HILLSDALE— Opposing views on flooding, traffic impacts, and stormwater management dominated the discussion at the third Planning Board hearing, Oct. 10, for a proposed self-storage facility and new vehicle parking lot in the Patterson Street Redevelopment Zone.
The plan calls for a 110,000-square-foot self-storage building and a 72-space vehicle parking lot. The hearing, held before a full Borough Hall council chamber, included new testimony from Rev. Peter Smutelovic, pastor of St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church, and from a professional planner.
A recording of the meeting, lasting more than two and a half hours, is available on the borough’s YouTube channel under “Planning Board 10.10.25.”
The board’s next hearing on the application is set for Tuesday, Oct. 28, at 7:30 p.m., when additional testimony will be heard and a vote may follow after public comment.
Smutelovic testified about flooding near the church during a July 14 rainstorm, showing enlarged photos and video taken during the event. He said the area received more than three inches of rain in a short period and that he had recorded approximately nine short videos documenting the incident. The footage showed water pooling near one entrance to the church property, which he said lies close to the proposed self-storage driveway.
Applicant attorney Jason Tuvel, representing Hillsdale Self Storage LLC, objected to the videos, calling them irrelevant since “everyone knows the church is in a flood zone.” He said the footage seemed prejudicial to his client’s case. Meeting viewers on YouTube could not see the pastor’s videos or photos.
Tuvel’s firm represents Claremont March, the principal redeveloper of a nearby 256-unit luxury apartment complex. Board chair Meredith Kates said the board attorney, Allyson Kasetta, would review the pastor’s additional videos to determine whether they should be viewed by the board at the next hearing. The church’s attorney said he would provide copies to board professionals for review.
Tuvel recalled traffic engineer Nicholas Verderese to answer questions about traffic counts he conducted and engineer Thomas Muller for cross-examination by attorney Frank Magaletta, representing St. John the Baptist Church and St. John’s Academy. Magaletta said the pastor’s testimony, photos, and videos would lay a foundation for potential expert testimony.
In one video, Smutelovic could be heard describing conditions during the July 14 flood, which he called “a very dangerous flood zone.” He said he had used a measuring stick to gauge the water’s depth as he walked through the area.
Tuvel objected again to showing videos of floods in a flood zone, saying they were not relevant. He noted that the applicant’s engineering testimony indicated the project would improve existing drainage conditions.
Smutelovic said the church, which will mark its 100th anniversary in 2027, serves about 360 children daily at its parish school. He estimated that the proposed self-storage entrance would be about 25 feet from a church driveway, used by parishioners, including elderly attendees. He also described typical traffic patterns during school days and weekend services.
Verderese said the proposed facility and parking lot would add only about 50 peak-hour trips, which he described as “essentially insignificant.” Smutelovic said additional traffic could affect after-school activities on church property, but Verderese disagreed.
Engineer Thomas Muller testified that the project would create 5,500 fewer square feet of impervious surface than the current sites, adding new inlets and a pipe network on Prospect Place to improve runoff conveyance. “All the storms are being reduced,” he said.
Professional planner Elizabeth McManus testified that the application was “substantially in line” with the local redevelopment plan and includes 300 new plants, trees, and shrubs. She said the only variance sought concerns the sign height, at about 36 feet, explaining that lowering the sign would block windows and architectural features.
Tuvel added that one of the two building signs could be turned off by 10 p.m., as requested by neighbors.
Tuvel said one sign faces west and one sign faces south. Tuvel later said the lit sign on the west side would be eliminated and the sign on south side would be moved from 36 feet high to 20 feet high, thus no longer requiring a variance.
St. John the Baptist Church has opposed the project. When the Borough Council approved a four-story self-storage facility in the redevelopment zone on Feb. 11, parishioners and the pastor raised concerns about flooding, traffic, public safety, cultural sensitivity, and aesthetics.
Under the PILOT agreement, officials said the project would generate about $200,000 annually at first, increasing to nearly $400,000 a year when fully occupied.
The 30-year agreement is projected to bring in approximately $2 million in the first decade, $3.3 million in the second, and $4.9 million in the third, according to Councilman John Ruocco, citing an Acacia Financial analysis.