Neighbors press council to block or review proposed Residence Inn near Walnut Street over traffic and safety concerns

Dozens of residents spoke during public comment to oppose or ask for stronger review of a proposed Residence Inn hotel at Hooper Avenue and Walnut Street.

Speakers said the planning board’s paperwork dates to 2009 and argued that 15 years of growth and rising traffic make older environmental and traffic studies inadequate. Residents noted the site’s proximity to Westminster Nursery School, Walnut Street Elementary, Toms River Intermediate North and Toms River High School North and said pedestrian safety and school-zone proximity merited renewed study. One resident cited police data and nuisance calls tied to a nearby Howard Johnson’s site.

Planning-board counsel and township legal staff said the item before the planning board that week was a sign variance and that a full application’s prior approvals may have vested rights; counsel noted that if the application is limited to a sign, the board cannot force new traffic or environmental studies tied to the earlier site approvals.

Neighbors suggested alternatives — relocating the hotel to a more commercial location, requiring a jug-handle to improve traffic flow, or asking the developer to fund updated studies — and asked council and staff to review the approval timeline and whether new studies could be required.

What’s next: Mayor and legal staff said they would review the timeline of approvals and consult redevelopment counsel; planning and legal staff said they would take steps to confirm whether the township can require updated reports for the pending application.