Municipality the owners would be able to eliminate

 

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PRINCETON, NJ — Sakrid Coffee is seeking to open a new outlet on Witherspoon Street, according to a Zoning Board application.

The location, 300 Witherspoon Street is currently home to the décor store Homestead Princeton. The new space would utilize 3,400 square feet of the existing building.

Sakrid is proposing to install a coffee roaster in the first-floor space adjacent to the retail takeout space, according to a memo from the Engineering Department. The proposed roaster will be located in a storage room behind the retail coffee shop and will be connected to an exhaust system, which will be vented through the roof.

By being able to roast coffee in the Municipality the owners would be able to eliminate trips to Moonachie, NJ, their current coffee roasting location.

Sakrid is expected to roast around 300 to 500 pounds per week for around three to five hours weekly.

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However, during the March 22 meeting neighbors expressed concerns about the coffee roasting facility. Residents said that the facility, which is located close to Community Park Elementary School, would release volatile organic compounds into the air and create an unpleasant smell.

The owners said they would install a clean stream afterburner and exhaust stack which will reduce smoke and odor. But neighbors are still skeptical.

“Community Park School is less than 50 yards from this facility. Machines fail, we know that. Is the board willing to roll the dice to allow this facility to proceed and somewhere down the road, the device fails? This is a bad idea,” said resident Joseph Weiss.

Sakrid also operates a coffee shop at the corner of Nassau Street and Chambers Street. The discussion on the application has been carried forward to May 24.