7-Eleven Application Advances

Testimony on a proposed 7-Eleven convenience store wrapped up on Wednesday as the Board of Adjustment set a new date to consider the merits of the application.

The application, which proposes to turn the Gulf gas station on Route 35 and Allaire Road into a 2,187-square-foot 7-Eleven store, will be heard again on May 18, when the public will have a chance to weigh in on the application and the board is expected to begin deliberations.

The applicant, Sema Food Mart, finished up its testimony Wednesday with a 7-Eleven representative who called the proposed tract a “luxury’’ site for the franchise. The chain’s sites normally are far smaller than the proposed site, he said.

Asif Khalid, real estate representative with 7-Eleven, said area stores such as the 7-Eleven location on Route 35 in Belmar, often use far less space than the proposed Wall location.

“There’s a ton of space, there’s a lot of parking,’’ Khalid said. “From a purely design standpoint, this is truly a luxury site for us.’’

However, the Wall location, if built, would be the only area franchise store to also sell gasoline.

The Danskin Real Estate and Insurance office at 1937 Route 35 shares a portion of a non-conforming Route 35 driveway with the Gulf station and objects to the 7-Eleven proposal, mainly over increased traffic concerns.

Mark Aikins, attorney for the Danskin, called a planner and a traffic expert to testify against the application.

Aikins’ witnesses said the proposed use was far too intense for the site, would create traffic problems into and out of the property and increase the number of cars cutting through the Danskin property through the shared driveway.