West Windsor officials and residents are going toe-to-toe over a proposal to build seven warehouses totaling 5.5 million square feet on a former industrial site across from the Quakerbridge Mall, a heavily trafficked area. About 70 people showed up for the local planning board’s meeting on Wednesday, far more than the five or 10 who usually attend. Almost all oppose the proposed plan to build seven warehouse buildings.
“Stopping this monstrous warehouse construction is the biggest thing in my life right now,” said Khurram Waheed of West Windsor. As well as fears about truck traffic, congestion and emissions, another concern for residents is that construction may stir up toxic chemicals in the soil. In 1995, the Environmental Protection Agency removed chemical waste from the ground, but small amounts of chloroform and other chemicals are still there. The EPA says these will naturally dilute, but there’s enough contamination to discourage anything but industrial use for this land.
Advocates argue the property is already limited to industrial use only.
The West Windsor Township Planning Board will discuss the issue again at a meeting next week.
