Trhough the Looking Glass of Warehouse Sales

And the Reflection Isn't Fair to All

“Curiouser and curiouser,” as Alice would say. That’s what comes to mind as I read the proposed ordinance permitting retails sales in South Brunswick warehouses.

Key phrases in the original wording have been changed.. The original wording read: “The site must be east of Route 130, or west of Route 130 and south of Friendship Road. But in the new version, “west of Route 130 and south of Friendship Road” have been struck out.

Is this amendment significant?

When I questioned the ordinance at the September 12th Council meeting, Council members were not too clear about all the provisions, but it was noted that eliminating retail stores from warehouses west of 130 in the Friendship Road area was intended to lessen the impact of these stores on residential areas.

Once more the specter of Forgotten South Brunswick raises its ugly head on the horizon. Both Deans-Rhode Hall Road and Davidson Mill Road are rural residential areas as well. Both roads are east of Route 130, and both roads have more than enough warehouses around them to create plenty of intrusion from retail store traffic and customers.

Is the Friendship Road residential area more deserving of peace and quiet from retail sales?

The proposed stores will be open seven days a week. No more Saturday and Sunday relief from the commuter traffic. Now it will be replaced by shopper traffic. After all, weekends are for shopping, especially for bargains.

Warehouse stores are a great idea. I love a good buy as anyone else, but if revenue is what the Township wants from this endeavor, then let all the warehouses have stores. Don’t exclude one area to protect the residents while leaving another group of residents to suffer the consequences.

Then again, the Council could take another route and remember the Northeast corner of the Township. Let the stores open in warehouses between 522 and 130 instead. Treat all residents with the same consideration and let us maintain at least a portion of the quality of life we cherish.

Is it too much to ask that our part of town be treated the same as the Friendship Road rural residential area?