A planned development at Route 37 and Bimini Drive, Toms River, N.J. (Credit: Planning Document)
A Monmouth County-based developer has proposed a massive, 24-acre development off Route 37 in Toms River that would include a slew of different uses over what would become six new lots subdivided from the currently-vacant swath of land. The property is located on the south side of Route 37 East and the highway’s intersection with Bimini Drive.
The developer, EETSA LLC – owned by Hovsons Inc. of Tinton Falls, according to state business records – is proposing to divide the 24 acres into six buildable lots which would be located in the Rural Highway Business Zone, which is overlaid by an affordable housing district. According to a notice filed with the planning board, the developer will simultaneously propose the subdivision and site plans for construction at the Oct. 15, 2025 board meeting.
Several of the lots would be developed with multifamily residential units. The notice states that EETSA will seek approval for two, two-story townhouses buildings with 16 units. Each of the townhomes will have three bedrooms. Another lot would contain four, three-story apartment buildings. Three of the buildings would contain 24 units and one would contain 26 units with a 2,000 square foot amenity area.
The rest of the land would be developed with commercial properties, most prominently a 5,670 square foot QuickChek convenience store and gas station. One of the lots would also house a 5,126 square foot restaurant and retail building and an additional 5,000 square foot retail building. Also, another lot would contain a 2,335 square foot restaurant or retail space.
Finally, a 30,352 square foot auto dealership and service center would be built on a portion of the site, which would represent a new home for Matt Blatt Kia.
A planned development at Route 37 and Bimini Drive, Toms River, N.J. (Credit: Google Earth)
The application requests the board to approve a slew of variances – delineated among the six lots on which the complex would be build – which is reprinted below from the official notice. Drawings and architectural plans, which have not been published online, have been drawn up over approximately the past year by various professional firms working on the project. They are currently on file at the municipal complex, and Shorebeat has submitted a request to obtain them.
The board is scheduled to hear the application at its Oct. 15, 2025 meeting, which begins at 6 p.m. at the township municipal complex on Washington Street.
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Copy of Proposed Variances:
1. Applicant is requesting a variance for Landscape Buffering (348-8.4): a 50 FT landscape buffer is required to separate residential and non- residential uses, where insufficient buffering is provided between new Lots 1.10 and 1.11.
The variance request for Block 506.01, Lot 1.08 (Townhouses) is as follows: 1. Applicant is requesting a variance for Minimum Lot Area (348-10.17): 5.0 acres is required, where 2.79 acres is proposed for new Lot 1.08.
The variance requests for Block 506.01, Lot 1.09 (Matt Blatt Kia of Toms River) are as follows: 1. Applicant is requesting a variance for Maximum Sign Area (348-8.26): 32 SF is required, where 207.8 SF is proposed for new Lot 1.09. 2. Applicant is requesting a variance for Storage of Vehicles Awaiting Service/Repairs (348-5.37): vehicles are required to be enclosed and screened from public view, where a 6 FT high vinyl privacy fence in the side yards but not the front yard is proposed for new Lot 1.09. 3. Applicant is requesting a variance for Maximum Sign Height (348-8.26): 10 FT is required, where 25 FT is proposed for new Lot 1.09. 4. Applicant is requesting a variance for Sign Illumination (348-8.26): external illumination is required, where backlit illumination is proposed for new Lot 1.09. 5. Applicant is requesting a variance for Number of Wall Signs (318-8.26): 1 is required, where 4 is proposed for new Lot 1.09. 6. Applicant is requesting a variance for Maximum Wall Sign Area (348-8.26): 60 SF is required, where 71.8 SF is proposed for new Lot 1.09. 7. Applicant is requesting a variance for Vehicle Display Side Setback (348-5.37): 25 FT is required, where 20 FT is proposed for new Lot 1.09.
The variance request for Block 506.01, Lot 1.11 (Restaurant/Retail and Retail Building) is as follows: 1. Applicant is requesting a variance for Maximum Sign Area (348-8.26): 32 Feet is required, where 120 FT is proposed (Ground Sign) for new Lot 1.11.
The variance requests for Block 506.01, Lot 1.12 (Quick Chek Convenience Store and Gas Station) are as follows: 1. Applicant is requesting a variance for Accessory Front Yard Setback (Canopy) (348-5.8): 100 FT is required, where 65 FT is proposed for new Lot 1.12. 2. Applicant is requesting a variance for Solid Waste Storage Front Yard Setback (348-8.27): 100 FT is required, where 45 FT is proposed for new Lot 1.12. 3. Applicant is requesting a variance for Loading/Fueling Area Front Yard Setback (348-8.19): 100 FT is required, where 20 FT is proposed for new Lot 1.12. 4. Applicant is requesting a variance for Off Street Loading Location (348-8.19): side or rear year is required, where front yard (fueling zone) and side yard is proposed for new Lot 1.12. 5. Applicant is requesting a variance for Maximum Sign Area (348-8.26): 32 SF is permitted, where 208 SF is proposed (Pylon Sign) for new Lot 1.12. 6. Applicant is requesting a variance for Maximum Sign Area (348-8.26): 32 SF is permitted, where 120 SF is proposed (Ground Sign) for new Lot 1.12. 7. Applicant is requesting a variance for Maximum Sign Height (348-8.26): 10 FT is permitted, where 15 FT is proposed for new Lot 1.12. 8. Applicant is requesting a variance for Maximum Changeable Copy Sign Area (348-8.26): 18 SF is permitted, where 55 SF is proposed for new Lot 1.12. 9. Applicant is requesting a variance for Maximum Number of Wall Signs (348-8.26): 1 is permitted, where 2 is proposed for new Lot 1.12. 10. Applicant is requesting a variance for Maximum Wall Sign Area (348-8.26): 60 SF is permitted, where 80.3 SF is proposed for new Lot 1.12. 11. Applicant is requesting a variance for Minimum Unoccupied Open Space (348-10.27.2): 20% is required; where 19.4% is proposed for new Lot 1.12.
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