Sayreville Planning Board Advances 58-Acre Hercules Redevelopment Expansion, Including Former Sunshine Biscuit Site

SAYREVILLE, NJ – Sayreville is advancing a major expansion of its redevelopment efforts along the Hercules corridor, a move that would bring an additional 58 acres — including the former Sunshine Biscuit factory site — under an updated redevelopment plan. The proposal was discussed at the most recent Sayreville Planning Board meeting.

The expanded plan centers on five parcels located next to the original redevelopment area. Borough planner Veena M. Sawant outlined the scope during her presentation to the board.

“The Hercules redevelopment plan that is in front of you… governs five parcels and it… comprises of roughly 58 acres of land,” Sawant said.

Officials said the parcels were evaluated under criteria outlined in New Jersey’s Local Redevelopment and Housing Law. The recommendation designates the area as a non-condemnation area in need of redevelopment.

“The planning board recommended designation of this area as a non condemnation area in need of redevelopment based… under local redevelopment, housing law, law criteria such as abundance of awakened and underutilized parcels, lack of direct access to some of the parcels,” Sawant stated.

One property accounts for the majority of the acreage. The largest parcel totals 46.28 acres and sits within the borough’s Special Economic Development (SED) zone, while the remaining four parcels — totaling 12.15 acres — are located in the Prime zone.

“There is one parcel that is larger… and that is 46.28 acres,” Sawant explained. “The remaining 12.15 acres, which is four parcels, are within the prime zone.”

Sawant told the board the updated plan is structured to align with Sayreville’s master planning documents adopted in 2013 and updated in 2023. The broader objective, she said, is to bring vacant or underutilized land into productive use consistent with the borough’s long-term planning goals.

“The purpose of this presentation is to demonstrate that this plan is in its entirety, is consistent with and in many as respects, directly implements the borough’s planning framework,” Sawant told the board.