'Dark day in Bernardsville’s history:' Board pushes vote on downtown project to Aug. 15

BERNARDSVILLE – The borough Planning Board pushed the vote on the controversial Palmer Square to a special meeting on Aug. 15.

After more than two hours, Planning Board members decided they needed more time to discuss the long list of stipulations for approval of the project.

These stipulations include making sure the applicant complies with state Department of Transportation regulations and requiring the developers to provide police and fire reports on the impact of the project.

Planning Board Chairman Robert Graham and member Jeff Horowitz also suggested the board may want to add more stipulations which will be better done with “rested minds.”

The board’s decision to hold off the vote came after residents voiced their displeasure with the proposal.

“How could anyone who truly cares about this town −its past, present, and future −propose such a project,” said Rosalie Ballantine, a borough resident. “For me, it’s a dark day in Bernardsville’s history.”

A main sticking point for residents was traffic concerns.

“I find it to be a pipe dream that traffic won’t increase with this proposal,” said Kathleen Shepherd, a Bernardsville resident for more than 20 years. “I just don’t want Bernardsville to be sacrificed and I feel it is.”

More: Redevelopment coming to downtown Bernardsville. Here's what we know

“I am horrified that the town would take on a project like this without ever having a traffic study before the project was accepted,” said Barbara Long, a Bernardsville small business owner. “And then to give tax relief in something that was supposed to alleviate the indebtedness of the town? I am definitely against this project.”

Consideration of the Palmer Square project began last August when Advanced Realty Investors unveiled its plans to redevelop the property.

They proposed a four-story building with 10,000 square feet of retail space and 68 apartments on the one-acre property.

More: 'Breathe life into the town': Palmer Square redevelopment in Bernardsville inching closer

As part of the redevelopment agreement with the borough, Advanced Realty Investors will pay $1 million into the borough's affordable housing fund in lieu of including any affordable units in the building.

Advance Realty Investors, which is based in Bedminster, is under contract to purchase the property from Palmer Enterprises then redevelop it with their proposal.

Hearings for the proposal began in February but testimony has continued for almost six months.

Contact: EMannello@mycentraljersey.com

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: 'Dark day in Bernardsville’s history:' Board pushes vote on downtown project to Aug. 15