After the Township Committee rejected a new ordinance Tuesday night that would have
banned new 24-hour retail outlets in redevelopment zones, particularly most of Springfield Ave, the TC launched an effort
to fashion a ban on such outlets township-wide. But with the option of applying for a 24-hour permit of sorts.
"If you want to open 24 hours you
would come in and show why you should be 24 hours," Mayor Vic De Luca said at the meeting. Further discussion came up
with a general proposal to bar 24-hour outlets, with most to be closed betwen 2 a.m. and 5 a.m., but with some kind of
exemption if a business applies for a permit or exemption.
The township would also have the
power to suspend such a permit if the business is found to have problems or complaints.
The
meeting ended with an agreement for township officials to study and write a specific proposal for the next meeting in September.
The original ordinance would have barred new
retail outlets from opening between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m., except those for emergency medical care and pharmacies. That was done
in part to satisfy the request for a new Walgreens at Springfield Avenue and Burnett. The Walgreens remains under consideration by the Planning Board,
which has held two hearings and has a third set for Aug. 11.
The 24-hour ban had drawn concern from residents because it would allow some businesses to
remain at all-night hours. A 7-11 slated for Springfield was recently rejected by the planning board. It had sought a 24-hour
approval initially, but was also denied because the company wanted to build a new building on the former auto repair site.
Currently, two outlets, the Maplewood Diner
and Quik Chek, are 24-hour businesses and would have been allowed to remain.
