Zoning board meeting for warehouse in South Harrison Township, NJ canceled; neighbors opposed
SOUTH HARRISON TOWNSHIP, N.J. (CBS) -- The construction of a large warehouse in South Harrison Township, Gloucester County is at the center of some controversy.
There was supposed to be a zoning board meeting on Wednesday night, but it was canceled.
Sources said they feared they'd run out of room with the amount of opposition the warehouse proposal has now kicked up.
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Ed and Chris Menold love their home in the country.
Deep into Gloucester County, just a stone's throw from the Salem County line, the couple bristles at plans calling for the expansion of another much larger warehouse across the street from their South Harrison Township home.
"Knowing they have 19 bays now and they're talking about 71 additional, that's almost four times as many — we 140 trucks now on a daily basis," Ed Menold said. "Four times that would put us at over 600 trucks."
In an application obtained by CBS News Philadelphia, Lineage Logistic Services is asking the South Harrison Township zoning board for a variance to exceed the township's 35-foot height restriction to 60 feet.
The company, according to its filings, wants to build a cold storage facility and writes it will be "consistent with the surrounding area."
The application also lists the owner of the property as Joseph M. Marino — the mayor of South Harrison Township. Marino did not respond to multiple messages seeking comment.
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Neighbor Joe Vitale has concerns about what they said would be a quadrupling of truck traffic, according to their review of the application. He said that's out of touch with what this township says it stands for.
"The township has a rich agricultural history that it strives to preserve to this day," Vitale said.
Warehouse battles have recently broken out in areas surrounding Mullica Hill. The neighbors said the roads aren't big enough to handle the increase in traffic.
"It's six miles from the closest highway, the closest place where it should be," Vitale said. "It's not zoned for industrial use, it's not a light industrial zone. It's agricultural, residential."
For the Menolds, their future here seems uncertain given what may be built across the street.
Ed Menold said he's talked to a real state agent already, but he's not ready to start over at 73 years old.
CBS News Philadelphia also reached out to Lineage Logistic Services for comment but never heard back.
The township said the meeting has yet to be rescheduled.
