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Taco Bell, Retail Space To Replace Longtime Mount Ephraim Eyesore

 

By Leigh Anne Hubbs

Gloucester City News


The Mount Ephraim Planning Board approved preliminary and final site plans for a Taco Bell restaurant and retail space to be built at 710 N. Black Horse Pike.

It will replace a gaudy strip club since the mid-1970s known as Fantasy Showbar, and more recently Jersey Girls.

Board members heard a presentation from Winterstar Corp. representative Damien Del Duca, Esq., who outlined the site plans which include demolishing the existing structure and building a Taco Bell drive-through with attached retail space.

Current Mount Ephraim ordinance does not allow more than one primary use per lot, prohibits drive-throughs and only allows one sign per use.

The site plan includes three signs on the Taco Bell building, one sign on the retail space and the two businesses would share the existing free-standing sign.

Next, board members heard from James F. Nasuti, President of Winterstar Corp., who has been in the restaurant business for 32 years.

He said that signage is imperative as it is anticipated that the majority of business will be from people traveling on the Black Horse Pike.

Nasuti also stated that Taco Bell will not develop without a drive-through because a quick-service restaurant without a drive-through is not viable.

A board member asked about hiring employees locally.

Mr. Nasuti said that Mount Ephraim residents will be given preference, unless employees cannot be found locally.

Up next to present and answer questions was expert witness John M. Pettit, P.E., P.P., C.M.E.

He explained that currently the lot is almost entirely covered with impervious surface and the site plan will reduce this by approximately 45 percent, greatly improving storm water drainage.

Mr. Pettit also said there will be one entrance lane and two for exiting, one for left hand turns and one for right hand turns.

Also, there will be 41 parking spots although the size of the structure only calls for 31.

Developers will beautify the site with landscaping and the restaurant will blend well with the neighborhood as it sits next to a car dealership, which is next to a Super Wawa.

The rear, and one side, of the property back up to Audubon Lake.

Residents in attendance voiced their concerns over drainage, litter, lights and traffic.

Pettit reiterated that currently the property is almost 100 percent covered with impervious surfaces, so any reduction will be beneficial for drainage.

A traffic study revealed that left hand turns out of Taco Bell will be easier than left hand turns from Wawa because Taco Bell is more centrally located between the Audubon Shopping Center intersection and the Fifth Avenue/Valley Road intersection.

The lights in the parking lot will be directed downward to prevent spillover, and the developers will consider installing a fence with wire mesh to prevent litter from leaving the property before it is cleaned up.

Board members decided that the benefits of this project far outweigh the detriments, so they granted the requested variances.


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