Three more hours of discussion about The Village at Manalapan retail and commercial center occupied the Manalapan Planning Board during its Feb. 26 meeting.

Professionals representing the applicant, Manalapan Retail Realty Partners, reviewed changes that were made in the plan following the Planning Board's Jan. 22 meeting.

The applicant is seeking approval for a General Development Plan (GDP) for the 135-acre site at Route 33 and Millhurst Road. The retail and commercial space will total 500,000 square feet, spread among as many as 15 buildings, according to the testimony.

A GDP may be used for projects that exceed 100 acres. The plan represents the applicant's concept for the site and binds the applicant to certain stipulations, but it does not propose specific tenants, according to attorney Kenneth Pape, who is representing the applicant.

If the board approves the GDP, the applicant would return at a later time for site plan approval of specific buildings, he said.

Design engineer John Martinez said the following changes have been made to the GDP:

• A proposed jughandle on the eastbound side of Route 33 and an overpass that would carry traffic from eastbound Route 33 into The Village on the westbound side of the highway has been eliminated.

• Traffic heading east on Route 33 would come to a new signalized intersection on the highway and be permitted to make a left turn into The Village.

• A large building at the rear of the development site has been separated into two buildings, and a pedestrian area has been added in between those buildings. The pedestrian area will provide access to an open space parcel that will be dedicated to Manalapan.

• The size of the open space parcel to be dedicated to Manalapan has been increased from 35 to 36 acres. No specific plan has been announced by township officials as to how that property may be used.

• The village green space in the middle of the retail-commercial development has been increased from 2 to 4.2 acres.

• A proposed building pad on The Village site across from Whitlock Court, a residential street, has been eliminated.

• A 2.5-acre site has been set aside for commuter parking. As shown on the applicant's plan, the commuter parking area was on Millhurst Road. Some members of the Planning Board indicated that they would prefer to see the commuter parking area placed on Route 33 in order to keep buses off Millhurst Road.

• The total number of parking spaces at The Village has been reduced from 3,000 spaces to about 2,540 spaces. This was accomplished by reducing the size of the parking spaces from 10 x 20 feet to 9 x 18 feet.

Jim Watson, of CME Associates, said state transportation officials have indicated that direct access to The Village from Route 33 would be permitted if a bypass road is constructed through the development site which connects Route 33 to Millhurst Road. The applicant's plan shows the bypass road.

Pape said the applicant will seek the Township Committee's support in asking the state to approve the direct access from Route 33.

Pape said The Village at Manalapan would be built in phases. He said there are no tenants at this time and he described the market for tenants as being "ice cold."

Testimony on The Village at Manalapan is expected to resume at the Planning Board's March 12 meeting.