The Cedar Hill Shopping Center's long-running expansion application finally crossed the finish line Wednesday night, as the Wyckoff Planning Board voted 8–0 to approve a new retail building at 525 Cedar Hill Avenue — ending a process that began with an application originally filed in 2022 and was substantially revised after neighborhood opposition forced the developer to reconsider access and landscaping plans. [1]

The approval came with a notable list of conditions: the applicant must install a new concrete sidewalk along Blum Court to the property line, provide curbing at the board's request, coordinate with the Township Engineer to fill gaps in landscaping along residential property lines, install six decorative lights along Cedar Hill Avenue, remove excess snow from the parking lot during significant storms, and continue working with Bergen County on the southern driveway exit configuration.

The application, brought by UB Wyckoff1, LLC, had been carried from the February 4 special meeting after the board identified two unresolved concerns — the configuration of the Cedar Hill Avenue driveway, and the proposed directory sign on the building's south-facing wall. Both issues were substantially resolved by March.

On the driveway: Bergen County, which has jurisdiction over Cedar Hill Avenue as a county road, declined to permit separate left and right turn lanes at the southern exit — a configuration the board had requested — citing safety concerns about obstructed sight triangles when vehicles queue side by side. Instead, the County approved a revised design with widened shoulders and removal of nearby parking spaces to improve queuing and visibility. Applicant attorney Jason Tuvel stated the developer remains willing to return to the County for further reconsideration if required by the board as a condition of approval. [2]

On signage: the applicant reduced the proposed freestanding directory sign from 40 to 30 square feet and removed a building-mounted sign that had drawn board objection. The remaining variance — for a single tenant directory sign facing Cedar Hill Avenue — was approved as part of the overall application.

Architectural revisions addressed board concerns about the building's rear elevation, which several members worried would be highly visible from Cedar Hill Avenue. The applicant added vertical and horizontal design elements to break up the rear wall and agreed to use darker earth-toned stucco rather than the light-colored finish originally proposed.

Landscaping emerged as the most contentious issue between the applicant and neighbors on William Way and Kenneth Place. Multiple residents noted that prior approvals had promised substantial buffering along rear property lines that was never constructed. Engineer James Henry testified that a fully revised landscape plan now includes 256 plantings — including mature evergreens 8 to 10 feet in height — and confirmed the applicant will coordinate with the Board Engineer to address any remaining gaps. An environmental report submitted before the March hearing confirmed the site has been remediated and requires no further action. [3]

The approved project will reduce the shopping center's overall impervious coverage from approximately 85.5 to 84.4 percent. The applicant must obtain a Certificate of Occupancy before operating, and all site improvements must be completed in accordance with the approved plans.