Route 46 and whether signage and a mountable curb would be effective. The applicant's attorney acknowledged that signage and a mountable curb are deterrents rather than absolute controls but said they were designed to direct and slow turning movements. The applicant also agreed to install a sign paid for by the applicant on a neighboring property if requested by that neighbor to reduce driveway blocking.

After discussion, a motion to approve the revised plan under the terms of an amended conditional stipulation of settlement was moved and seconded; roll call recorded multiple 'Yes' votes and the application was approved. The board's approval clears the way for the applicant to proceed with building permits, subject to compliance with the conditions and any remaining administrative requirements.

The board's action followed a period of negotiation and revisions and was framed by the applicant as a compromise reflecting questions and concerns raised in earlier reviews. No formal condition to limit operations (such as drive‑through hours) was recorded in the board's roll call; the approval was tied to the amended settlement and plan revisions presented to the board.

The next procedural step is for the applicant to complete any outstanding administrative items and obtain necessary building and construction permits before work begins.