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Planning Board approves Aldi conversion at Hampton Shopping Plaza with conditions
Summary
The Hampton Township Planning Board approved converting the former Staples into a 20,020 sq ft Aldi with conditions on lighting, HVAC screening, parking/striping, and as-built plans; the board raised safety questions about curbside pickup and required signage and crossings.
The Hampton Township Planning Board on May 21 approved an application to convert the former Staples space in Hampton Shopping Plaza into a 20,020-square-foot Aldi supermarket, subject to conditions on lighting, screening and site signage.
Attorney Michael Selvaggi presented the application on behalf of Aldi Inc., and engineer Matthew Bersch told the board the store would operate from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. daily, employ about 20 people and receive one to two deliveries per week. "Hours of operation would be 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, seven days per week," Bersch said. He described façade upgrades, new signage, widened sidewalks near the cart corral, four curbside pickup spaces and upgraded ADA parking.
Board Engineer David Simmons reviewed his May 7, 2026 report and recommended several checklist waivers for completeness while asking for coordination on county planning items and permit materials. Simmons also supported measures to reduce light spill and noted that no new impervious coverage was proposed because work would be limited to the existing building footprint.
Several board members expressed concern about the planned curbside pickup area, which sits near the lot entrance from Route 206 and has a history of traffic incidents. Traffic engineer Corey Chasse, sworn and accepted as an expert, defended the location as the most efficient option for pickup and said similar layouts have not shown safety problems at other stores; he recommended a marked pedestrian crosswalk and a movable three-foot sign to improve safety.
Angela Shakur, Director of Real Estate for Aldi, said annual property-management walkthroughs will address sign upkeep. The board set conditions including installation of downward-facing wall-mounted fixtures to reduce light pollution, screening for any visible HVAC equipment, provision of an as-built survey, added striping and signage at the employee crossing, a fenced dumpster enclosure with privacy slats, and that exterior lights be turned off within two hours of store operating hours.
On a motion by Mr. Dooley and seconded by Mr. Sivulich, the board voted to approve the application. Roll call recorded: Dennis Daniels, Yes; Mr. Dooley, Yes; Mr. Gunderman, Yes; Mr. Gurick, Yes; Mrs. Kominiak, Yes; Mrs. McCarthy, Yes; Mr. Santora, Yes; Mr. Sivulich, Yes; Mr. Walther, Yes; Mr. Zawacki, Yes.
The board also granted Aldi permission to submit permit applications to the Construction Office prior to adoption of the memorializing resolution.
