By Richard D. Smith | Posted Feb. 27, 2025
The Montgomery Township Zoning Board voted unanimously at its meeting on Tuesday night to deny principal use variances for a self-storage facility proposed on Route 518 by the Route 206 intersection.
In a final statement, attorney Chris J. Murphy, representing the applicant, noted that the site is zoned to allow a car wash, auto sales lot, or a motel. He argued that the self-storage facility would be much more preferable.
An architect's rendering of the self-storage facility proposed at 1026 Route 518 behind Wawa in Montgomery Township, on the border with Rocky Hill.
Rocky Hill borough planner Michael Davis argued before the Montgomery Zoning Board that the variances being sought, not only for building size but a reduced setback from Rt. 518, were inappropriate for a commercial structure within 200 feet of the Rocky Hill historic district.
Rocky Hill Mayor Bob Uhrik and Borough Council Member Jonathan Lee attended the meeting (although they did not speak). Afterward, Uhrik issued a statement complimenting Davis, saying, “Michael’s command of land use planning was evident as he exquisitely outlined the overwhelming obstacles that this project presented for Montgomery along with highlighting the multitude of detriments to neighboring Rocky Hill.”
Uhrik also commended Montgomery and Rocky Hill residents who spoke at the meeting to put their comments into the record.
Among these was Susan Bristol, who has led Rocky Hill citizen opposition to the facility. In a statement, she expressed gratitude: “For now, the 'Rocky Hill Node' in Montgomery Twp can be reimagined as the proper 'gateway' to both Montgomery and our Nationally Registered Historic District with Washington Street at its center.”
Renard Management appeared before the zoning board on Tuesday, Feb. 25 with a revised and resubmitted application that was previously heard by the board on several times, the most recent hearing being on August 27.
Renard’s prior submission proposed two buildings (one 3-stories tall) that required several variances and design exceptions. Their revised submission proposed one 2-story building with 59,504-square-feet of self-storage space on the 3-acre site at 1026 Route 518.
1026 Route 518 (with a red border above) is now a vacant lot. This image shows the outline of a previous derelict building that the owner tore down in 2023. It had been a hang-out for graffiti artists and the site was littered with empty liquor and beer bottles.
The now-vacant lot, directly across the street from the Bank of America branch, is currently owned by Renard Management Inc., a Brooklyn-based development company. It is bordered by single-family homes in Rocky Hill Borough to the east, the Wawa convenience store to the west and the Montgomery Shopping center immediately behind it.
The site is currently a vacant lot, and a remedied Superfund site.
In requesting both use and bulk variances, Renard representatives presented the self-storage facility as an unobtrusive, low-traffic, and regionally-needed operation. However, residents from both Montgomery and Rocky Hill objected to its size and appearance.
The zoning board unanimously voted to deny both D1 and D4 variances.
The site was formerly occupied by Princeton Gamma Tech, a now-defunct company specializing in x-ray and gamma ray detectors. It was then refurbished as an office building by a new owner, but a snow storm caused the roof to collapse. The building stood empty for many years until being demolished in January 2023 by the current owner, Renard Management Inc. of Brooklyn. Renard made an application later that year to Montgomery Township for multiple variances needed to undertake the storage project as conceived.
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Renard’s plan underwent considerable modifications. Initially proposed were two buildings: one three stories high at 123,259 square feet, and a one-story structure of 9,907 square feet.
The Montgomery Zoning Board held its first public hearing January 23, 2024. Questions and concerns — particularly about the size of the buildings — were raised by various board members and residents of Montgomery and Rocky Hill.
After other meetings, the site plan was slimmed down considerably. Now proposed was a single two-story building of 59,504 square feet with 14 parking spaces, stormwater management system, and site improvements including new trees and other landscaping.
Under Montgomery zoning board attorney Jonathan Drill, testimony on February 25 was kept to strict legal relevance, and the meeting’s tone remained professional and cordial.
Expert testimony was provided by Joshua A. Sewald of Dynamic Engineering on behalf of Renard. He emphasized the downsizing, the remaining building’s aesthetics, the reduction of outside lighting on the property (while maintaining sufficient safety levels), and the greening of the site with numerous trees and shrubs.
Replying to questions from a representative of Hilton Realty, owners of the neighboring Montgomery Shopping Center, the Renard reps confirmed there would be no rear exit to provide a shortcut through the site by drivers avoiding the Routes 206 and 518 intersection.
Attorney Chris Murphy had not replied by press time to an inquiry about whether Renard Management plans to submit a new proposal, appeal the board’s decision, or seek another remedy.
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