PLANNING BOARD TO CONSIDER POST OFFICE PROJECT CHANGES FOR NEW RESTAURANT

The Planning Board tonight will consider a request by Maplewood Village post office developer JMF Properties to alter the plans for the new retail/housing structure to allow an outside trash dumpster and changes to parking locations and space sizes.

JMF, which recently forged an agreement with the owners of a Gladstone restaurant to open an eatery in the new complex, contends the outside dumpster is needed for the additional trash the food service will create.

When the planning board initially approved the site plan last year, one requirement was that all trash collection would be stored within the building. It is set to include 20 apartments and five retail spaces.

At least two other retail spaces have already been leased, to BCB Bank and Starbucks.

The Township Committee last month gave initial approval to an easement for the added outdoor dumpster, which would be enclosed in a concrete structure. But it still needs Planning Board approval for the site plan change.

See the resolution before the Planning Board and tonight's full agenda HERE.  

The restaurant slated to open in the post office project, dubbed Clarus by JMF, is the creation of Tom and Jennifer Carlin of Maplewood, who own Gladstone Tavern in Gladstone, N.J.

See more on how that came about HERE.