Hearings on asphalt plant continue in T.F.

Hearings on asphalt plant continue in T.F.
Stavola manager testifies plant site is too small
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer

TINTON FALLS — The latest in a series of hearings on an application seeking approval for an asphalt plant to be constructed on Shafto Road was held by the Tinton Falls Zoning Board of Adjustment on Oct. 15.

Stavola Realty Co., Tinton Falls, is opposing the plant that is being proposed by FLM Associates.

Stavola Realty is represented by John Giunco, Middletown, who brought Stavola Asphalt Division Manager Fred Wallenquest to provide expert testimony.

The site of the proposed plant is located in the MFG Zone where permitted uses include offices, research facilities, hospitals, veterinary hospitals without outdoor kennels, libraries and parks.

John Tatulli, of Tucci & Tatulli, West Long Branch, represents FLM Associates, which is seeking a use variance and site plan approval for the proposed warm-mix asphalt plant.

Asphalt plants are permitted in another zone in the borough, but zoning ordinances require that they be located on a site of at least 10 acres. The site of the plant proposed on Shafto Road is 4.7 acres.

Wallenquest testified that his main concern with the proposed plant is the relatively small size of the site.

"My concern would be if I had to operate that facility, there is a whole lot going on there on a very small piece of land," he said. Wallenquest was concerned that the stockpiles at the plant would cause problems.

"My concern is the size of the stockpiles," he said, "the ability to bring in material and let the material dry out before you put it in the plant."

Wallenquest said that larger stockpiles mean you don't have to replenish them as frequently, which results in less truck traffic.

"Most asphalt plants store fairly large stockpiles," he said, "so you don't have peaks of traffic.

"You could have a busy day, so you don't have to replenish it the same day," he added.

Wallenquest said that Stavola's stockpiles generally contain a few thousand tons of material. He was unaware how the proposed plant would manage the stockpiles.

"I would have to see how high they stockpile it, how high those walls are," he said. Wallenquest was asked by board Chairman Ron Palmieri what the perfect size for an asphalt plant would be.

"What would be your perfect size asphalt plant area?" Palmieri asked.

"Of course bigger would be better," Wallenquest said. "It allows you the flexibility of moving the materials in the winter with cheaper prices.

"Fifty acres would be great, but as a minimum I would say somewhere between 10 and 15 [acres] would be sufficient," he added.

Plans also call for the plant to use warm asphalt, and Wallenquest said studies on the benefits of this type of mix are inconclusive at this point.

"We don't even know yet the value of that product because it's in a study," he said. "It has yet to be evaluated."

Wallenquest said a study is being done at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, but the results are not in yet.

Wallenquest also criticized the plant because he said it would have to do the recycling of material off-site.

"You lose the benefit of the recycled [material] by not recycling it on-site," he said. "I would compare it to buying locally grown fruit from the West Coast.

"You save on the fuel to move it," he added. "It is more environmentally sound to do the recycling on-site."

Toward the end of the hearing, Tatulli was able to cross-examine Wallenquest. During the cross-examination, Wallenquest admitted he was unaware of a Stavola asphalt plant in Millville and another of the company's plants in North Bergen that both have smaller sites than the proposed FLM site.Also opposing the development is Edgewood Properties LLC, represented by Ron Gasiorowski, Fox Chase Condominiums, represented by Michael S. Karpoff, and Borough Properties LLC, represented by Robert Inglima.

Hearings will continue at the Nov. 5 Zoning Board meeting at Borough Hall.

Contact Kenny Walter at

kwalter@gmnews.com.