WARETOWN – Land between Ocean Isles and the Contractor Warehouses on Route 9 is one step closer to transformation after Ocean Township officials approved a redevelopment plan that clears the way for a new, three-story self-storage facility known as Horizon Storage.
The Township’s Planning Board endorsed the Horizon Redevelopment Plan, formally establishing a “Horizon Redevelopment Overlay Zone” for properties identified as Block 241.11, Lots 12.04 and 12.05, totaling approximately 6.2 acres along the east side of Route 9, about 360 feet north of Seminole Avenue.
The parcels, currently vacant and assessed as Class 1 (vacant land), sit within the existing C-1 (General Commercial) zone. Township officials previously designated the broader C-1 district as an area in need of redevelopment. The newly adopted plan creates specific standards tailored to this project while maintaining the underlying commercial zoning.
Designating land as a redevelopment area allows the town to have more control over what is built there.
According to the redevelopment plan prepared for the Planning Board in November 2025, the overlay is designed to stimulate development, improve underutilized property, and advance economic objectives outlined in the Township’s Master Plan.
Under the redevelopment overlay, the principal permitted use for the site is a commercial self-storage facility. Project materials describe it as a three-story, 79,025 rentable-square-foot Class A facility that will be fully climate-controlled.
A brochure of the site identifies the Route 9 corridor as a high-visibility location carrying approximately 36,000 vehicles per day. Developers characterize Waretown as an underserved, supply-constrained self-storage submarket along the Jersey Shore, noting that the area currently has only about 25 percent of the average U.S. storage inventory per capita.
In addition to year-round residents, project materials cite seasonal population surges and second-home ownership as additional demand drivers, along with new housing construction expected to add future customers.
The brochure states the facility will deliver 79,025 rentable square feet across 636 storage units.
The plan limits the project to a maximum of one principal building and one accessory building. Bulk standards require a minimum tract size of six acres, with setbacks including 110 feet from the front yard, 40 feet from one side yard, 380 feet combined side yards, and 100 feet from the rear.
The redevelopment plan also includes detailed architectural and design standards. Given the site’s prominent Route 9 frontage, building forms and materials are required to reflect the traditional architectural designs of Ocean Township and the Waretown Town Center area. Overhead doors are prohibited along Route 9-facing elevations, and façade treatments must be consistent on visible sides of the building.
Landscaping standards require buffer screening along the boundary shared with the R-1B (Residential – Pebble Beach) zone district, with a minimum 50-foot buffer, subject to professional review.
Operational Safeguards
The redevelopment plan places operational limits on the facility.
Hours of operation may begin no earlier than 9:30 a.m. and must end by 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, with reduced hours on Saturdays and no regular Sunday operations, except for tenant access between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.
No living space is permitted anywhere on the site, and no power or electrical connections are allowed within individual storage units. Outdoor work areas are restricted, and no parking is permitted on public or private roadways.
Stormwater management must comply with Township codes, and a trash enclosure must be screened from adjacent properties and public rights-of-way.
Developers will also be responsible for affordable housing development fees in accordance with Township ordinances.
Design Elements
Conceptual plans submitted under the Horizon Storage Group banner depict a modern three-story building with varied façade materials, large window elements along the front elevation, and screened service areas. The proposed address for the project is 320 U.S. Route 9 in Waretown.
Elevation drawings show a long, rectangular footprint with a finished architectural front facing Route 9, designed to reduce the visual impact typically associated with warehouse-style self-storage facilities.
The first, second and third floor plans indicate interior storage corridors with elevator access and stairwells positioned toward the front and side of the building.
Project marketing materials further describe the development as a ground-up Class A investment designed for long-term stabilization, with developers citing limited new competition due in part to wetlands and permitting challenges in the area.
The project is being advanced by Horizon Storage Group in partnership with The Hartley Fund Group. Horizon describes itself as using a data-driven approach to identify high-demand, limited-competition markets for Class A storage facilities.
Marketing materials outline a projected 42-month hold period and identify land acquisition in late 2025, construction beginning in 2027, and lease-up starting in 2028.
Regional Consistency
The redevelopment plan states that the project is consistent with the 2011 Ocean County Comprehensive Master Plan and compatible with the State Development and Redevelopment Plan. The site is located within the Suburban Planning Area and is intended to reinforce economic development while encouraging appropriate commercial growth along the Route 9 corridor
Officials noted the site is approximately 1,500 feet from the Barnegat Township border, but anticipate no measurable impacts on neighboring municipalities.
The Developer is also expected to secure approvals from other agencies, including the New Jersey Department of Transportation and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
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