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Car‑wash operator seeks relief for sign over sewer easement; board carries variance to April 2
Summary
Wash King Somerset asked to place a 20‑ft, ~99‑sq‑ft freestanding sign 8.75 ft from the property line, citing a sewer easement conflict with the originally permitted location; the board deferred action to April 2 and requested clearer sign placement, sewer‑authority and utility clearance and site‑triangle verification.
Wash King Somerset Opco LLC asked the Franklin Township Zoning Board for a setback variance on Feb. 5 to allow a freestanding sign near the corner of its car‑wash site at 1463 Route 27. Owner Na'vi Permar and sign engineer Clint Ehlers testified the three‑panel sign will be 20 ft tall and about 98.9 sq ft in aggregate (under the 100‑sq‑ft limit) and the proposed pole and light boxes would be sited 8.75 ft from the property line where 20 ft is required. The applicant said a previously permitted location conflicted with an unanticipated sewer easement discovered during field marking.
Board members and staff pressed the applicant for technical assurances. Questions focused on whether any portion of the sign would overhang or interfere with the sewer easement, whether the proposed placement cleared utility (PSE&G) service lines and a transmission/service line nearby, and whether the sign would create sight‑triangle or traffic‑safety problems at nearby turn lanes. A nearby resident, Barack Patel, raised safety and sight‑triangle concerns from Sinclair Boulevard and reported a temporary solar‑panel camera across the street that he said affected visibility.
The applicant agreed to conditions and additional checks — including clearance from the sewer authority, verification with the utility (PSE&G) about clearance from overhead/service wires, and on‑the‑ground sight‑triangle measurement with the township’s bucket truck — but asked to be carried to a future hearing to present the completed information. The board set the matter for April 2, 2026, at 7:30 p.m., with no further notice required.
Why it matters: The case illustrates how field‑verified easements and utility lines can change a permitted plan and require board action; the board sought explicit technical clearances before approving a sign that would intrude toward the right of way.
What happens next: Applicant will seek sewer‑authority and PSE&G sign‑clearance confirmation, provide sight‑triangle measurements and address TRC landscaping and stormwater comments before the April 2 hearing.
