Cherry Hill zoning board approves major BAPS Temple expansion: where to find the record

Cherry Hill Township’s Zoning Board of Adjustment approved site plans for a major expansion of BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir at 1 Carnegie Plaza, according to Philadelphia Inquirer reporting published July 1, 2026. The action was tied to a June 25, 2026 special meeting for Application 25-Z-0027.

For nearby residents, the key next step isn’t whether the project got a zoning-board “yes,” but what the written approval requires. The Inquirer report says the township still must adopt a resolution confirming the decision and its conditions of approval at a future meeting on an undecided date.

The public record residents can pull up now: Application 25-Z-0027

The township’s posted zoning-board packet for Application 25-Z-0027 is the quickest way to see the details behind the vote. In particular, look for:

• June 25, 2026 special meeting public notice (the document that identifies the application and the broad scope of what was before the board)
• Summary of Application (a reader-facing breakdown of requested variances/waivers)
• Environmental Resolutions, Inc. (ERI) review memo (technical review context included in the packet)

What the board was set to consider: major additions and a redesign

The June 25 notice describes a preliminary and final major site plan with Use d(2) and d(6) variances to construct approximately 18,330 square feet of additions to the existing 65,650 square foot BAPS religious sanctuary and cultural center.

The notice also breaks down that total addition as:

• 2,980 square feet as part of an expanded building footprint (new vestibule/lobby area); and
• 15,350 square feet as a second-story addition to accommodate a gymnasium and classrooms.

It further describes facade work, parking (23 new spaces), circulation improvements, and interior renovations of existing facilities.

What the township application summary says wouldn’t change

The application summary says the project is aimed at renovating and modernizing services rather than expanding worship capacity: the size of the worship areas (including the sanctum) and number of seats are not changing, and the only new facility service/facility described is adding an indoor gymnasium.

The zoning relief residents should look for: d(2) use and d(6) height

The application summary identifies two main zoning-board variances:

• Use variance d(2): the board is asked to approve expanding an existing nonconforming use, because a place of worship is not a permitted use in the Industrial Restricted (IR) district.
• Height variance d(6): the board is asked for relief so the temple’s spire/shikhara can exceed the ordinance limit.

That same summary states the proposed building height is 49.5 feet where a maximum height of 35 feet is permitted.

How the ERI memo adds context on height, buffers, and site conditions

The ERI review memo provides additional technical framing that helps explain how different measurements/assumptions show up across the packet. For height, it states the proposed height to the top of the tower elements/Shikhara is 58 feet, where a maximum height of 35 feet is permitted.

For neighborhood impact context, the ERI memo also describes items such as:

• Wetlands existing on the site (including between the temple and residential areas, and across Carnegie Boulevard);
• A 25-foot residential buffer along the south property line that will remain;
• A parking lot expansion adding 23 spaces, plus a drop-off area, modifications to ADA parking, a new loading area, and a new trash enclosure;
• Access provided via the existing full-movement driveway on Carnegie Plaza.

What residents should check for next: the resolution and conditions

The Inquirer report notes that while the board approved the site plans during the June 25 meeting, Cherry Hill still has to adopt a resolution confirming the decision and its conditions of approval at a future meeting. That resolution is the document residents should treat as the clearest checklist of what the approval requires.

When you review the materials for Application 25-Z-0027, focus first on:

• Any final listing of conditions, required exhibits, or commitments
• Height-related language tied to the spire/shikhara relief
• Any lighting and timing/limitations tied to the approval’s conditions
• Any wetlands and buffer-related protections described in the packet’s conditions

That written paperwork is what turns a zoning-board vote into the specific rules the project must follow before and during construction.

Sources

• Cherry Hill Township Zoning Board public notice (Special Meeting; Application 25-Z-0027)
• Philadelphia Inquirer (South Jersey): reported zoning board approval outcome for Cherry Hill BAPS expansion (July 1, 2026)

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