The site of a proposed Dollar General store in Toms River. (Credit: Google Maps)
The Dollar General chain of discount stores is seeking permission from the township’s zoning board to build a new store on Route 37 East between Coolidge and Gouveneur avenues.
The project requires a variance because one of the plots that will be taken up by the new store is located at 317 Buermann Avenue, which is located in a residential zone. The front-facing portion of the store will be at 2017 Route 37 East, which is located in the highway business zone.
The township’s Board of Adjustment will hear Dollar General’s application at its Dec. 12 meeting. The developer of the store, Toms River DG, LLC, is asking for permission to build an approximately 7,500 square foot retail store and associated parking lot, plus drainage improvements, lighting and landscaping. The project requires a use variance – the most difficult type to obtain under the law – because of the residential zoning of a portion of the plot of land on which the store may be built.
The Dec. 12 meeting will only deal with the use variance. According to planning documents, if approval is granted, the company will come back to the board to present a final site plan and apply for any additional minor variances or design waivers that are needed.
The meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. in the L. Manuel Hirshblond Meeting Room within the Township of Toms River Municipal Building, located at 33 Washington Street.
