Politics & Government
Planning Board Debates More Billboards in Eatontown and the Future of Wall Street Near Best Buy
Eatontown's planning board debated new zoning for billboards and how best to configure the section of Wall Street near Best Buy.
The final configuration of the section of Wall Street that runs between Best Buy and another shopping center and the issue of zoning for additional billboards was on the agenda at the Eatontown Planning Board on Monday night.
The shopping center, The Crossroads at Eatontown, will be a re-development of the lot near the intersection of route 36 and route 35 and the site of the former PetCo. Representatives of LGR Associates, developers of the site, took the floor with concerns about the fate of Wall Street near Parker Road.
According to LGR, the site includes the half of Wall Street closest to their client’s site. LGR Associates wanted an answer as to whether their client should curb their half and make the rest of Wall Street one lane for Best Buy’s traffic or close off the road past the Parker Road intersection, which would turn the four leg juncture into only three legs.
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Borough engineers said that there needed to be more communication and documentation between key authorities before making any final decisions. However, Edward G. Broberg, of T&M Associates, recommended to the board that LGR remove the part of Wall Street that divides its site from the Best Buy lot and not make it ingress. Broberg then argued that the issue of Wall Street is a part of LGR’s site and they should take more responsibility of it and not leave it a matter for Best Buy.
Discussion then turned to whether Eatontown wants to add more billboards along its highways. Mayor Gerald Tarantolo asked the Economic Development Committee to investigate zoning issues along with their research on signage.
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“If [billboards] are going to be allowed, they should be regulated,” said board member, Edmund Fitterer, Jr. A few members expressed disapproval of the billboards, but they board with discuss the matter in more detail after hearing from the Economic Development Committee.
At the Eatontown Borough Council meeting last week, officials were advised by Borough Attorney Gene Anthony that zoning for additional billboards would protect the borough from possible future litigation.
Mayor and council agreed they did not support additional billboards in town but would investigate the new zoning as a protective measure.
