7-Eleven has a store with six parking spaces on a half-acre lot in East Brunswick, New Jersey. Part of the 7-Eleven lot is zoned residential, but the store existed before the residential zoning, so it was "grandfathered in" as a preexisting nonconforming use. Next to the 7-Eleven is a vacant Shell gasoline station, which was also protected as a legal, preexisting nonconforming use. 7-Eleven wanted to take over the gas station property and a neighboring vacant lot zoned residential and build a retail gas operation as part of the 7-Eleven. It requested that the preexisting nonconforming use be extended. Saadala, a resident in the area, opposed the classification requested by 7-Eleven, but it was approved by the Zoning Board. That decision was affirmed by the county trial court. Saadala appealed.

1. Why would the people living nearby oppose this improved use of the land?
2. What practical reasons might there be for the Zoning Board to approve the plan?