By Paul Horvitz, Inquirer Trenton Bureau
Posted: February 21, 1986TRENTON — Eleven years after its sweeping ruling against discriminatory zoning, the New Jersey Supreme Court yesterday withdrew as the arbiter of low-cost housing needs in New Jersey and affirmed the constitutionality of a new state housing council.
The decision was the court's third major ruling since 1975 on the controversial question of whether the poor are being unfairly excluded from suburbs whose low-density zoning ensures only large, expensive homes.
The issue grew out of a 1971 case brought by the NAACP against Burlington County's Mount Laurel Township. More than 100 similar cases have followed.
The ruling yesterday, in effect, shifts the battleground over fair housing from the courtroom to a committee appointed by the governor and staffed by professional planners.
In unequivocal terms, the court ruled that the seven-month-old Council on Affordable Housing met all the constitutional requirements it needs to determine where low-cost housing should be built and how much is required.
The court ordered that 12 contested housing lawsuits - none in South Jersey - be transferred from Superior Court to the council's jurisdiction. The transfer will not result in a "manifest injustice" to builders or others who have spent large sums to overturn zoning ordinances, the court said.
Trial judges may still impose conditions on the transfer of other pending cases to the council, the high court said. In some towns, only one tract of land would be suitable for low-cost homes, for example. If a case is transferred, the trial judge could require that the town bar development there until the housing council acts.
As of November, 116 Mount Laurel challenges to zoning laws were pending in Superior Court, including 12 in South Jersey. These will shift to the housing council.
In nearly all the cases, the litigants were already seeking the council's assistance but were awaiting the Supreme Court's decision on the constitutionality of the council. Some towns not yet in litigation were also seeking action by the council.
The South Jersey towns that had been involved in court action were Berlin, Cherry Hill and Gloucester Township in Camden County, and Moorestown, Delran, Eastampton and Lumberton in Burlington County. Some of those areas had multiple suits from developers.
In all, 182 towns have requested that the council oversee the housing issue in their communities. The original case in Mount Laurel Township was settled in 1984.
Gov. Kean and legislative leaders, many of whom had criticized court oversight of housing matters, welcomed the judges' decision. Kean called it ''excellent" and said it "puts the decision-making process where it should be placed."
State Sen. John A. Lynch, a Middlesex County Democrat who was the prime sponsor of the new housing law, said of the housing council: "Theirs is a monumental task, and now armed with a clear mandate, I am confident we can proceed . . . in a reasoned atmosphere under law."
C. Roy Epps, president of the Civic League of New Brunswick, which had sought to overturn zoning ordinances in several central New Jersey towns, said the ruling was a "temporary setback" in his organization's effort to ensure the construction of affordable housing.
But, he said, "we don't see it as something that will prevent housing in the future," adding that "it would be premature to pass judgment on the (housing) council."
The Supreme Court decision, written by Chief Justice Robert N. Wilentz, means that all pending litigation involving disputes over higher-density, lower-cost housing will cease.
After two years of intense litigation by developers across New Jersey, builders will no longer be able to turn first to the courts to demand the right to build low-cost homes on property they own, the court said.
If all goes according to plan, those functions and responsibilities will pass to the council, which was created by the legislature and the governor last year.
The court said that, if the new housing law "works in accordance with its expressed intent, it will assure a realistic opportunity for lower-income housing in all those parts of the state where sensible planning calls for such housing."
Wilentz stressed that the Supreme Court would step into the housing fray again if the new council failed to uphold the court's 1975 ban on ''exclusionary" zoning, or if undue delay by the council threatened the rights of poorer citizens.
But for the time being, the decision said, the council must be given an opportunity to work.
Wilentz wrote: "No one should assume that our exercise of comity today signals a weakening of our resolve to enforce the constitutional rights of New Jersey's lower-income citizens.
"The constitutional obligation has not changed; the judiciary's ultimate duty to enforce it has not changed; our determination to perform that duty has not changed. What has changed is that we are no longer alone in this field. The other branches of government have fashioned a comprehensive statewide response to the Mount Laurel obligation."
In its second Mount Laurel ruling in 1983, the Supreme Court said clearly that it did not relish the task of ensuring the construction of low-cost housing where local governments had failed to reform their zoning laws. "The matter is better left to the legislature," the court said then.
Yesterday, in a judicial sigh of relief, Wilentz said of the governor and legislature, "They have responded."
The Council on Affordable Housing is still in its infancy. Under the law that created it, the nine-member council will hear any dispute over a town's obligation to provide low-cost homes. Its nine members, recently appointed by Kean, are four representatives of local governments, three representing ''the public interest" and two representing the interests of people of low and moderate incomes.
The chairman is Arthur R. Kondrup, executive assistant to the state director of water resources. Other members include William Angus, the former mayor of Moorestown; Ara K. Hovnanian, executive vice president of the housing development firm Hovnanian Enterprises, and Newark Mayor Kenneth A. Gibson.
The council, which concluded a round of public hearings this month, will estimate regional housing needs and pass judgment on a town's own estimate of its "fair share" of low-cost housing. The council also will determine whether newly revised local zoning laws are proper.
A new state planning commission will draw up a statewide growth and redevelopment plan that the council must use as a guide for determining housing needs.
Any town that does not voluntarily present its case to the council could be sued. All final decisions by the council could ultimately be appealed to the courts. But the Supreme Court affirmed yesterday that a heavy burden of proof would rest with developers or others seeking to overturn a council action.
Developing Office Parks And An Empire
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20160103120659/http://articles.philly.com/1986-03-12/news/26085582_1_tallest-building-football-field-developerBy Doreen Carvajal, Inquirer Staff Writer
Posted: March 12, 1986So much has changed since the tears of a disappointed fifth-grade pupil spilled to the soil while he and his father struggled to pour a foundation for a new house.
The boy, Tommy Whitesell, didn't want to build then. He wanted to play football. He yearned to be a pilot. And the last thing he wanted that tedious day was to work on a house while his friends scrimmaged on a football field without him.
But the fifth grader grew. And so did his appetite for building.
Today Thomas R. Whitesell, 44, is a builder and developer who has left his imprint across South Jersey - from Burlington County's tallest building, at 6000 Midlantic Drive in Mount Laurel, to his sprawling Moorestown home, which is more than a third the size of a football field.
In the last three decades, the Delran company - Whitesell Enterprises - has built more than 300 industrial and commercial projects containing more than 7.5 million square feet of space. The company, of which Whitesell is president, has kept ownership of more than half of those buildings.
His signature W marks the Laurel Corporate Center, a high-tech compound of new offices rising in Mount Laurel that will become the county's largest corporate park. Eventually, the 240-acre park will include several seven- story buildings and a labor force of 4,000 people.
Whitesell's yellow-and-navy-blue construction signs have spread from Delran to Evesham, and from Cinnaminson and Pennsauken over into Pennsylvania and King of Prussia. The builder aims to expand his empire, hoping to build in Princeton, Florida and North Carolina.
Whitesell, the man behind the W mark, is lanky and self-effacing.
Whitesell, the grandson of a builder, started working part time for his father on construction sites when he was in the fifth grade and the boss was paying $25 a summer for digging holes and cleaning up.
Later, young Whitesell gave up a football scholarship and dropped out of business classes at Temple University to work full time with his father, who was then building custom houses.
"My father was a hard-working, honest man and had a lot of talent and common sense," said Whitesell. "I would say that's a good description of me. I'm not the best educated. I've always preferred work to school."
At age 27, Whitesell bought the business from his father.
He has matured into a rare breed: A developer who attracts accolades from people ranging from community leaders and his sharpest competitor to a retired painter who has worked for three generations of Whitesells.
"When we first heard about him, it was sort of like, 'Is this guy for real?' " said Charles Johnson, executive director of the YMCA of Burlington County.
He was.
The YMCA needed a new building and officials asked Whitesell to help. The developer offered to donate five acres at his Laurel Corporate Center for the construction of a $2.5 million fitness center and headquarters for the YMCA.
Whitesell will be paid to build the YMCA's new quarters and he is involved in the selection of designs for the proposed facility.
"I couldn't believe what I was hearing for a while," Johnson said,
recalling his reaction to Whitesell's enthusiastic ideas. "Sometimes developers are so profit-oriented that all they want is something for nothing.
From our standpoint, he has a genuine concern about us and he wants to feel good about what we build."
Johnson said that when his board discreetly checked on their potential benefactor's background, it found that even a partner in a Whitesell business deal that went sour still had high praise for him.
Township officials in Upper Merion, Pa., were so impressed with Whitesell's efforts to save an old copper beech tree growing at his new development that they gave him a special award.
Whitesell's staff redesigned a driveway for an 83-acre corporate park, called The Orchards, to avoid chopping down the tree, which was estimated to be more than 100 years old.
"We were encouraged that he did it," said Phyllis Welch, who chairs the community's shade tree committee. "We feel that a developer who does save old trees should be noticed. That was the first time that we ever gave an award like that to a developer."
Whitesell is a little shy about being cast in the role of a hero. The bottom line, in his view, is simply that charity and philanthropy are good for business.
"I think any large developer has to get involved," he said. "Anything you do in a community reflects you as an individual and being involved in the community probably will enhance your image. It's just a reinforcement of things you stand for and, of course, you do get a certain amount of press for doing good things."
Image is important to Whitesell.
It is something that he said he thinks about while driving past his buildings: There are the tinted blue-green windows of the Mid-Atlantic
Financial Group, which wanted a "corporate image," and the metal skeleton of a seven-story Mount Laurel building that will house a Texas company seeking an "attractive, technologically up-to-date image."
He is conscious of the impression that the community gets of Whitesell Enterprises, too. "I'm always thinking about what we're doing," Whitesell said. "I'm always conscious of the impression that we're making."
For Whitesell, this is a time when his firm is highly visible in Burlington County. Within the last year, Whitesell Enterprises grew from 70 to 200 employees and became one of two top office developers in a county that is becoming a fashionable business address for corporations.
Whitesell sales have doubled in the last 12 months, a company spokeswoman said.
In November, Whitesell crews were building more than 1.8 million square feet of office space, according to the latest available figures compiled by the Burlington County Office of Economic Development. Whitesell edged The
Linpro Co., which had more than 1.78 million square feet of office space under construction.
Lewis Nagy, who heads the development office, gives Whitesell credit for keeping the area's construction industry alive when high interest rates discouraged others from investing heavily in the area more than two years ago.
"They were speculating in the area," Nagy said, "putting their own money out and putting 'spec' buildings up before they had tenants. . . . That helped Burlington County and it helped the (tax) ratable base during a slow time."
Whitesell's closest rival is The Linpro Co., a national company headed in Marlton by its regional partner, Jay G. Cranmer. Not surprisingly, Cranmer likes his own buildings best, but he has kind words for his competitor's effect on the South Jersey market.
"He's good competition," Cranmer said of Whitesell. "A good person. He builds a good product and he's aggressive in his marketing. When you have that and people of integrity, they attract business to an area."
However, Cranmer's favorite Whitesell building is not one of the typical company "products."
It is Stillpond - Whitesell's rambling Georgian estate of bricks and gracious white columns that looms in the morning mist in the countryside along Tom Brown Road in Moorestown.
The house, which was designed by Whitesell and finished last spring, is 17,000 square feet and contains an indoor swimming pool. Nearby are a man-made lake that, at 10 acres, is large enough for water skiing, and stables under construction.
More than any Whitesell building, this house represents the image of the developer.
His wife, Debbie, wanted a colonial-style house, but the couple settled on a Georgian-style structure that Whitesell could design to create the illusion of an even larger home. There is room for a spacious garden, one of his passions. The reason for the man-made lake was simple. Whitesell wanted to fish.
"It had to be right," Whitesell said of his home. "I wouldn't compromise."
That same demanding attitude also applies to his vision of the future for Whitesell Enterprises. Like his father, Whitesell is hoping that one day his son, Jamie, now 16, will take over the company's helm.
Whitesell has three children, but he said he wants to make sure that only one would lead the company to prevent family conflicts that could split the firm and dilute its strength.
As a boy, Whitesell was groomed by his father to lead the company. Inevitably, there were times when the young Whitesell preferred to be doing other things. Those memories are vivid enough to make him worry about the best way to continue the construction dynasty.
Whitesell said that he did not want to push, but that he was anxious for the fourth generation to get involved.
His son worked about six weeks for the company last summer, Whitesell said. But the younger Whitesell preferred to spend the rest of his vacation living and working at the shore as a busboy.
"There's so much for him to learn," Whitesell said. "If he's going to take over the business, the first thing he's got to do is work out there and gain their respect."
That's the way Whitesell did it, recalled retired painter Richard Seifert, 67, who started working for the Whitesell family in 1953.
As a young man, Whitesell painted houses alongside Seifert. His brush technique was good, Seifert remembered, but it was Whitesell's easy-going nature that impressed him most.
But these days the boy who used to paint walls and dig holes for $25 a summer has more ambitious dreams.
"South Jersey is my home. I'll aways be here and I hope to do a good job. We'll probably continue to concentrate in the Delaware Valley," said Whitesell.
"Hell, I'm only 44. I've got some time left. Some day I'd like to do something in downtown Philadelphia," he said.
A Growing Interest In Quakers
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20151221133033/http://articles.philly.com/1986-05-04/news/26050783_1_quakers-draft-board-indian-warBy Daniel LeDuc, Inquirer Staff Writer
Posted: May 04, 1986It was in August 1757 that the orders came down for the militia to recruit young men from what is now Burlington County to relieve the troops at the English garrison at Fort William Henry in New York during the French and Indian War.
A group of Quaker men, stoutly opposed to war because of their religious beliefs, were in a quandary.
Some left home and stayed away until the war ended. A few agreed to be soldiers. Still others became what were possibly the first conscientious objectors in the fledging colonies and refused to fight.
The young men who objected to the fighting were counseled by John Woolman, a young tailor in Mount Holly who was a Quaker. He encouraged them to accept ''a fresh opportunity to see and consider the advantage of living in the real substance of religion."
Now, more than two centuries later, a small but increasing number of people are taking a fresh opportunity to look at Quakers. After a decline in membership for the last two decades, the Quakers report that the skid may have stopped and that interest in their religion is growing.
It is a religion whose history is intertwined with the history of Burlington County.
And while much has changed during the last 200 years in Burlington, the Quaker ideals of peace and a simple life have remained constant.
*
Consider Joseph T. Lippincott, who, generations after John Woolman, was drafted into World War II. The young Quaker was on his honeymoon when word came down from his draft board that it was his time to fight.
"I admit I wasn't diplomatic" with the draft board, recalled Lippincott, who is coordinator of the Burlington Quarterly Meeting, which oversees several meetings in Burlington County.
"I want to make it clear I have no intention of cooperating with the military," he said he told the draft board.
He was a Quaker, which meant he was a pacifist. It was not a popular stand in World War II, but Lippincott persevered and eventually was classified a minister and released from the draft.
Thirty years later, Steven Brick of Medford found himself in the red clay hills of Georgia at Robins Air Force Base, 100 miles south of Atlanta.
For more than two years, the Quaker, who was serving as a supply officer in a stationery store, felt at ease with his duties. Then he was transferred to the Strategic Air Command wing at Robins.
"All of sudden, I was ordering munitions," he said. "There were planes going off to war."
His involvement in the Vietnam War became more than overseeing the sale of computer paper and pencils. Now, he was ordering missiles and rockets that would be used to kill others.
"That was a big distinction in my involvement, and it became unacceptable to me," Brick said. He was released from the Air Force as a conscientious objector.
The Quakers have remained true to their ideals. But those aims now compete with an increasingly complex modern world, with its trend toward materialism and a general apathy toward religion. Despite those challenges, many Quakers say they are seeing a resurgence in attendance at their meetings.
The Religious Society of Friends - the Quakers' formal name - is not a proselytizing group. You will not find Quakers ringing doorbells to hand out religious pamphlets or selling flowers at airports.
But in Burlington County, they are trying to reverse their loss in membership and are having some success, Quaker leaders say.
The Philadelphia Yearly Meeting - the umbrella organization for Quakers in Burlington County and other parts of South Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland - reported a drop in members in the county in the last six years, from 1,321 to 1,240. Worldwide, the Quakers report about 300,000 members.
But local meeting leaders say that in the last year or two there has been an increase in attendance by nonmembers who eventually are expected to become Friends.
Many of the 10 meetings in the county have been holding open houses to allow the community to learn more about the faith. Some, such as the Medford Meeting, are even actively advertising for new members.
"Are Quakers Extinct?" reads an ad in a local paper. It assures that they are not and invites those interested to come to a meeting for worship.
"I think a lot of people don't realize there are live Quakers here," said Brick's wife, Lynne. "They think it's a dead, historical thing like William Penn."
But they are very much alive. Lynne Brick credits the advertising, in part, for the fivefold increase of younger members in the Medford Meeting in the last half-dozen years. In 1980, six people in the Medford Meeting were under the age of 40; now, there are more than 30.
Pacifism is a theme that runs through Quaker history, from Woolman's counseling of the reluctant young Burlington men of the 1700s to the Quakers who were conscientious objectors during the Vietnam War and who made not a political statement with their refusal to fight, but a religious one.
Nevertheless, the Quakers' adherence to their beliefs has often put them in conflict with civil authorities. Indeed, the very name Quaker was originally a derisive term resulting from a 17th century confrontation between an English judge and the chief proponent of the Quaker religion, George Fox.
Fox had said that the judge should tremble at the word of God. And the judge replied, "You are the Quaker, not I."
Central to the Quaker faith is the belief that each person is guided by an inner light that leads him toward an understanding of God's revelation to him. And the Quakers believe that a person does not point a gun at another person because everyone has an inner light.
There is no creed one must learn to be a Quaker, no vows or baptism. With a few exceptions, such as the meeting in Maine in which Joseph Lippincott once was minister during World War II, there is no clergy.
Meetings for worship on Sunday take place in simple buildings called meetinghouses, where there are no steeples and no altars. There are only pews where members sit in "the silence," seeking God's word.
If members feel moved to speak - and they often do - they are free to share their thoughts with the other members.
It is different from most religious services in that there is no leader and often no music.
"Quakerism," said Lydia Andrews, who is former clerk of the Medford Meeting, "is such a do-it-yourself religion."
It was because of that do-it-yourself aspect that, in the 1600s, the Quakers left England and the persecution they suffered for refusing to attend Church of England services and came to America.
They were established in Burlington County by 1675. More than 1,400 of them had settled along the riverfront before William Penn came to Philadelphia in 1682.
They left their mark, creating some of the first governments and establishing some of the first schools here.
They had names such as Lippincott and Haines, and driving through Riverton and Delran one can now find Lippincott Avenue and Haines Mill Road.
There are other reminders.
Quakers, especially in colonial days, were known for their temperance. Even today one cannot purchase alcohol in many South Jersey communities, such as Willingboro and Moorestown.
Quakers now often find themselves confused with the Mennonites or the Amish. Some people are surprised to learn that Quaker women do not wear stern gray bonnets and that Quaker men do not go about in black suits and have beards.
Instead, they wear suits and wingtips and blue jeans and sneakers as most folks do.
"We really aren't that different (from) anybody else," said Brick, now a successful real estate broker in Medford.
But appearances aside, they are different because where some may only speak of their religious beliefs, the Quakers act on them.
"It's more than a religion, it's an attitude," said Jack Parry, a member of the Westfield Friends in Cinnaminson. "It's a way of life."
"A religious compulsion," Quaker historian Margaret Bacon has called it.
And it is that acting upon their beliefs that has led Quakers to take unpopular stands throughout history.
John Woolman, born in what is now Burlington County in 1720, was one of the first Americans to see the need to abolish slavery. Quaker Susan B. Anthony led the cause for women's suffrage in the 19th century.
More recently, Quakers were among the first to protest atomic war, the Vietnam War and nuclear energy. They have been fighting famine in Africa and sending medical and school supplies to Nicaragua.
Now, they are organizing opposition to the United States' military strikes against terrorists, such as the raid against Libya last month.
"I cannot believe that what we did was right," said Hannah Stapler, a member of the Burlington Meeting. "I cannot believe that adding violence to violence settles anything."
Although those more visible actions are often what brings attention to Quakers, they are only a small part of the everyday life of the members who strive just as strenuously to live their religious values at home and at work.
In Burlington County, some Quakers are involved in helping with child-abuse prevention, aiding the poor and other social-action programs.
A Quaker newsletter called the Peace Piece, which is distributed at meetings in Burlington County, keeps members informed on the struggle for farm workers' rights, legislation in Congress, the Sanctuary movement aiding illegal aliens, and local school and housing concerns.
Their lifestyles, though varying from individual to individual, contain an element of simpleness.
"I drive a small car, and I keep it for a long time," said Lippincott. ''I seldom eat out; it's an expense that isn't necessary."
Many Quakers attempt to extend their religious beliefs into their business practices. "We don't try to stick anybody," said Parry, who is an architect in Philadelphia.
And Brick, whose real estate firm is expanding in the county, said that he encouraged his sales staff to be honest with customers.
"People come to the real estate business with the mind-set, 'Well, that's what (the salesperson) said, but is it true?' " he said. "Here, you can take it at face value.
"It is good long-term business practice, but it is not all that common," he added.
At the yearly meeting level, programs such as the open houses in Burlington County have been initiated to attract members. Although the Quakers have attributed the decline in members to several factors, including a falling birth rate, they now think the trend may be reversing.
People such as Sandra Moore of Medford are helping to do just that.
Moore, "Sam" to her friends, said she grew up a Presbyterian "Bible- beater," spending all of her Sundays in church.
"I was so turned off by that, when I left home I didn't practice it," said Moore. She wanted religion to be part of her life, but she just needed to find out how.
Five years ago, she was invited to go Christmas caroling by a friend who is a Quaker. Moore, 35, said she was impressed with the people she met.
"I thought they must all be dentists or something - they were all smiling," she said.
Moore began attending meetings and 18 months ago became a member. Now, Moore said, she feels as if she has always been a Quaker and did not know it.
"In your heart, you know what is right and wrong" and don't need a religion to tell you how to act, she added.
There is a reason others are beginning to feel as Moore does.
"I'd like to think," Lynne Brick said, "it's because we have beliefs that are possibilities for everyone."
Accidents Cited In Appeals For A Traffic Signal
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20150926180527/http://articles.philly.com/1986-08-06/news/26063212_1_new-traffic-traffic-signals-traffic-lightBy Nicole Brodeur, Special to The Inquirer
Posted: August 06, 1986Even though he has operated his gas station at the corner of Bridgeboro and Hartford Roads for almost 30 years, the last six months have been the most hectic for Walter Yansick.
In that time, there have been four major accidents at the intersection in front of his gas station, all causing injuries, and Yansick said he saw no end in sight - no end, at least, until a traffic signal is installed.
The solution is simple, but getting the light to the intersection is somewhat more complicated.
First, the intersection is owned by the county and maintained by the freeholders. For the last two years, at the urging of the Delran Township Council, the freeholders have considered installing a light at the intersection but have so far approved only its design and construction, not its funding. The project was then put on a list of 27 locations where traffic lights may be installed.
At its July 23 meeting, the Delran council passed a resolution "strongly urging" the freeholders to "recognize the immediate necessity" for a light and place a high priority of the project.
Freeholder Henry G. Metzger said last week that the board recognized the need for the light, but that funds for such a project were slow in coming. He said that a traffic light could cost anywhere from $15,000 to $40,000 and that the county had allocated a lot of money for badly needed bridge repairs.
"People have been calling for every light needed in the county," Metzger said last week. "I have gone through that intersection and recognize that it is a prime candidate for a light. But I can't tell you exactly when it will be installed."
County engineer James Quinn said the crossing ranked 14th on a list of 27 county intersections that would receive traffic signals. But he noted that most of the locations that were ahead of Bridgeboro-Hartford were places where traffic signals had already been installed or were under construction.
"The intent is to install the light next year," Quinn said. "Of those that remain to be designed, that light is one of the higher priorities."
He said the volume of traffic that went through the intersection was the criterion for the light and that, although the township had been asking for the signal for at least five years, only recently had there been enough traffic to warrant a light. Quinn attributed most of the new traffic to the expansion of RCA Corp.'s operations in Moorestown.
"In the last two or three years, RCA has added a couple of thousand employees," he said.
Standing in the office of his gas station just after rush hour one morning last week, Walter Yansick watched the traffic thin out.
"The last accident was about a month ago," he said, moving toward the open door to point out where the cars had met their fate. After a brief description of one three-car accident, he spoke of another accident that had occurred just four hours after the first. Then he described a near-accident that occurred on July 28.
"They come speeding through here, they cut through my lot," Yansick said. ''What worries me is if they come in here."
Apparently, someone already has. A few years ago, although Yansick can't recall exactly when, a woman tried to stop on Hartford Road, next to the gas station. Instead of hitting the brake pedal, Yansick theorized, the woman hit the gas pedal, drove through the intersection, jumped the curb in front of the gas station, knocked over a gas pump and an oil rack, and crossed Bridgeboro Road before coming to a stop in the grassy ditch across the street.
George McDowell, who has lived at the intersection for 36 years, installed short steel poles along the edge of his property after his garage, right on the corner, was nearly demolished - twice.
"No one seems to want to stop," said McDowell, who lives with his wife and daughter. He said had seen or heard at least 10 accidents at the intersection in the last six months.
"There's an awful lot of traffic and we need the light very badly. If you could see the way they go through that intersection . . . there's nothing we can do," he said. "I wouldn't even direct the traffic myself. I wouldn't take a chance on my life out there."
Both McDowell and Yansick are concerned about what it may take to get a traffic light installed at the intersection. Whatever happens, though, they said they will be there to see it, to call the police, to watch the ambulance arrive and the wreckage towed away. And then they will resume their wait.
Bids Sought For Delran Soccer Field
Source: http://articles.philly.com/1986-09-21/news/26072382_1_soccer-field-three-fields-soccer-programsBy Daniel LeDuc, Inquirer Staff Writer
Posted: September 21, 1986Delran is getting a new and badly needed soccer park.
Bids on construction of the park are being sought. The park, in the 200 block of Tenby Chase Drive in the sprawling Tenby Chase housing development, will be on property owned by the school district and leased to the township, said township administrator Matt Watkins.
Watkins said the park was expected to be completed by the spring.
He said the need for a new soccer field was obvious. There are seven hundred youngsters in the Delran Athletic Association's soccer programs and only three fields, Watkins said. By contrast, there are 400 youths in the baseball programs and seven ballfields.
"There is just so much play on (the three fields) that we just don't have enough space," he said.
The township also plans to resurface a basketball court and install new playground equipment and better facilities for the disabled at Princeton Park, which is adjacent to the site of the proposed park, Watkins said.
Construction of the park and the other projects are expected to cost about $100,000. They will be financed by a low-interest loan from the state's Green Acres program. Watkins said the Delran Athletic Association had agreed to pay the costs beyond that.
Across the street from the proposed park is a baseball field that has also been used for soccer. Watkins said that when the soccer park was completed, the baseball field would be used only for baseball.
He said the new soccer field would be called the Tenby Chase Soccer Park.
Talks Held In Delran Tax Dispute
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20151231234154/http://articles.philly.com/1986-10-08/news/26059857_1_tax-bill-tax-assessment-tax-burdenBy Daniel Le Duc and Nancy Phillips, Special to The Inquirer
Posted: October 08, 1986A long-running dispute over the 1985 tax assessment of Delran's largest apartment complex appeared to be nearing a settlement last week as attorneys for both sides met in an attempt to avert a trial.
William Levine, who represents the owners of Hunter's Glen Apartments, and John Harrington, who represents the township, met last Wednesday with New Jersey Tax Court Judge Anthony Lario to discuss alternatives to lengthy and costly litigation in the dispute. Representatives of both sides characterized the meeting as productive and hinted that a settlement may be near.
At issue is whether the sprawling apartment complex on Route 130 carries its fair share of the township's tax burden.
Harvey Berk of Manhattan Management Inc. of New York, owner of the 1,124- unit complex, contends that the 1985 assessment of $8.4 million is too high. He is seeking a 50 percent reduction of the assessment and the accompanying tax bill of $250,600.
"It's simply (our) position that . . . the property was overassessed," said Levine.
Delran Township officials contend that the assessment is fair. If anything, said Mayor Richard Knight, it is too low. In response to the appeal, the township filed a counterclaim seeking an increase in the assessment.
Should the matter go to trial, the stakes would be high for both parties.
For the township, losing the appeal would mean having to raise taxes throughout the township, according to Knight, who estimated that every $28,000 in lost revenue would translate into a 1-cent tax increase. If the assessment of Hunter's Glen were halved, the township would lose about $125,000.
For the owner, a higher assessment would mean a higher tax bill, which could force an increase in rent.
To try to avoid both scenarios, the attorneys met last week with Lario, in whose Camden courtroom the matter is scheduled to be heard later this month.
Although neither side has retracted its position, each has expressed an interest in compromising to resolve the dispute.
"I think a solution can be negotiated," Knight said Monday. "But it has to be fair. We will not sacrifice the stability of the community for such a settlement."
Levine also expressed cautious optimism, noting that there has been discussion of a possible settlement.
Berk, the owner of the complex, declined to comment on the matter, and Harrington was unavailable for comment.
Dot's Creek Road Plan Reawakens Opposition
Source: http://articles.philly.com/1987-04-22/news/26195917_1_proposal-dot-officials-access-roadBy Cheryl Baisden, Special to The Inquirer
Posted: April 22, 1987When it comes to the issue of traffic along Creek Road, residents and government officials agree on one point - there are definitely problems. How those problems should be addressed has not been resolved. A solution has been debated for more than 10 years, according to Burlington County engineer James Quinn.
Creek Road, which is the only access road to Interstate 295 in predominantly rural sections of Moorestown, Mount Laurel and Delran, is hazardous, Quinn said.
The state Department of Transportation has proposed adding an 8-foot-wide shoulder to each side of the road. Residents from all three communities will have an opportunity to speak with DOT officials about the proposal tomorrow during an information session at the Moorestown Municipal Building, scheduled from 3 to 8 p.m.
The DOT wants to add the shoulders to the road to allow people to pull to the side if they encounter difficult driving conditions, Quinn said.
"The roadway is bumpy and includes a number of steep hills that make driver visibility difficult. The narrowness of the road makes matters even worse when drivers try to pass other vehicles," he said.
According to Quinn, Creek Road, which is owned and maintained by the county, was not designed to handle heavy traffic. Today's problems, he said, were brought on by local residents and county officials.
When Interstate 295 was constructed, an access route along Creek Road was not planned, Quinn said. "The state was convinced by local and county people that an exit should be put in to serve motorists in this area. The one stipulation the state made was that Creek Road be leveled out and widened to handle the traffic," Quinn said.
The county first contacted state officials in 1976 to help develop a solution to the Creek Road traffic problems. By 1978, the DOT and the federal government had earmarked funds to widen the two-lane highway to four lanes and to level some of the hills, according to DOT spokesman James Stevenson. The project would have required residents along the 3.6-mile stretch of road to give up between 16 and 40 feet of their front yards, Quinn said.
After holding two public hearings in 1978 on the proposal, resident outcry about the plan led the state to cancel the project, Stevenson said. Since then, the future of the roadway has remained undecided as state officials reviewed the options.
Recently, Creek Road residents between Moorestown-Bridgeboro Road and Centerton Road learned of the state's new proposal to widen and level the roadway. The proposal did not come as a surprise to Creek Road property owners.
"We had been hearing rumors for some time that the state was going to take another stab at widening the road," said Delran resident Shirley Woodington. ''We expected it, but people I've talked to around here are pretty much against the idea."
Opposition to the project centers on two key points, according to officials in all three townships: The project would require property owners to sell the state between 8 feet and 20 feet of property, and residents believe that widening the road would aggravate traffic problems.
"If they come in and take 8 feet from my property, they would be removing all of the shrubs I planted when we moved here," said Moorestown resident Sharon Dunne. "Those shrubs help block the view and noise of the road. I am completely opposed to the state doing anything with this road. They'll only make matters worse. I don't understand why they cannot realize that putting a shoulder in and leveling out the road will just invite people to drive faster."
Woodington agreed, noting that since she moved to Creek Road 22 years ago, she has witnessed a tractor-trailer jackknife in her front yard and has frequently heard hubcaps striking her house as vehicles lose control on the road.
Francis Melvin, DOT project engineer, said that resident concern over faster driving was unfounded, but that opposition to selling land was a natural response.
"No one wants to give up part of their property, even though the state is obligated to pay the full market value of the land," he said. "Their concern is not the fact that they will lose a little piece of land, it's the fact that the road will be closer to their homes. Even though it may only move up a few feet on their properties, from their perspective, closer is closer," Melvin said.
At tomorrow's informational session, maps of the area and the project will be on display, according to Stevenson, but details on how much land would be needed from each property owner will remain undecided for at least five months. The project is scheduled to begin in late 1988 and to take 18 to 24 months to complete.
A State Effort To Save Farms Harvests Little
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20151227143000/http://articles.philly.com/1987-04-26/news/26194969_1_preservation-program-development-rights-farmland-preservation-actBy Jeff Brown, Inquirer Staff Writer
Posted: April 26, 1987By all appearances, the New Jersey Farmland Preservation Act of 1981 was one of those rare gilt-edged measures that had everything going for it.
The Farmland Preservation Act had a kind of wholesome glow, a deeply satisfying appeal to the emotions, the intellect and aesthetics. Who could criticize an effort to preserve that which was most beautiful in the Garden State? How could anyone oppose legislators' hopes of saving land from the developer's bulldozer?
The legislature loved it. The governor loved it. The voters loved it. After an easy trip down the usually perilous governmental rapids, the bill handily won voters' support in a 1981 referendum that set aside $50 million to purchase farmers' development rights and ensure that their land would stay green forever.
Five and one-half years later, the act has a dismal record.
Of the $50 million appropriated for the program, only $2.5 million has been spent. And only half of that has been used to acquire permanent protections against development. The other $1.25 million has been paid to farmers who have agreed to forgo development for only eight years on a total of about 17,000 acres.
In a state that has nearly a million acres of land devoted to agriculture, only 1,021 acres are under permanent protection through the farmland preservation program, according to Carol Shipp, who spoke for the state Department of Agriculture. Although 16 of the state's 21 counties have officially moved to participate in the program, the only permanently preserved farmland is 608 acres in Burlington County and 413 acres in Hunterdon County.
"There still is a sense that we would like to see more in the program," Shipp said recently, adding that the department and the legislature were looking for ways to improve it.
Since the program was established, the state has lost 110,000 acres, or about 10.6 percent, of its farmland. New Jersey's farm acreage has fallen from 1,030,000 in 1981 to 920,000 in 1986, Shipp said. The number of farms has declined from about 9,500 in 1981 to 8,300 in 1986.
And no one knows how much farmland has been sold to developers who are keeping it in production only until they are ready to build.
What went wrong?
According to farmers, agricultural extension agents and planners, the program is simply a poor alternative to the immense profits that developers use to entice farmers to sell.
And to a large extent, the Farmland Preservation Act has been hampered because it has tried to avoid the kinds of problems that the state encountered with the effort to preserve the Pine Barrens.
Many residents, officials and business people in the Pinelands felt that legislation governing use of that South Jersey region had unfairly deprived them of their property rights by imposing severe restrictions on development.
The two-tiered farmlands preservation program, on the other hand, is voluntary.
At the first stage, farmers offer to give up their rights to develop their land for other uses for eight years. In exchange, the farmers receive grants and tax benefits that enable them to make improvements in their water supplies and drainage.
Once admitted to this level of the program, a farmer can opt to enter the second stage and give up development rights forever in exchange for a one- time cash settlement. In this case, the land is appraised twice - first for its current agricultural value, then for its current value for residential or commercial use.
The farmer is paid the difference between the two appraisals. Half the money comes from the state and half from local governments - the latter half typically is split between the county and the municipality.
In theory, the process brings the farmer a one-time windfall. The farmer continues to own the land and can keep farming it. But if the land is sold, a deed restriction requires that the property always remain farmland or open space.
But the problem, according to farmers and others who have studied the process, is that the assessment of the land's potential value for nonfarming uses is often too low to be attractive.
And the assessment - by law an appraisal of current values - cannot take into account future land values. Many farmers watch commercial and residential developments rolling in their direction and conclude that the value of their land will dramatically increase in the years ahead. The deed restriction prohibiting future development limits a farm's market value, even if one wants to sell to another farmer.
Walter Butler of South Harrison, Gloucester County, had been farming for 64 years when he took a look at the program last year.
He figured his 115-acre vegetable farm might bring him a final nest egg through the farmland preservation program. He could take the cash and stay on his land, knowing that the plot to which he had devoted his life never would be devoured by earth-moving machines and covered with concrete.
"I was getting ready to retire, and I thought I'd get some money on the deal," he said.
But he was shocked by what he discovered.
"I think the appraisals were atrocious," he said. "Put it this way: I've never been so insulted in my life."
In exchange for his development rights, he was offered $200 per acre. Butler said he might have considered taking $1,200 an acre.
Now he is looking for a buyer.
"I'm going to try to sell it to a developer," he said. "The heck with this."
His price: $2,500 to $3,000 an acre.
Gloucester County's principal planner, Morris Bayer, said farmers in the county had had about 567 acres appraised, but none of them had found the results - ranging from $200 to $600 per acre - attractive enough to sell development rights. Gloucester County has about 66,000 acres of farmland.
In Cherry Hill, brothers Joseph and Dominic Sergi have been farming a 250- acre corn and vegetable farm on Marlkress Road since 1950. Today, the farm represents about a quarter of the open privately owned land remaining in Cherry Hill, which has been under steady development pressure for three decades.
Much of the surrounding land already has been developed, and nearby homeowners increasingly are complaining about the Sergis' pesticide spraying and noisy machinery, Joseph Sergi said.
"We're being crowded, and it makes it hard for us to farm," he said. ''It's not a place for a farm anymore because of the people around us."
He said he was aware of the farmland preservation program but figured there was no way it could compete with the open market.
"I don't think the state is going to be able to afford these kinds of prices," Joseph Sergi said.
"Prices in the immediate area would run from $25,000 to $65,000 or $75,000 per acre, depending on where it's located. We've turned it down for years. We would have preferred to have stayed a little longer, but we can't now."
The Sergis soon will close a sale with a developer who plans a mixture of commercial buildings and homes on their land, Joseph Sergi said.
"I personally think that the big problem with the program is that there hasn't been enough money budgeted for it," said Robert Ruizzo, Camden County agricultural extension agent. Camden County has about 17,000 acres of farmland.
In Burlington County, by contrast, freeholders and municipal leaders in Lumberton, Southampton and Chesterfield have been enthusiastic about the farmland preservation program.
Still, in booming Burlington County, it is hard for farmers to withstand the lure of big bucks. The county, whcih has an estimated 120,000 to 130,000 acres of farmland, about 4,000 acres of farmland a year to development between 1978 and 1982, and that rate of loss now may have doubled, according to Charles Gallagher, the county's land-use coordinator.
Fred Moriuchi and his family have been growing fruit on a 650-acre farm located in Moorestown and Delran since the early 1960s - when they left a farm in Cherry Hill because developers' offers were too good to refuse.
"I can't justify leaving all these values tied up" in the land, Moriuchi said. "Basically, we made a decision to sell about one-third of it, and then we'll decide what to do with the rest."
Moriuchi, who holds a master's degree in business administration from Rutgers University, is trading his bib overalls for a three-piece suit. He has become an equal partner with three developers who plan a luxury residential development and golf course on a site that includes about 200 acres of Moriuchi's family farm in Moorestown.
It is all, said Moriuchi, a matter of arithmetic. His production costs run about $1,500 per acre, not including major routine capital expenses like tree- spraying equipment. This year he hopes to gross about $1,650 per acre, making his profit $150 per acre. But in recent years, the farm has failed to do that well.
"If we were making money, I don't think we would consider selling," he said.
If Moriuchi were to sell the land for $4,000 an acre and put the money in a passbook savings account at 5 percent interest, he would make more money than he does farming, he said - $200 per acre. And he would face none of the risks of farming.
In fact, the value of the land for development is far in excess of $4,000 per acre, he said. "It can be anywhere from $15,000 to $25,000 per acre."
Figures like these make the future of the farmland preservation program seem hopeless. But some legislators and agricultural experts believe the program's prospects can be enhanced with a little fine-tuning, and legislative committees are considering several measures to do so.
One would enable the state to assume up to 75 percent of the costs of purchasing a farmer's development rights, overcoming the problem many counties and municipalities have in coming up with their shares of the costs.
Another would enable the state to purchase farms, rather than just buy the development rights. The state would have the authority to match any offer received by a farmer. Once a farm was acquired, the state would attempt to resell the land with deed restrictions that would keep it green forever.
And still another proposal would allow farmers to sell their development rights in the form of credits that could be banked by counties and later sold to developers who wanted to build more than the usually permitted number of units per acre on other parcels in the county. In effect, developers then would be financing the program.
In June, a state Department of Agriculture task force is expected to complete other recommendations for improving the program - recommendations expected to focus on ways of streamlining its paper work.
Agricultural experts say the best prospects for the program are in rural areas far from current development. Out in the hinterlands, farmers may choose the immediate windfall from the farmland preservation program rather than wait many years for development pressures to boost land values.
But in the booming areas near sprawling suburbs, the experts say, farming probably is a thing of the past.
Township Runs Out Of Growing Room
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20151222071814/http://articles.philly.com/1988-04-10/news/26251299_1_town-meetings-houses-idcBy Laura Michaelis, Special to The Inquirer
Posted: April 10, 1988In 1939, at the tail end of the Depression, Fred Wolff and his wife purchased their home in the small farming community of Delran for about $3,000. As Wolff recalled, "it was the best one down there."
Almost 50 years later, the average house in Delran sells for 38 times that price.
"Police force, fire station ambulances, I've seen all these things grow, and watched all the little farms disappear," said Wolff, who is now the township's official historian. "I remember houses that would sell for about $19,000 40 years ago." Now those houses sell for $130,000.
It was more than 100 years ago that a group of farmers incorporated to form Delran, which got its name by combining the names of the Delaware River and Rancocas Creek. Town meetings were first held in a hotel, then above the firehouse and finally in a coffee shop.
Today, Delran citizens still meet to discuss pressing issues, but now the meetings are in a sturdy brick municipal building. Today, Route 130 is no longer home to family-run coffee shops, but the busy strip still serves as Delran's main street. And today Delran, though largely developed, still faces pressures to make room for new businesses and houses.
Close to the growing and congested Route 73, and offering a favorable tax rate to businesses, Delran's location is especially attractive to businesses. As North Jersey gets more and more built up, experts say, townships such as Delran become more appealing.
With an area of just under 7 square miles, and a population of more than 14,000, Delran doesn't have that much room to grow. The north side of town is the older side, and old wooden farmhouses and newer one-story ranch houses stand side-by-side. South of Route 130, the winding tree-lined streets of newer neighborhoods such as Swedes Run and Tenby Chase show off neatly-kept lawns and parks around every corner, evidence of zoning efforts aimed at minimizing density.
Yet, residents are never far from Route 130, which bisects the town with its fast-food restaurants, shopping centers and small stores selling everything from auto parts to revolvers.
Most of the undeveloped land is in the southeast section of town, along Hartford Road, where there are still a few rickety red barns. In the near future, the character of that area will be changed as well because three major development projects are planned.
Interdevelco Assoc., an Englewood development firm also known as IDC, is planning to begin construction in the summer on 746 houses east of Hartford Road. The Samost Group, a developing company located in Berlin, is also developing in the same area.
Also along Hartford Road, Gerard Builders of Moorestown is seeking approval from the township Planning Board to build an adult community of 230 houses on 54 acres.
According to Mayor Richard Knight, the IDC and Samost projects are essentially the same, with the Samost Group building about 750 units.
Both projects involve three different types of housing: single-family houses, townhouses and condominiums - the first condos for Delran. Of the 746 residences being built by IDC, 75 will be low-cost houses, which Delran is required by the Mount Laurel II decision to provide. Single-family houses will range from $120,000 to $180,000, the townhouses will start at $85,000, and the condominiums will sell for between $70,000 and $80,000. Edward Gallacher, vice president of Interdevelco, said that the Mount Laurel II decision determined a formula for pricing the low-cost housing, so IDC will build them at a slight loss.
The Samost project, for which final approval has not yet been granted, will also provide some affordable housing.
Gallacher said that the property owners believed Delran was a good place to develop for several reasons.
"Delran was a growth area some years ago, and is growing again," he said. ''Between Exit 4 and 5 (Route 73 and Route 541 respectively) on the turnpike, there are a number of new office buildings, and along the 295 corridor as well."
Matthew Watkins, the township administrator, said 80 percent to 90 percent of Delran is developed, covered by a mixture of residential, commercial and light-industrial building.
But that doesn't mean the town isn't attractive to businesses and developers, and Watkins said that they are trying hard to maintain workable guidelines for development in Delran.
Delran has increased new ratables over the last four years by $10.5 million.
"The township government has taken the position that we want to control development," Watkins said. "Unfortunately, that's sort of like stopping a boulder from rolling down a hill."
For municipal officials, slowing down the boulder means revising the town's master plan. Delran has not yet taken the first step in that task - hiring a professional city planner.
Knight says that by setting up a master plan that updates zoning laws, the municipal government will have greater say over the type of development that goes on, "rather than just reacting."
Project's Approval Ends 4-year Fight
Source: http://articles.philly.com/1988-11-09/news/26247916_1_low-income-housing-second-housing-township-officialsBy Bonnie Baker, Special to The Inquirer
Posted: November 09, 1988The first of two housing developments was approved by the Delran Township Council last week after more than a four-year legal battle between the township and two developers.
The 744-unit housing development will have single-family homes, condominiums and townhouses.
Ten percent of it will be for low- to moderate-income residents, in accordance with the Mount Laurel II decision, said Mayor Richard Knight.
Early in 1984 the township was sued by Creekford of Delran, a developing company, and Joseph Samost, a Philadelphia contractor and developer of the second housing project. Creekford stated that Delran's zoning regulations did not allow enough density for low-income housing.
The township decided to negotiate with the owners of the property and Affordable Living Corp. of Cherry Hill, so that township officials would be able to have some control in the future of the developments, said Knight.
The negotiation called for the township council to make decisions regarding approvals, normally done by the planning board.
The 135-acre tract, now owned by InterDevelCo. (IDC) Delran Associates of Englewood Cliffs, Bergen County, which bought the property two years ago, is bordered by Hartford, Creek and Bridgeboro Roads.
The housing development will also have baseball fields, basketball and tennis courts and a 25-meter swimming pool.
The 75 low-income housing units, priced from $20,000 to $27,000, will be undistinguishable from the other units, said Knight.
The plan also includes market-priced condominiums and townhouses and single-family homes from $75,000 to $150,000.
The second housing development, proposed by Samost, consists of 713 units, and is adjacent to the InterDevelCo site.
A public hearing on his development will not be held until he complies with a list of recommendations by the township engineering firm, Richard A. Alaimo Associates in Mount Holly.
"The (Samost) development will be easier for us (township council) to review," Knight said, "because criteria has been established with IDC and the consent judgment."
Final approval came almost one year after preliminary approval of IDC's plan.
Conditions about parking and drainage concerns still need to be addressed, Knight said.
There are also concerns about the growth rate of Delran and the need for a new elementary school, since approval of the two developments would total 1,457 housing units, which would mean more people and more children.
Delran Gives Preliminary Nod To Samost Development Plans
Source: http://articles.philly.com/1989-01-25/news/26121099_1_low-income-housing-development-proposal-joseph-samostBy Norman Rosenberg, Special to The Inquirer
Posted: January 25, 1989Joseph Samost's odyssey may be coming to an end.
The Delran Township Council on Thursday night gave preliminary approval for Samost's plans to build an estimated 700 houses on a 125-acre tract of farmland between Hartford and Creek Roads. The vote came after five years of negotiation and litigation between the township and Samost.
Before the meeting, Thursday night, Council President Bill Smock spoke of those years as "Joe Samost's odyssey."
Samost and InterDevelCo, the developer of a tract contiguous to the Samost property, sued the township in 1984, claiming that the zoning regulations did not permit sufficient housing density to construct low-income housing. Yet the developers had to include some low-income housing in their plans to win approval.
The township decided to negotiate with the developers in order to exercise some control over the project.
InterDevelCo received final approval from the township in November to develop 744 houses on a 135-acre tract between Creek, Hartford and Bridgeboro Roads.
The Samost plans call for 183 single-family houses, 308 townhouses, and 216 condominiums. Interspersed among the condominiums will be 75 set aside as low- income housing, to avoid the perception that particular buildings were home to low-income residents, said Steven Samost, the attorney representing the project, and son of Joseph Samost.
Most of Thursday's meeting involved the clarification and legal wording of numerous technical aspects of the development proposal: storm drainage, lighting, street names, tot-lot equipment, a contribution by the developer for a traffic signal, and other details. A few issues, including the expiration date of the prelimary approval, were left unresolved for the moment. The council will meet again in February.
More than an hour into the meeting, with the township's attorney about to turn to item No. 28 on his list, Smock, noting impatience among the six Delran residents who attended the meeting, referred to the importance of nailing down the terms of the plan.
"For the public's information, these things are necessary, and as time goes by you will see why," Smock said.
Delran, with a population of 14,811 as of 1980, could handle the extra 300 to 400 children the Samost development could bring into the township, said Andrew Ritzie, a Township Council member.
During a break in the proceedings, Barbara Posch, a Delran resident whose house on Hartford Road is located just north of the entrance to the planned development, expressed concern with the increased traffic that would use the two-lane road. She said that morning traffic is already so heavy that it can take her husband five to 10 minutes before he can pull out onto the road.
The plan calls for acceleration lanes and widening of part of Hartford Road.
In Delran, Effects Of Housing Examined
Source: http://articles.philly.com/1989-03-26/news/26127335_1_developments-township-administrator-single-family-homesBy Louise Harbach, Special to The Inquirer
Posted: March 26, 1989Although Delran's current school population is way below the enrollment high of 14 years ago, recent housing approvals in the township have made school officials wonder whether the district's five schools will be able to handle an anticipated influx of new families.
Members of the Township Council and the school board will meet at 8 p.m. Wednesday at the municipal building to discuss the effect of two large housing developments on township services and the school district.
What necessitated the joint meeting was the approval within the last four months of two developments that will bring 1,451 houses and apartments to a site between Creek and Hartford Roads in one of the last undeveloped tracts in the township.
In January, after four years of negotiations, the council reached an agreement with Marlton developers Joseph and Steven Samost for construction of 707 units comprising 183 single-family homes, 308 townhouses and 216 condominiums in a 125-acre tract bounded by Creek, Hartford and Bridgeboro Roads.
In November, the council approved plans by Bergen County-based InterDevelCo for construction adjacent to the Samost site of a 744-unit development that will also have single-family homes, condominiums and townhouses, on a 135-acre site.
Each development will have 75 units set aside for low- and moderate-income families. Those houses or apartments will be interspersed throughout the developments.
Delran's township population rose from 10,065 in 1970 to 14,811 in 1980. During the same period the school population rose to 3,300 during the 1974-75 school year and then began to decline to the current enrollment figure of 2,187.
"The two developments mean a big question mark for us," said school official Doris Christy. "They will have an effect on enrollment, but how much we don't know yet. In the meantime, we're busy tallying the number of bedrooms so we can get a better idea of what to expect."
Both projects will be located in the southern section of the 7-square-mile township. The township is 80 percent to 90 percent developed, according to Matthew Watkins, township administrator.
The township decided to negotiate with the owners of the two properties so it could have some control in the future development of the township, said William Smock, council president. In 1984, the two developers sued the township, contending that zoning regulations did not allow enough density to construct low-income housing.
Crashes Bring Call For A Traffic Signal
Source: http://articles.philly.com/1989-06-25/news/26108762_1_traffic-signal-intersection-warrants-traffic-lightBy Karen Weintraub, Special to The Inquirer
Posted: June 25, 1989There have been 10 reported accidents at the intersection of Bridgeboro and Creek Roads in Delran since the beginning of this year - four in the last two weeks - and police officers there say accidents will continue to happen until a traffic light is installed at the corner.
Last week, a GMC mini school bus carrying about 10 youngsters to the nearby Aronson Bell School crashed head-on into a Nissan, ripping off the front end of the car. No one was injured.
On May 5, a 17-year-old girl suffered severe facial cuts when the friend she was riding with failed to yield to an oncoming dump truck heading north on Bridgeboro Road.
It's only a matter of time until someone gets killed on that corner, said Patrolman Leonard Mongo.
The roads carry a high volume of traffic, and there is a blind spot rounding the corner of Bridgeboro Road toward Route 130, Mongo said.
"It's not a rural area anymore," Mongo said. "It's one of the major thoroughfares coming off Interstate 295 now."
Construction has recently begun for a 1,400-home development on Creek Road, near the intersection of Bridgeboro Road, making the need for a signal more urgent, Mongo said.
Township Clerk Bernadett Porreca said that she has recorded numerous complaints about the intersection in her 17-year tenure in the township.
The Police Department has called the county Highway Department "more than once," but nothing has been done yet about the intersection.
The county Engineering Department has only one record of a request by Delran police to investigate the intersection, said assistant county engineer John Eckman.
"The police called us about two weeks ago," he said. "I didn't see any complaints in our files, but there may have been other complaints by telephone."
Prompted by the complaint, a traffic count to study the number of vehicles that regularly use the intersection will begin in the next several weeks, Eckman said. "In about two months we should know whether that intersection warrants a traffic signal."
Factors such as traffic volume, number of accidents, speed limits, pedestrian traffic and proximity to a school all influence the determination of whether a signal is needed, the engineer said.
Delran Board Backs Slightly Updated Plan
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20150914093644/http://articles.philly.com/1989-08-02/news/26148228_1_affordable-housing-housing-decision-zoning-ordinancesBy Ruth Masters, Special to The Inquirer
Posted: August 02, 1989The Delran Planning Board is recommending only "subtle changes" in the state-required update of its master plan, township officials said.
"There are no major changes to the zones," said Chairman Joseph Otto of the plan that the board approved in June.
"Within the zones there is upgrading to reflect what has happened in the last 10 years," Otto said.
The recommendations include changes to some residential ordinances to allow houses to be built closer together to comply with the state's affordable housing regulations, Otto said.
Two developers have township approval to build 1,500 houses in the area between Hartford, Creek and Bridgeboro Roads, with 150 set aside for low- and moderate-income families.
In 1984, the two developers of the site, Joseph Samost and InterDevelCo. sued the township, contending that zoning regulations did not allow enough density for construction of low-income housing. The suit was settled out of court.
Limited retail development, such as convenience stores, would be permitted in the newly developed neighborhoods, Otto said. The board will not permit strip malls in the area.
The Township Council could discuss the plan at its meeting next Wednesday.
Mayor Richard Knight said that the council wanted an update that maintains buffers between residential, commercial and industrial areas, and complies with affordable housing laws.
"We want to implement the Mount Laurel II housing decision, and we want to see any other areas of town we should consider zoning or rezoning," Knight said.
He also said that the council was interested in zoning ordinances that would encourage development along Delran's waterfront and address drainage problems throughout the community.
Otto said he expected the council's approval and hoped to hold public hearings on the plan in September.
State law requires townships to update master plans every six years.
Sewage May Be A Hurdle For Housing
Source: http://articles.philly.com/1989-12-27/news/26160140_1_septic-systems-dep-approval-patio-homesBy Peter Van Allen, Special to The Inquirer
Posted: December 27, 1989While final approval for the 256-unit Ashley Crossing housing development could be granted tomorrow at the Delran Planning Board meeting, getting sewerage permits could be far more tricky, township officials have said.
Ashley Crossing, proposed by Gerard Brothers Inc., of Moorestown, would be an L-shaped development on 50 acres of farm and wooded land on Hartford Road.
Gerard will also need approval from the county planning board, the state Soil and Conservation Board and the sewerage authority.
Without sewerage, a housing development with lots of less than one-third acre is doomed, said Delran Sewerage Authority chairman Jack T. Foster.
"They can't build until we can take their sewerage," said Denis C. Germano, sewerage authority solicitor.
Harry Hansell, Gerard's Ashley Crossing project manager, did not return telephone calls regarding the development.
Delran zoning rules don't allow septic systems on lots smaller than 15,000 square feet, slightly less than one-third acre. Septic systems too closely grouped are considered environmentally hazardous, the Department of Environmental Protection maintains.
But "most developers are hurt by the low-density housing. They want more houses on less land," said planning board Chairman Joseph Otto. Plans call for rowhouses, patio homes, duplexes and quadplexes on lots averaging one- fifth an acre.
Gerard could put in sewerage pipes and hope for expansion of the Delran Sewerage Authority. That hinges on the DEP's approving a plan for increasing the sewage treatment plant by a million gallons a day. Waiting for that approval is "a risky thing," Foster said.
"The state's holding up our ability to expand," Foster said. "We're at a dead end with the DEP. It's just one hell of a hassle."
The authority wants to expand the 1.5 million gallon-capacity plant by a million gallons, Germano said. DEP approval could take up to three years, he added.
If the plan is approved, but the sewerage is not, Gerard has two options. It could hold onto the approval permits - which are good for a year and can be easily renewed - until the sewerage moratorium is lifted.
Or, it could sell the approvals to another developer. One planning official, who asked not to be named, said this is one way developers can benefit from their investments.
Delran Solicitor Resigns
Source: http://articles.philly.com/1990-03-07/news/25904283_1_solicitor-township-budget-senior-citizensBy Joseph N. DiStefano, Special to The Inquirer
Posted: March 07, 1990The Delran Township Committee announced the resignation of solicitor Thomas P. Foy at its meeting last week.
Foy, also a Democratic assemblyman, is leaving after six years as the township solicitor. He has been named vice president of the Hill Group, a Willingboro engineering consulting firm that does business with several Burlington County municipalities.
Mayor Richard J. Knight lauded Foy for his "top-flight, cut-rate legal expertise."
In other business last Wednesday, the committee delayed until March 28 a vote on an ordinance prohibiting development of a senior citizens' housing and health-care project at a site south of Bridgeboro.
The ordinance would derail the planned construction of 500 units on the 135-acre Anderson peach farm between Creek Road and the Rancocas Creek. The Woodbridge-based Char-Land development company has been fighting with the township to get the project approved for two years.
Knight also announced that a hearing on the township budget will be held at the March 28 meeting.
Counting On Many Changes
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20151229145054/http://articles.philly.com/1990-09-16/news/25877691_1_riverfront-renewal-families-young-peopleBy Joseph N. DiStefano, Special to The Inquirer
Posted: September 16, 1990Numbers don't tell the whole story.
Preliminary census figures show that 40 towns in Burlington County added a total of 31,000 people between 1980 and 1990. Of that number, almost all were found in just two townships, Evesham and Mount Laurel.
Has the rest of the county stood still?
As young people leave for college or employment, Willingboro's schools and playgrounds have emptied. The township has lost more than 3,700 people since 1980, according to the figures.
"In terms of numbers, my neighborhood's bottomed out," said Robert Schmidt, a Willingboro school official who lives in the tidy Hawthorne Park section. "In 1970, there were 33 school-aged children on our street. Today, we have two."
It's different in neighboring Westampton.
"Lots of families are moving here," said newcomer Eugenia Almanzar, whose four children help keep the township elementary school at capacity. "It's fantastic, it's peaceful. It's professional people and working people, and it's affordable."
And in Delran, despite an overall loss, older areas such as Cambridge are gaining residents.
"It's exciting, what's happening in our neighborhood," said Henry Shinn, 29, a machinist, new father and new homeowner. "Young families are fixing up the solid old homes and taking over."
In May, those families placed Shinn on the Delran Township Council. The next-youngest councilman is old enough to be Shinn's father.
Officials in Delran and Westampton say the count bypassed whole neighborhoods. Mount Holly, Beverly, Medford and North Hanover also have asked for recounts. Accuracy aside, census reports are closely watched by people concerned about real estate values, tax rates, government aid and electoral districts, all of which follow the numbers.
The numbers hint at powerful social and economic forces, and interviews with residents and community leaders marked some of the trends.
Riverfront renewal. Venerable industrial towns such as Riverside and Beverly reported that their populations were stable after decades of losing people and jobs. During the 1980s, Burlington City lost fewer residents than in any decade since the 1950s. Florence Township showed a healthy gain.
New families in search of affordable housing are buying and renovating older homes in these towns and flooding the schools with youngsters.
"There's a quiet baby boom coming in," said Florence Mayor Bruce E. Benedetti. As lifelong residents die or retire elsewhere, young couples are snapping up brick rowhomes and twins along the numbered streets of Roebling village.
"Lots of times, it's the kids and grandkids of people who worked in the (former steel) mills," said Benedetti, a 12-year resident. "A single widow will be replaced by a couple with three young kids."
Unlike other river towns, Florence has open land for new construction, and several housing developments are planned. Without the new construction, the population increase is expected to produce a total of 1,800 students in kindergarten through 12th grade by 1994, up from 1,450 last year and 1,250 in 1982, said school business administrator Lillie Phillips.
A tough political fight is pitting supporters of a proposed new high school, led by young parents, against opponents who include many old-timers on fixed incomes.
The river towns are benefiting from the surplus of new high-priced homes elsewhere in the county.
"This is a moderate-income area," Phillips said. "People with children can find homes they can afford here. People who buy those big homes (elsewhere) can't afford to have so many children."
Riverside is undergoing its own baby boomlet with the help of a wave of Portuguese-American arrivals, following earlier Polish, Italian and German immigrants.
"They're chasing the scum out of Riverside," said Joe Makin, a baker who married into a prominent Portuguese-American family. "A lot of them work in construction, so they've been able to fix up their own houses. Nice work, stone, brick."
Riverside School Superintendent Joseph "Rocky" Cancilleri said the rising number of young families had boosted enrollment to its highest level since Delran took its high school students out of the Riverside system in 1975.
"The township has rounded a corner," said Mayor Eleanor Stepien. "We're stable now."
Aging postwar suburbs. The census found fewer people in Willingboro, Cinnaminson, Delran, Edgewater Park and Maple Shade. All five townships had expanded quickly in the 1950s and '60s, but the children of the pioneers have grown up and moved on. In some sections, houses built for large nuclear families now shelter "empty-nester" couples.
Willingboro, the county's largest community, lost the most people during the last 10 years. The township went from 39,912 residents to 36,189, according to the preliminary figures.
"We reached our maximum," said Ed Sherman, a 20-year resident. "You have kids growing up and going away."
Schmidt, the school administrator, said Willingboro's student population declined from a high of 15,000 in 1971 to 6,300 in 1989.
"We've closed (three) schools in the past year," said 20-year resident Virginia Wolf, a union representative who raised five children in the Rittenhouse and Twin Hills sections. All but her youngest daughter had left by 1988.
But the postwar towns, like the river towns before them, expect to rise again: It is part of a cycle, said Delran Councilman Bill Smock.
"Maybe (the population) is shifting north of Route 130," he said. "It's going to shift back. Willingboro and Delran are no different from anywhere else that got built up in the 1960s.
"It's like the Bridgeboro section," he said, referring to Delran's original settlement. "When I moved here, it was sort of old and decrepit. The new kids moved in and fixed up the homes and did a hell of a job."
Smock's two children left the area for graduate school and careers. He sees no sign that they will return to live.
But Wolf's son Christopher, 27, recently left what she called his "big bucks" apartment in Moorestown to move back with Mom. He is looking to buy a house - in Willingboro.
"Maybe we're at the tail end of that waning period here," said Christopher Wolf, a professional photographer. "The prevailing attitude among my friends is that we grew up here, we invested a lot of time and, in some instances, money, and we're coming back here to carry on where our folks left off.
"Mount Laurel and Cherry Hill and Medford are all very expensive. Willingboro has remained affordable to people like me. Young professional people. Up and coming."
"There's a certain attractiveness to this town," said Sherman. "The good things the kids liked are still here."
Country living. Longtime residents have mixed feelings, but the old rural pattern - fruit and grain farms spreading from crossroads village centers - is vanishing from a belt of townships from Medford to Chesterfield, including Shamong, Lumberton, "The Hamptons" and Mansfield.
The new settlers are a mixed bag - upwardly mobile blue-collar workers, growing families "trading up" from Mount Holly or Burlington, affluent civil service workers from Trenton - drawn by diverse definitions of affordable housing.
In Mansfield, population 3,888, residents of the villages of Columbus and Kinkora found themselves almost outnumbered and outvoted in the 1980s by new arrivals from central New Jersey and residents of a 1,200-unit over-55 community.
"Some of the old-timers resented it to a certain degree, but they realized progress had to be made," said Larry Lang, who moved with his family from Bordentown City in 1986 and is on the Mansfield Zoning Board. After initial clashes over school funding, senior-citizen newcomers now volunteer at his children's school, he said.
In 1987, residents of the Homestead at Mansfield community for older adults almost unseated long-term incumbents on the three-member Township Committee, said Mary Ellen Lister, a committee member. "It's pretty much quieted down now," she said.
"You know, everyone would like to be the last one in," Lister said. "Of course, that's not practical, nor is it reasonable, nor is it legal. We have to plan for growth. And once we have new residents, everyone has to be accepted and made part of the community."
Lang said an entire neighborhood next to his home in the Hockey Drive section was full of former Trenton and Hamilton Township residents.
"Lots of Italians," Lang said. "A couple of brothers, a relation here or there, a friend or a cousin." At $200,000 to 300,000 per house, prices compare favorably with Mercer County rates, he said.
Some prices in Westampton, one of only three Burlington County townships to grow faster than Mansfield, are a fraction of Mansfield's.
"Oh, we have had some in the $250,000-$300,000 range," said Mayor Marilyn Rand. "But a lot of them range in the $100,000 area."
Plans for 127 low- to moderate-income units are being developed as part of larger projects by builder Peter Hovnanian and will sell for as little as $40,000, Rand said. "From the outside, you can't tell the difference," she said.
The Rev. Victor Hidalgo, a Mount Holly pastor with a growing Latino congregation, said Westampton and similar towns were a magnet for immigrant families.
"We used to live in a (tough) section of Mount Holly," said newcomer Almanzar, a Puerto Rico native who moved with her Dominican husband, Paul, and their four children to a Fort Drive townhouse this year. "This is the complete reverse - lots of professionals, good working people, no problems with neighbors, no drugs on the corner.
"We have about four Hispanic neighbors, which is nice, even though we don't know them that well.
"The nicest thing is, out here it's peaceful."
Going their own way. Some towns defy patterns. Moorestown keeps growing, slowly, carefully, in the sober manner of its Quaker founders. Some residents of Hainesport, which is surrounded by growth communities, blame political gridlock for the township's stagnation. Development-restricted Pine Barrens communities such as Washington and Woodland Townships lost population, as did - unlike their riverside neighbors - the small townships of Delanco and Riverton.
Like the larger river towns, Mount Holly has almost stopped losing people; township manager Allen Feit blamed the 3 percent decline in the 1980s on county demolitions to make way for an enormous new courthouse, prison and social service agencies.
Pemberton Township and other communities dependent on Fort Dix and McGuire Air Force Base grew modestly (except North Hanover, where officials said a mix-up had wiped half the township's residences from census records). But Pemberton Township leaders are bracing for disaster during Dix's planned cutbacks.
"We'll be losing quite a few persons for a while, probably for the next five years," said Washington Georgia, a Pemberton Township school board member who owns a moving company. "Someday, Dix might make a gorgeous industrial park where we can put people to work. But in the meantime, we will have a decline."
Some Pemberton Township residents worry that the census was too conservative.
"They can't count people who have three or four families living in one house. Who's going to tell them?" said Mary Rollins of Browns Mills, a supervisor at New Lisbon State Hospital. "They're not supposed to be there. The township has very strict rules. I know the census isn't supposed to tell the township, but a lot of people don't really believe that.
"Plus, they're not counting the ones out in the woods or sleeping in parked cars."
The Rev. Victoriano Fernandez-Sandoval, whose church made its own census of county Latinos in 1988, said another group was underreported: recent immigrants, some of whom lack full legal papers.
"They're in a sort of substatus," he said. "Or they're newly legal, but they mistrust. Or maybe out of indolence. But in general, the community is growing."
Towns had until Wednesday to ask the census to recount neglected areas. The final numbers, along with breakdowns by race, ethnic group and income are expected during the next year.
Delran's Smock already has drawn his conclusions.
"To tell the truth, Delran has more than replaced itself," he said. ''We're close to 15,000 . . .
"If they really count us right."
A Residential Emphasis To Latest Master Plan
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20160104015636/http://articles.philly.com/1990-11-07/news/25925966_1_sewage-capacity-residential-township-sewerage-capacityBy Bob Goetz, Special to The Inquirer
Posted: November 07, 1990The recent revision to Delran's master plan, approved two weeks ago by the Delran planning board, resolves some inconsistencies in zoning restrictions and points to an increasingly built-up, residential township.
The Delran Master Plan Update is a revision to a document originally approved by the township in 1978 and not re-evaluated since 1982. New Jersey state law requires that townships revise their plans every six years, to give local officials a guide for the commercial and residential development of the community.
The most significant change in this year's revision is the abandonment of Delran's earlier objective to exploit its "potential as a center for commerce and industry."
"We probably didn't attract as much industry as you would want to," said Daniel Paolini, chairman of the township's planning board.
Several areas, particularly in the southeastern corner of Delran, have been rezoned from agricultural to residential uses, primarily to accommodate housing associated with the Mount Laurel II court decision that required every town in New Jersey to provide affordable housing.
The biggest of these projects, the 713-home Creekdale Farms project by the Scarborough Corp. of Voorhees, is slated for a site south of Route 130 between Creek and Hartford Roads. It is in the approval process before the township council.
Another project, proposed by Delran Plaza Associates and planned for a site along Pancoast Road between Bridgeboro Road and Fairview Streets, will contain 50 homes in its first phase of development.
But two factors - sewage capacity and a slumping real estate market - are derailing plans for further development of projects like the one on Pancoast Road. The developer wanted to build 104 homes, but could not obtain the required sewerage capacity to complete the project, according to Administrator Jeffrey Hatcher.
"Whatever remaining sewer capacity has been reserved for projects that are impending," Paolini said. The Delran sewage authority has plans to increase the township sewage system's capacity, but first must receive approval from the state Division of Environmental Protection.
By the year 2000, the revisions predict, Delran will "build out," or have no more room for development, with a population of 19,500 to 20,500. The township currently has a population of 13,766, according to the 1990 census, which is down from 1980's figure of 14,811. However, officials have appealed to the U.S. Bureau of the Census, alleging an undercount.
With an expected influx of young families into Delran, some council members have expressed concern about putting a strain on Delran's schools and municipal services.
Open Space Featured On Agenda
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20151225190857/http://articles.philly.com/1990-11-25/news/25929597_1_open-space-program-open-space-advisory-committee-acreBy Robert DiGiacomo, Special to The Inquirer
Posted: November 25, 1990The Moorestown Council is expected to take a major step tomorrow toward the purchase of open space in the township.
The council is likely to approve two applications for state Green Trust funds from a list of three sites recommended by the Open Space Advisory Committee. They are Stokes Hill, a 10-acre site on the eastern end of Main Street; the Weiner Site, a 14.5-acre tract on Garwood Road near the Delran Township border, and Carson Farm, a 70-acre site on Hartford Road.
The council also is negotiating the purchase of an undisclosed site, which is likely to be announced tomorrow.
The application for state funds is just one aspect of Moorestown's open- space program, which got a boost from voters last year when they overwhelmingly approved a referendum authorizing the township to save land from being developed.
"It's certainly a positive step . . . in terms of acquiring open space, especially in this day and age where municipalities and the entire region are suffering from somewhat of an economic downturn," said Councilman Salvatore A. Alessi, who serves as a liaison to the Open Space Advisory Committee.
Moorestown also is spending $250,000 on Memorial Field. The money is being used to improve drainage, repair the field's monument and upgrade fields and parking.
The three finalists for the Green Trust funds were chosen by the Open Space Committee from a list of 40 sites of five acres or more, according to Barbara Rich, chairwoman of the five-member committee. The committee, which was formed as a result of the referendum, spent the last year studying sites and looking for ways to finance their acquisition.
The township had not planned to apply for the funds this year because the final list was not ready by the original Oct. 30 deadline. When the state extended the deadline to this Friday, the committee used the extra time to choose its priorities.
Each of the sites has its advantages, Rich said.
Stokes Hill has been used as a sledding hill by Moorestown and surrounding communities for as far back as anyone can remember, Rich said. The site is also a high point of the town and has wetlands. The township could qualify for a 2 percent loan toward its purchase.
The Weiner Site is well-suited to recreation, especially for athletic fields, Rich said. The site also is adjacent to the Willowbrook Country Club. The township could qualify for a 2 percent loan to acquire it.
The wooded Carson Farm site contains environmentally sensitive wetlands and borders the Swede Run Stream. The township could qualify for a combination grant and loan because of environmental considerations, Rich said.
Delran Development About To Take Shape
Source: http://articles.philly.com/1990-12-09/news/25923128_1_affordable-housing-first-phase-affordable-unitsBy Bob Goetz, Special to The Inquirer
Posted: December 09, 1990At a time when developers in southern New Jersey are scaling back plans and staving off bankruptcy, one developer, Joseph Samost, is nearing approval for Delran's first major project in years.
On Dec. 19, the Delran Township Council is all but certain to approve the first phase of Samost's proposed "Creekdale Farms," a 713-home development that would rise amid trees and farmland in Delran's southeast corner.
Located between Hartford and Creek Roads, south of South Bridgeboro Road, the first phase of Creekdale Farms would contain 282 townhouses, condominiums and single-family houses. The project would be the first in a series of developments in the area that would likely make Delran a growing township in the 1990s.
Other properties in the area have been the subject of interest from developers, but Samost's project would be the first to receive township approval.
Getting to the point of approval for the Berlin-based Samost, though, has been a five-year process of lawsuits, hearings and negotiations over a site that originally allowed only one house on each acre.
When Samost proposed the project in 1985, he sought to increase the density of the 122-acre site by building affordable-housing units. Courts and the legislature require each township to provide a certain number of housing units for low- and moderate-income families.
Samost wanted to build a project of about 1,000 units, but the township balked at the density. Samost filed a lawsuit against Delran, and the subsequent judgment, combined with Delran's current zoning ordinances, helped set the development at 713 units.
The first phase of the project would be built on the site's western edge and would consist of 118 townhouses, 72 condominiums and 92 single-family houses. Of the condominiums, 28 would be for low- and moderate-income families. "That's almost twice the number of affordable units required" in the project's first phase, according to Stephen Samost, the developer's son and attorney.
Delran has received about 300 inquiries about the affordable units, township clerk Bernadette Porecca said, but most of them came several years ago when the lawsuit's settlement was made. Delran has not yet decided how it would determine who would be able to purchase the affordable units, according to adminstrator Jeffrey Hatcher.
Construction on the first phase of the project would begin early next year, with the Scarborough Corp. as the builder. The rest of the project would be developed "as rapidly as the market will bear," Stephen Samost said at a recent hearing on the project.
Development of the remaining phases of the project would also depend on Samost's ability to secure sewerage capacity. What little remains in the Delran Sewerage Authority's capacity has been reserved for Creekdale Farms' first phase and other projects that would provide affordable housing in Delran.
The authority is working to increase its capacity, but any increase will not occur for several years, officials said.
If the township had any remaining objections to Samost's proposal, they concerned the lack of recreation space in Creekdale Farms.
In response, Samost has said he would provide 10 acres of recreation, including two tennis courts, one 2,000-square-foot recreation building, and an area for a pool, if the board approves.
To find the room, Samost would replace 16 single-family homes with 30 townhouses and the recreation facilities.
Delran Home Assessments Up By An Average Of 117%
Source: http://articles.philly.com/1991-02-03/news/25776736_1_tax-bills-tax-rate-property-valueBy Bob Goetz, Special to The Inquirer
Posted: February 03, 1991Delran Councilman Henry Shinn's home went from $31,800 to $75,900 in assessed value. His neighbors, Michael and Pam Bennett, saw their house increase from $32,600 to $71,000.
The reassessment of Delran's property is now complete, and Delran homeowners will see sharp increases, averaging 117 percent, in the values of their homes on their tax bills this year.
Hardest hit in Delran will be the older area of town by the river, where the Shinns and Bennetts live.
"The increases around here are going to be atrocious," Shinn said. The sharp increase in the area, according to township assessor Harry Renwick, came because the area received a disproportionally low assessment in Delran's last reassessment, in 1981.
While the preliminary values do not, in themselves, mean higher taxes, homeowners are likely to experience a confusing year in which taxes increase to make up for a significant shortfall in 1990 revenues.
And to help homeowners sort through the confusion, Renwick is urging them to pay careful attention to the budget and tax rate this year.
"The taxpayers have got to become more involved in the budget hearings," Renwick said. Appeals, he said, often are mistakenly filed, and thrown out, because a homeowner does not understand why his or her tax bill has increased.
"If (property) values increase by 117 percent, and if there's no change in any of the budget entities, the tax rate should fall by the same margin," Renwick said.
For 1991, though, there is almost certain to be a change in the "budget entities" - or the money needed to run the township, the county, the schools and the sewer authority.
At the last Township Council meeting, Mayor Richard Knight said the 1991 budget would hold spending to a 2 percent increase, but a significant revenue shortfall from 1990 is forcing the township to make the uncomfortable decision of raising taxes or cutting services.
"This (budget) is going to be a bear," Councilman Bill Smock said. Delran residents will have an indication of what to expect on their 1991 tax bills when the preliminary budget is released Feb. 25.
The preliminary total assessment for Delran Township in 1991 is $650 million, up 117 percent from the approximately $300 million of 1990. For homeowners in Delran, the average assessed value rose from about $60,000 to $130,000. The numbers, Renwick said, are preliminary figures and do not include the results of any appeals or changes made by the assessor.
Of the total amount, the largest share, $458 million, was for residential properties, and the next largest, $167 million, was for commercial, industrial and apartment properties.
Delran's days of country roads and farms continued to recede further into the past as the total value of farmland came to only $2.5 million, or less than 1 percent of Delran's total assessed property value.
Homeowners who disagree with their assessments may appeal. When a taxpayer receives a bill in the first or second week of July, the appeal must be filed before the Burlington County Board of Taxation by Aug. 15.
At the appeal, the taxpayer must present proof - sale prices of comparable homes and written appraisals are two common types - to support a claim that the property is not worth what it has been assessed.
A common mistake, Renwick said, is for homeowners to use the assessments of other homes, and not their sale prices, in support of an appeal.
In any case, the homeowner remains obligated to pay the first three quarters in taxes to the township.
Renwick said that the reassessment - which cost the township $130,000 - would bring property values into line with a market that had vastly increased in recent years but had now stabilized.
Creek Road's Gain Would Be The Loss Of Parts Of Yards
Source: http://articles.philly.com/1991-09-22/news/25800993_1_department-plans-property-owners-transportation-planBy Gordon Mayer, Special to The Inquirer
Posted: September 22, 1991Creek Road was a country byway until Interstate 295 opened. Now it handles so much traffic that the county engineer and the New Jersey Department of Transportation plan to improve it into a "state of the art" road.
But the improvement means widening the road by buying land from property owners on Creek Road's west side.
Francis Melvin of the state Department of Transportation said the plan was to widen Creek Road from its present 28 feet to about 40 feet, using federal and state money.
The county has sought to improve the two-lane road since I-295 opened in the early 1970s and drivers began using Creek Road as a link to Route 130. Officials think the road is likely to be even more heavily traveled as the area becomes developed.
Delran Township Council members said they were concerned about residents' having to surrender parts of their front yards to the widening.
" 'We're going to buy your front yard, and you have to let us' " is the Transportation Department's message to property owners, Councilman Henry Shinn said.
The department plans to buy at fair-market value a strip of land about 8 1/ 2 feet deep from property owners on the west side of the road, county engineer Jim Quinn said.
On the east side, the department will buy "slope rights," letting landowners keep their property but allowing the DOT to work on that land during construction, which would not begin until after land purchases are completed at the end of next year.
There's not much the township can do about the purchases, according to Delran Mayor Richard Knight, but he said the department should address other concerns, such as speeding along the improved road, which has two schools on it.
Council members said they were pleased a traffic light for the corner of Creek Road and South Bridgeboro Road was part of the improvement plans because of the number of accidents at the intersection.
The DOT will keep Creek Road two lanes wide, rather than enlarging it to two lanes in either direction, as an earlier county plan had recommended. The planning to improve the road began in 1975. Improvements will be needed also to handle increased traffic at the northwest end of the road in Delran, where Berlin Township-based developer Joe Samost plans to build 713 houses on 122 acres he owns.
"We're providing the service before there's a 100 percent need," Melvin said. It's easier to widen the road before people move into homes in the area, he said.
The prospects for development in Delran are partly behind planning for a new fire station and for the purchase of more municipal office space, council members said.
The Delran School District also is preparing. Board members engaged the architectural firm of Kanalstein, Danton & Johns to begin designing a new building that might be needed if new development comes to town.
Even before construction of houses begins, township services such as police patrols will be stretched thinner as developers move construction equipment into the area, Shinn said. The police will be forced to guard the area against the theft often associated with construction areas, he said.
"We're already under capacity," in terms of delivering services to residents, said Maryann Rivell, council member. "When you look at (Delran's) projected growth, it becomes overwhelming."
There's A Pit In Peach Farm's Future It's The Last Large Undeveloped Open Space In Delran. And The Owners Are Ready To Surrender.
Source: http://articles.philly.com/1992-01-23/news/26037050_1_andersons-132-acre-farm-peachBy Sonia R. Lelii, SPECIAL TO THE INQUIRER
Posted: January 23, 1992Raymond Anderson still can walk on the land on which his father, grandfather and great-grandfather toiled. He can point to the farmhouse where his grandfather died, to the house his father built and to the wood gazebo his grandfather constructed to honor his only son.
"You find a lot of history here," he said, driving through barren orchards on a blustery afternoon. "(But) you have to conform to the shape of the town. Especially when development is all around you. You're just this bare spot in the city."
Delran Township officials say the Andersons own the last large working farm and substantial tract of land not zoned for residential or commercial development in the area.
And for at least two years, the Anderson family has been negotiating with a developer to sell its four-generation-old peach farm. Preliminary plans call for a facility for senior citizens.
It is the winds of change, the Andersons say.
"You ask any farmer, it's gotten tougher and tougher to farm with more and more people around you," said Philip Anderson, Raymond's father.
"People who have been here are used to us. You get new people in and they do the complaining. . . . Everybody wants to move to the country until there are problems."
The Andersons foresee complaints about odors and are concerned about their potential liability if trespassers - perhaps children drawn by the waters of the nearby Rancocas Creek - are injured on their property.
They anticipate trouble with the influx of new neighbors expected when about 1,500 townhouses, condominiums and single-family houses are constructed on more than 200 acres just across from their 132-acre farm on Creek Road.
"It's not easy giving up land that has been in your family for years," said 36-year-old Raymond Anderson, one of Philip Anderson's three children. ''but . . . you have no choice (but) to go along with the growth of a town and get phased out. Fifty years ago, farming was the only industry around."
Philip Anderson, 61, traces the family farm's beginnings to the early 1900s when his grandparents - Wesley and Alice Anderson - bought about 54 acres on Creek Road, 30 of which were meadows and wetlands near the Rancocas Creek and 20 were farmed for peaches, corn and apples.
During the 1920s, Wesley's Anderson's son Raymond - Philip Anderson's father - built a dike on the wetlands to create about 30 acres for celery, but muskrats dug holes and crops were ruined when the creek overflowed.
In 1945, Philip Anderson's father bought 100 acres adjacent to the property.
Today, the original white farmhouse sits deep into the land between Creek Road and the edge of a Rancocas Creek tributary. Built in the 1800s, the house is out of view from three other houses constructed throughout the years by family members. What separates the dwellings are 10,000 neatly aligned peach trees that fill the land called Rainbow Meadow Farm - so named because the earthen wall that once served as a dam was rainbow in shape.
"This land is the only legacy we have to leave to our children," said Philip Anderson. "It's a hard decison to make."
The family has turned down other interested developers. One wanted the land for a cemetery, but the Andersons said no. Others wanted to build more houses. No was the response again. It wasn't the money - Philip Anderson said he did not even ask how much - but because the farm has been in his family since 1906 or 1908 and he intends to retain a small portion and live on it during his golden years.
"When you work a piece of land as long as we have, you get a feel for what you would like to see on it," he said. "What we look out on means as much to us than anyone else."
Charland Development of Edison has made an appealing offer to both him and the township, said Anderson. He would not give any numbers but said Charland wants to build a long-term life-care community for senior citizens. It would provide housing as well as a medical facility for short- or long-term health care.
Councilwoman Mary Ann Rivell said such a self-contained community would be Delran's first.
Township officials are drafting a special zoning ordinance to make it attractive for Delran's senior citizens to remain in the township "especially for residents who really were the mainstay of the town before other developments came in."
"If you meet the Andersons, they are really honorable," Rivell said. ''Their family has a long history in the town and there really is an element of altruism to have this kind of development."
The Andersons do not expect the sale to occur overnight. They are awaiting township decisions on the zoning and the tradition that began more than 80 years ago, when Wesley Anderson purchased acreage and a farmhouse, will continue for now.
"If the farm ever goes to developers, we plan to keep on farming until the last roof is nailed down," Raymond Anderson said.
Delran Cracking Down On Delinquent Builder
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20150923051359/http://articles.philly.com/1992-03-01/news/26015852_1_tax-sale-township-officials-liensBy Sonia R. Lelii, Special to The Inquirer
Posted: March 01, 1992Since 1990, Delran has waited for one of its major developers to pay its taxes. Numerous delinquency notices later, the Township Council has decided to play hardball by instructing its solicitor to initiate foreclosure on a parcel of land zoned for affordable housing.
"Either way, we are going to get our taxes," said John Harrington, the solicitor. "We are not going to let the township suffer."
InterDevelCo., of Englewood, the company that was to build low-to-moderate- income housing on a vacant tract along Hartford Road, has ignored requests for back taxes that now amount to $394,489, according to township officials. The amount owed is the largest tax delinquency in Delran in at least 10 years, according to Donna Ibbetson, tax collector.
"There is an issue of fairness here. We have to provide services that must be provided every day," Mayor Richard Knight said. "We have senior citizens and unemployed folks who are being asked to subsidize InterDevelCo., and I think they are in better financial shape than the senior citizens of Delran."
Delran's troubles with InterDevelCo. began in December 1990, when the township refused to grant the company final approval to build on 135 acres until the company paid $160,000 in taxes due.
"They never showed up, gave the money or appeared again," Harrington said.
The township recouped less than $10,000 of the taxes owed by InterDevelCo. in a July 1991 tax sale at which investors acquired liens on small portions of the property. The township itself placed a lien on the bulk of the land - 124 acres, which now could be foreclosed.
InterDevelCo., also known as IDC, was to build 744 housing units on 135 of 257 acres zoned for low-to-moderate housing. (Scarborough Inc. has begun constructing 713 units on the remaining 122 acres.) The company had bought the property from Affordable Living Corp., a New York development firm that had brought a lawsuit against the township in 1983 accusing it of violating the state Supreme Court's Mount Laurel II decision on affordable housing. ALC's lawsuit was merged with a similar lawsuit filed by Creekford of Berlin.
Although Scarborough, the developer of Creekford, has begun construction, township officials say there has been no construction on the land owned by IDC. Bisgaier, an attorney in Haddonfield for ALC, said that for the last year IDC has been the target of a separate foreclosure attempt by ALC and National State Bank of Woodbridge, N.J.
InterDevelCo. was one of six businesses in Delran that failed to pay taxes in January 1991, causing a shortfall in expected revenue collection, township officials say.
Knight said five of the businesses - including Rouse & Associates of Philadelphia and the Millside Shopping Center - either have paid their bills or have arranged an installment plan with the township. The payment requests to InterDevelCo. have gone unanswered, he said.
In an interview Tuesday, a spokesman for InterDevelCo., Ken Breskin, gave two reasons that the firm has not paid its taxes to Delran: The financially troubled company has been involved in a three-year lawsuit with a lender, and Delran's tax assessor had placed too high an assessment on the land - $6 million.
Breskin said the delinquent taxes eventually would get paid.
"No one is going to forfeit the property just for the amount of taxes owed," he said.
Township officials said InterDevelCo., one of three major developers in the town, was one factor that caused the uncollected tax reserve (the difference between anticipated and collected tax receipts) to jump from $449,000 in 1990 to $974,000 in 1991.
"Those words are really nice," Knight said, referring to Breskin's assurance the bill will be paid, "but those taxes are due when the bill is rendered. What is happening is the taxpayers are asked to subsidize InterDevelCo. while they are in litigation.
"So, I'm not sympathetic in the slightest. We have a responsibility to collect those taxes."
Sales Of New Homes Soaring In 3 Areas Bucks, Montco, South Jersey
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20150922051141/http://articles.philly.com/1992-08-07/business/25989976_1_bob-lefenfeld-housing-market-profiles-sales-of-new-homesby Earni Young, Daily News Staff Writer
Posted: August 07, 1992New home communities in Montgomery and Bucks counties and South Jersey are selling like hotcakes, despite an overall drop in new home sales for the Delaware Valley during the second quarter.
Sales of new homes in the Philadelphia suburbs plunged 30 percent during the April to June period after a robust start in the first three months, according to a quarterly report by Legg Mason Realty Group.
However, Legg Mason analyst Bob Lefenfeld was quick to point out that even with the drop, sales for the first half of 1992 outshine the comparable 1991 period by 14 percent.
"It gets dangerous when you look at the market on a quarterly basis," cautioned Lefenfeld, co-author of Housing Market Profiles. "Part of the reason the second quarter is down is that we had such a healthy first quarter."
The new-home market is a lot healthier than it was last year or even two years ago, Lefenfeld said. The decrease in traffic over the last two months and the corresponding drop in the number of houses sold (2,483 vs. 3,545) does not mean the market is "going back down the tube," he said.
Lefenfeld said major builders are surviving the recovery by cutting back on housing starts and making those they do build more affordable.
"In the long-term there is still going to be a market for new homes," he said. "The low interest environment expands the universe of potential homebuyers to people who never would have considered homeownership four years ago.
"Things have slowed considerably, but realistically, the building industry recognizes that we're not going to have the kind of household growth or house sale numbers that we had in the go-go years of the mid '80s."
Don't tell that to builders in Bucks and Montgomery counties, where some communities are selling at a pace reminiscent of the boom years.
Warrington Oaks, a single-family detached home community in Bucks County built by Fieldstone Partnerships, has racked up a phenomenal 155 sales since February. Another Bucks best-seller, The Quaker Group's Hidden Pond site in Warwick, signed 48 contracts in just three months.
Makefield Glen, a Toll Brothers' townhome community, has moved 75 homes since January, selling an average of five a week, said Tom Argyris, an assistant vice president for marketing.
At least 12 units at The Townhomes of Spruce Mill - the latest phase of the Bucks County community - were sold in the past four weeks from blueprints alone, he added. "That's way beyond our expectations without a model or promotion," Argyris said of the fourth and final phase of the Makefield project. Prices start around $104,900 for a two-bedroom, 1 1/2-bath townhome with a full basement, he said.
Meanwhile, Realen also is defying the slow economic recovery. Sales at Fairfield at Farmview, a Bucks community of pricey estate homes, are moving at a rate of around five a month, even with a $262,900 starting price tag.
Realen's townhome communities also are selling well, said Diane Standen, the firm's marketing director. She cited Brookstone in Yardley, where 41 townhomes starting at $115,900 were sold in the past six months.
Still, Standen said, "things are moving slower this year" than last when the country was riding the crest of a wave of euphoria over the success of Desert Storm. "The war was ending and there was a lot of enthusiasm about getting into the home market," Standen recalled. "This year, thre's a lot of wait and see. People are taking longer to make a purchase."
Realen communities like Farmview, which will open a fourth phase called Penn's Field at Farmview next month, have been able to successfuly capture the interest of what few buyers are out there, she said.
Farmview's attractive location, amid rolling acres of preserved farmland, near I-95 with commuter rail access to New York, Philadelphia and the Princeton, N.J., area, adds significantly to its sales appeal.
Location, location, location is also key to the success of Warrington Oaks, said Sylvania Boenenberger, sales manager for Fieldstone Partnerships. Price is another. Houses in the community, which has room for 155 homes, start at $169,990, within the range of most move-up buyers, she said. "All of our buyers had a house to sell," she said. "But their homes were lower priced than ours and they aren't having any problems moving them."
Just in case, the builder offers seller contingency clauses in its sales contract, Bonenberger said.
Not surprisingly, the Legg Mason report highlighted Bucks and Montgomery counties as the most active sales area in the Delaware Valley. With a total of 1,108 transactions, the two counties accounted for 44 percent of the quarterly action, Lefenfeld said.
Bucks County and western Montgomery County have some of the strongest employment growth in the region, he said.
Chester and Delaware counties' share of the suburban market continues to shrink with only 454 sales reported for the three months, he said. That's 18 percent of the region's total sales activity for the period.
Across the Delaware, the three South Jersey counties surveyed reported 931 sales for the quarter - 37 percent of the area's sales. According to Lefenfeld, South Jersey was the only area of the survey to experience an increase in sales compared to the second quarter - 931 vs. 749.
One of the hottest communities in South Jersey is Scarborough Corp.'s SummerHill community in Delran, Burlington County.
At least 75 families have bought single-family homes and townhouses in the community since its opening in March. That's about six times the normal rate of sales in today's economy, said Mark Hodges, marketing director for Scarborough. Another 35 buyers are on a waiting list for SummerHill's next section of single-family homes.
SummerHill has been overwhelmingly popular since its opening day, when 300 people lined up outside the sales center. Hodges attributed SummerHill's success to its location, affordable prices, and the Scarborough name.
Delran is a popular town with an uncongested, small-town atmosphere and excellent school system, he said. Prices at SummerHill start at $129,990 for single-family homes and $97,990 for townhouses. And about 20 percent of the SummerHill buyers are from Tenby Chase, a nearby Scarborough community built in the 70s.
Delran Delays Road Project To Bring In The Peach Harvest
Source: http://articles.philly.com/1992-09-21/news/26022727_1_road-project-andersons-road-workBy Josh Zimmer, INQUIRER CORRESPONDENT
Posted: September 21, 1992DELRAN — The 8,500 peach trees at Anderson's Rainbow Meadow Farms, the largest family-owned farm in the township, have been plucked of their fruit. Only 1,000 boxes remain to be stored and shipped.
And although the final tally won't be complete until November, this year's harvest appears to have been a success, said farm owner Phil Anderson.
It could have easily been a failure - all because of a road project.
The township council came to the rescue last month and put a temporary halt to the project, which would have disrupted the daily route that trucks took to the farm to pick up shipments of fruit.
"Those (projects) always happen in a farmer's busy season," said Anderson, a third-generation owner. "It could go on in May or October. We really appreciate the delay."
Last month, the five-member township council - angered that developers did not coordinate the road work with the harvest - unanimously granted the Andersons' emergency request to delay the project for 30 days. The county, which owns the road, backed the decision. The delay expires today.
The project spans a 1,000-foot section of Creek Road just next to the farm. The road will be widened, and a 100- to 200-foot stretch will be leveled, said Scarborough Corp. engineer Ray Lindsay.
Scarborough first placed signs near the site in early August, telling drivers that the work would last a week and that access would be severely limited. Scarborough, based in Voorhees, is building a 713-unit housing development between Creek Road and Hartford Road. Drivers along the stretch, including the peach truckers, were told to find alternate routes.
The leveling would have coincided with the Andersons' last harvest of peaches, which blossomed about two weeks late this year because of unseasonably cool spring weather. The road work was sure to delay the arrival of trucks at the farm.
The suggested diversion was a roundabout solution. Trucks would have had to drive on Hartford Road to Bridgeboro-Moorestown Road and proceed to Creek Road - a detour that would have taken up to seven minutes.
With months of effort on the line, the Andersons took their case to the council.
"It's the worst possible time for us," Phil Anderson's wife, Alice, told council members. "Nobody, unless they're in farming, knows what we go through. If they could wait even six weeks, we could all sit down and talk. I'm very emotional about this."
Scarborough, represented that night by Lindsay, said the company had already spent $10,000 in engineering costs. He offered to keep one lane open from 4 to 6 p.m.
Alice Anderson argued that truckers operating on a tight schedule would be scared away if even five to seven minutes were added to their normal trip. She also maintained that area residents would forgo their visits to the burgeoning retail store, which the Andersons increasingly rely on for supplemental income.
Council Vice President William Smock, son of an Indiana farming family, jumped to the Andersons' defense, telling other council members that the harvest would be threatened by the road project.
"I'd do it again," Smock said.
A Major Comeback To Delran For A Builder Of New Houses Summerhill's The First Development In 25 Years. Eventually, It Will Include More Than 700 Residences.
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20150912030836/http://articles.philly.com/1992-09-27/real_estate/26023589_1_single-family-homes-single-family-homes-bedroomsBy Sheila Dyan, SPECIAL TO THE INQUIRER
Posted: September 27, 1992SummerHill, Delran Township, Burlington County
There are more than just one or two reasons why Scarborough Corp.'s SummerHill is creating a stir in Delran.
1. It's the only new-home development in Delran since Scarborough built Tenby Chase 25 years ago, according to sales manager Brenda Bencini.
2. More than 700 units are planned for the community, including single- family homes, townhouses and condominiums.
3. Prices for single-family homes start at $135,990.
4. There are 12 floor plans to choose from, and home designs include Colonials and a bi-level. The 200 single-family homes planned for SummerHill offer from 1,300 to 2,300 square feet of living space, and each will have a garage (two-car except in one model with a one-car), and 2 1/2 baths (except in one model with 1 1/2).
Eight models have family rooms (optional in others), and all but two models have three bedrooms. A fourth bedroom is standard in the Brentwood. The Hawthorne can be built with three or four bedrooms. A fourth bedroom can be had at extra cost in other selected models.
A sign announces "No Cold Showers" in the bathrooms, alluding to the standard, 50-gallon hot-water heater. Other standard features include vinyl tub and shower units, wrought-iron balustrade and steel exterior doors (and frames) with self-closing hinges.
Nine-foot first-floor ceilings are standard in some models. In SummerHill, ''7-11" stairways are standard. These stairs designed for added safety have 7-inch risers and 11-inch treads. Another special standard feature are door frames wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair.
A furnished sample of the Hawthorne, with its two-story foyer and cathedral ceiling in the family room, can be seen at the site. Also on-site is the Berkeley, which offers an optional family room.
All single houses at SummerHill are two-story except for the Oakwood, which is a bi-level. It also is the least expensive home, but includes a family room on the lower level, where a second full bath can be added at extra cost.
An eat-in kitchen, living/dining room, 1 1/2 baths and three bedrooms are on the upper level.
Although the prices of the single-family houses range from $135,990 to $161,990, Bencini said one lot remained in the first section, where the prices were $2,000 to $5,000 lower (depending on the model chosen).
Bencini also noted that all remaining lots carried a premium of between $500 and $2,000.
About 500 condominium flats and two-bedroom, 1 1/2-bath townhouses (with one-car garages) are planned for a site contiguous to the singles of SummerHill.
Construction is underway on the townhouses, starting at $99,000. Plans are not set for the condominium flats.
THE DETAILS
Name: SummerHill.
Type of housing: Single-family homes.
Builder: Scarborough Corp.
Phone: 609-461-0060.
Number of units: 200.
Price range: $135,990 to $161,990.
Styles: Colonial; bi-level.
Bedrooms: Three and four.
Baths: 1 1/2 and 2.
Construction: Frame on slab; vinyl siding.
Heating: Gas, hot-air.
Air conditioning: Standard.
Fireplace: Optional.
Garage: One-car or two-car, depending on model.
School district: Delran.
Estimated taxes: $3,133 to $3,732.
Insulation: Walls: R-13; Ceiling: R-30. (Recommended insulation standards for this area are: R-19 walls and R-30 ceiling. The higher the R factor, the better the insulation.)
Floors: Wall-to-wall carpet in living areas; no-wax sheet vinyl in kitchen, foyer, and baths.
Extra-cost options: Basement; fireplace; deck; intercom and alarm systems; upgraded flooring, cabinetry and appliances; fourth bedroom in some models; family room in those homes without one; master bath in one model where not included; windowed bay area; whirlpool tub in some models; skylights; six- panel doors; stained-trim package; cathedral ceilings in some models; wooden balustrade, and laundry tub.
Shopping: Moorestown Mall, 10-minute drive; Cherry Mall, 15-minute drive; center with market, three-minute drive.
Public Transportation: PATCO High-Speed Line, 15-minute drive; bus, five- minute drive.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday; noon to 5 p.m. Monday, or by appointment.
Directions: Take the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge to New Jersey. Follow Route 73 south to Interstate 295. Go north on I-295 to Exit 43 (Delran). Bear right at end of ramp toward Delran, onto Creek Road. Go 3.2 miles to SummerHill on the left.
Excavation At Delran Field Site Has Residents Yearning For Dirt The Topsoil Was Dug Up During Work On A Housing Development. Some Of It Was Sold Out Of Town.
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20151222102106/http://articles.philly.com/1992-12-06/news/25994862_1_haul-dirt-soccer-field-scarboroughBy Josh Zimmer, INQUIRER CORRESPONDENT
Posted: December 06, 1992DELRAN — The latest dirt making the rounds here is not about politics.
This is the real thing - tons of topsoil that have been displaced during construction of the 700-unit Summerhill housing development between Creek and Hartford Roads.
Specifically, the topsoil in question lies on the site of a soccer field that the developer, Scarborough Corp. of Voorhees, is building as part of its development agreement with the township.
During the last several weeks, Scarborough has been using most of the soil for landscaping around the development. But it also has been hauling some of it out of town, for a profit, much to the consternation of local recreation leaders.
The Township Council had given Scarborough permission to haul dirt in mid- November without informing the Delran Athletic Association or the Recreation Advisory Committee. But the council asked Scarborough to stop removing the soil one day after its Nov. 24 meeting, saying the developer should wait until an official resolution permitting the removals was approved, perhaps on Dec. 16.
Now some residents, including recreation officials, fear they are witnessing the pillaging of a native treasure. They say the topsoil is desperately needed to renovate more than 10 soccer, baseball and softball fields across the seven-square-mile township.
"In order to bring them (the fields) up to snuff, we're talking major money. I could spend one-half million dollars real fast," said Marion Bayne, president of the athletic association.
The association could use the topsoil at 11 of the township's 13 recreation fields to fill in ruts, level the ground and prepare it for seeding, Bayne said. He added that in some cases, new grass had not been planted for at least 20 years.
The dirt removals led to a sharp exchange between Bayne, several other residents and Council President Henry Shinn at the Nov. 24 meeting. Shinn pounded his gavel several times while facing down accusations that he was letting Scarborough "rape" Delran.
Delran's 1974 land-excavation ordinance does not even address the transportation of dirt out of the township, and Shinn said there was no reason the athletic groups couldn't use the dirt.
"If you can haul it, you can have it," Shinn told them at the meeting.
Recreation officials said they did not have the means to transfer the dirt to the fields and wanted the township to do the job. That doesn't seem likely, mostly because leaf removal is occupying township workers' time and attention.
Eileen McGonigle, council liaison to the RAC, said she believed at least some of the dirt should stay in town.
Our children need the fields," she said. About 1,600 children between ages 5 and 15 use the seven soccer fields during the year, Bayne said.
Approval of the resolution could take place as soon as Dec. 16. Until then, the council is expected to discus what to do with the dirt.
Ray Lindsay, Scarborough's project engineer, called the delay "ridiculous. We wanted to get something built for the township early. We wanted to remove the excess. That's all we're trying to do."
He said he did not know how many tons of topsoil were in question or how much had been removed. He added that Scarborough was earning well below $100 per truckload, not the "incredibly inaccurate" $300 to $400 per haul that Bayne had told the council.
The controversy, Lindsay said, will not prevent Scarborough from completing the soccer field and several adjacent tennis courts by the spring.
Delinquent Property Tax On Delran Tract Is Paid Up
Source: http://articles.philly.com/1992-12-19/news/25996423_1_tax-delinquent-property-delinquent-property-tax-lienBy Josh Zimmer, INQUIRER CORRESPONDENT
Posted: December 19, 1992It took three years, but taxes on one of the biggest property tracts in Delran are finally paid up.
On Wednesday, the township tax office got a holiday surprise when National State Bank in Woodbridge presented it with a check for $563,590.18.
But despite the good news, settling the township's largest tax delinquency was not exactly viewed as Christmas one week early.
"It's good news any time anybody pays their taxes," Township Administrator Jeffrey S. Hatcher said. However, "I don't think it's that big a deal. I think they should have been paying their taxes all along. There are 3,500 people who pay their taxes on time every quarter."
The bank bought the tax-delinquent property - 235 acres between Creek and Hartford Roads - in a March tax lien sale under the name of Delran Land Partnership.
The property's previous owner, InterDevelCo, had been delinquent since 1990. The partnership took over the property's title in June, but the imminent possibility of losing the land to a private buyer apparently compelled it to pay up.
In October, a private party from Berlin expressed interest in buying the property and paying its back taxes, Township Solicitor Anthony Cavuto said. Cavuto notified the partnership and on Wednesday, hours before the Township Council was scheduled to consider the offer, the check was in Tax Collector Donna Ibbetson's hands.
The effect of the payment on the budget and municipal tax rate is unclear, Hatcher said, because state aid figures will not be released for months. Plans for the land also remained mostly unclear, except that the partnership, which declined to comment, will still have to develop affordable housing on the property because of special zoning, Councilman Andrew Ritzie said.
InterDevelCo was supposed to build 744 low- and moderate-income housing units on 135 acres of the property.
Delran Reports 33 Percent Increase In Building Permits Over 1991 Records Show 784 Permits Were Issued Through Last Month. Home Repairs Account For Much Of The Jump.
Source: http://articles.philly.com/1992-12-20/news/25995492_1_new-home-construction-issue-building-new-roofing-and-sidingBy Josh Zimmer, INQUIRER CORRESPONDENT
Posted: December 20, 1992DELRAN — Despite the sluggish economy, and perhaps because of it, the township employees who issue building permits hardly had time for a vacation this year.
They have been busy, really busy. And it's not just because of new houses sprouting up at Summerhill, a large-scale Scarborough Corp. development being built between Creek and Hartford Roads.
Records at the Construction Code Office show that, through November, 784 new and updated permits had been issued, a 33 percent increase over last year. The total for 1991 was 590, said Thelma Espenschied, clerk with the office.
Even without the 124 new housing permits issued so far, the tally is still well above the 1991 figures. Espenschied said she expected to process at least 50 more by month's end, unless the holidays or bad weather act as a deterrent.
Records show that many people have made repairs on their aging houses and have installed energy-saving timers on their central air-conditioning systems.
In addition, about 30 Delran residents have made down payments on 132 available townhouses or single-family homes at Summerhill, which will eventually comprise more than 700 residences.
Donatius McMahon, the township's construction code official, said he also believed some residents were living on tighter budgets. As a result, they are adding on and renovating instead of purchasing homes.
"I would attribute it to the poor economy, because people tend to fix up rather than buy," he said of the permit increase.
"I'm in that position myself," said resident Bob Salmons, a building contractor.
Stretched for cash, he applied in June for a permit to build a $5,000 addition to his house on Pine Valley Road. Enclosing a newly renovated kitchen that cost about $25,000, the addition awaits new roofing and siding.
"People, instead of moving out of their homes, are renovating so they don't have to move out of the neighborhood," said Salmons, whose renovation business has gone up this year.
If not for the medium-priced homes at Summerhill, new home construction in town would have been nearly nonexistent. Other than Summerhill, only two such building permits were issued, according to office records.
Only one new commercial development was on the list.
The increase in permits is important for Delran because the construction code office has taken in more fees - $250,768 so far this year - and the township has expanded its pool of taxable properties.
Last year, the total value of all construction was $11,268,559. Through November, the total value this year was $12,357,373, about $7.5 million of which the township has added to its list of taxable properties, said Donn Lamon, the tax assessor.
Because of Summerhill, Delran's building permit figures fit in with current housing market statistics across South Jersey, according to Rick Van Osten, director of Member Services with the Builders League of South Jersey. Members of the league include 120 building contractors, including Scarborough Corp., and 355 supporting agencies such as lumber and mortgage companies as members.
"There has been an upturn in people remodeling, but compared to last year through the end of November, the units our members have built and sold is up 29 percent," Van Osten said.
"Anything compared to last year will be pretty good," because it was considered the worst year since World War II for the number of building permits issued statewide, he said.
Delran Athletic Association Balks At Plans For More Soccer Fields The Dispute Involves The New Fields At Summerhill. Some See Them As A Baseball Diamond In The Rough.
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20151230091735/http://articles.philly.com/1992-12-27/news/25992839_1_new-fields-topsoil-scarboroughBy Josh Zimmer, INQUIRER CORRESPONDENT
Posted: December 27, 1992DELRAN — Recreational fields are meant for fun and games, but in the cold months of winter, those with a major interest in them are becoming embroiled in a dispute that is hardball all the way.
The latest encounter involves a proposed soccer field on a site that athletic officials in town would like to see used for baseball. The site is part of the 713-home Summerhill development, between Creek and Hartford Roads.
Just a few weeks ago, the Delran Athletic Association was outraged because the Scarborough Corp. of Voorhees, builder of the development, was transporting valuable topsoil out of town from the construction site.
The association's run-down fields, which are used by 1,500 youngsters during the year, could use that soil, association president Marion Baynes said. But the Township Council is pessimistic about finding a way to deliver the dirt. Scarborough won't do it. That conflict is far from being resolved.
The latest issue is lying right beneath the topsoil and involves the use of the site itself.
The first proposal, as the development got underway, was for a football field. Then, it was going to be two soccer fields. Then, until this month, one soccer field and two tennis courts.
The association wants none of it, Baynes said. With nine mostly deteriorated soccer fields available for the association's popular soccer leagues, the main concern now is a facility for a resurging interest in baseball.
On Dec. 16, the Township Council decided to drop the current plans and negotiate a new arrangement with Scarborough.
Delran's participants in the national pastime have just two fields to play on: the Notre Dame field and one at the high school.
The two fields are being used by the high school, the Delran Diamonds of the Rancocas Valley League, teams from the Delran AA league for 13- to 15- year-olds and, starting this spring, the local men's Senior League.
"It's hard to schedule games; it's hard for practice," said Committeewoman Eileen McGonigle, the council's representative to the township Recreational Advisory Committee. "There's a lot of teams out there."
Baynes has expressed no desire for another soccer field; she just wants the topsoil for them.
But in two contentious appearances before the council, Don Deutsch, the AA's representative to the advisory committee, recommended installing a soccer-field overlay on the proposed baseball field. He says soccer fields are in short supply in the eastern end of town, where the development is being built.
Deutsch added that he would not fight a baseball field if that is found to be a priority.
McGonigle said the Summerhill recreational field might come up again when the council resumes meeting next month. She predicted that Scarborough would cooperate, because it had in the past.
"I don't think it will be a problem at all," she said.
Scarborough is developing part of its 200-plus acre tract for affordable housing. In that case, the council is acting as the Planning Board.
Delran Fights Appeal Of Tax Assessment Since 1981, Hunters Glen Has Saved $555,403 Through Appeals. Delran Wants That Trend To End.
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20151225141123/http://articles.philly.com/1993-02-24/news/25955927_1_assessment-appeals-tax-savingsBy Josh Zimmer, INQUIRER CORRESPONDENT
Posted: February 24, 1993DELRAN — Like many municipalities, Delran saw tax dollars slip away last year when commercial properties received reductions in their assessments, either by appealing to the state or county tax court or by settling with the township.
The successful tax appeals "have taken a significant toll on municipalities (throughout the state) over the last several years," said Jay Johnston, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs spokesman.
But when it comes to gaining by the system, Hunters Glen Apartments has historically taken the prize among Delran's commercial properties.
Since the 1981 revaluation, assessment records show that the apartment complex on Route 130 has saved $555,403 through appeals. Each year's assessment was under appeal at some point, the tax assessor's records show.
By far the township's biggest taxpayer, the 1,124-unit complex is currently appealing its 1991 and 1992 assessments of $33,720,000 with the state Tax Court of New Jersey in Newark. Hunters Glen's assessments nearly doubled after the 1991 revaluation.
The big stakes have again compelled Delran to hire an expert appraiser to revalue the property and testify in tax court, if asked. Lee L. Romm, Inc. was contracted last month to do the job for no more than $2,500.
"When you realize what the (potential) loss in taxes are, it's money well spent," Councilman Andrew Ritzie said.
Township officials say that commercial properties like Hunters Glen are taking advantage of a no-lose situation. In 1992 alone, various Whitesell company properties, Dredge Harbor Marina and Willowbrook Country Club saw their assessments lowered by hundreds of thousands of dollars, said Victoria Pfeiffer, clerk of the Tax Assessor's Office.
"I don't like it," said Ritzie. "but the fact remains (that) any reduction they get is a win.
Sidney Lipkin, property manager at Hunters Glen, put it this way: "We have everything to gain."
Hunters Glen, which was built in the late 1960s and the mid-1970s, started appealing about 20 years ago with minor success, former Township Assessor George Scimeca recalled. Then in the late '70s, he said, Hunters Glen began winning because poor management dragged down the value of the property.
For instance, the complex had its 1981 assessment reduced from $10.416 million to $9 million, a tax savings of $34,975, records show. In 1989, its assessment was lowered to $17 million by the tax court, a reduction of $6 million and a tax savings of $232,440.
Assessments of commercial properties are based on an income approach, which relies on a number of factors: occupancy rates, depreciation and property improvements, according to current Township Assessor Donn Lamon. Taken together, the assessor calculates an assessment based on what an investor would pay for the property. The municipal tax rate is 36 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. The average home in Delran is assessed at $130,000.
Lamon defended the Hunters Glen assessment, saying that its rising occupancy rate, which now stands at 86 percent, "absolutely increases the property (value)."
The management of Hunters Glen, which has been in Chapter 11 bankruptcy since May 1991 but hopes to get out in six months, said the complex could not survive the township's $33,720,000 assessment.
Lipkin said the assessment overvalued the property by not accounting for 20 burned-out units and exaggerating the income earned through a higher occupancy rate.
"If we are forced into it, we'd take the appeal to bankruptcy court," he said.
Hunters Glen does not owe the township any back taxes. It could not have appealed to the tax court if it did. Taxes on the 1991 and 1992 years totaled $1,503,911.
If it wins its appeal, the apartment complex will receive a tax credit similar to any property that gets a favorable ruling on its assessment, Pfeiffer said.
When settling for a lower assessment, Township Administrator Jeffrey S. Hatcher said Delran tried to avoid cash payments, preferring to give properties a future tax credit.
Athletic Associations Are Flexing Their Muscle Across South Jersey's Towns, They're Good At Playing The Political Game.
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20150919190556/http://articles.philly.com/1993-02-28/news/25955198_1_athletic-fields-associations-organizationsBy Dave Urbanski, INQUIRER CORRESPONDENT
Posted: February 28, 1993Cut to a recent McDonald's ad:
Little bruisers, sporting ill-fitting shoulder pads and sagging, padded pants, trip and fumble on a mud-soaked gridiron. Oversized fathers with oversized egos bellow at undersized players, who seem more interested in chasing grasshoppers than scoring touchdowns. Then after the game, everyone sits down for a rest, a burger and a return to normalcy.
Despite the image depicted on television, there's more to home-town youth athletics than overzealous behavior and hallowed fast-food banquets.
The will to win is evident beyond the playing field. Athletic associations tend to influence the decisions of councils and school boards, especially regarding land use and funding.
Many of these organizations have vast numbers of coaches and parents to call upon, making decidedly well-oiled machines that fight for - and usually get - what they want.
"In South Jersey, the towns are so fragmented and sprawling that when there's nothing for the kids to do, they flock to the mall," said Marion Bayne, president of the Delran Athletic Association and a leader of the group for 12 years. "Without athletic associations, what would the kids do? Play more Nintendo and watch TV?"
Athletic associations are private, not-for-profit groups formed by parents and residents who coach children's sports; most are run by an elected group of officers. Most of the money for the associations is generated through registration fees and fund-raising events; some also receive tax money.
In some towns, like Delran, all sports and teams are organized under one umbrella association. In others, individual sports have their own clubs, with no central organization.
Bayne said the key to the success of Delran's group, which has about 1,500 athletes and 50 coaches, was communication with the Township Council and school board. A case in point was in November, when he and other recreation officials were upset that a developer was hauling topsoil from a soccer field site in a 700-unit housing development.
Bayne spoke, and the council listened. A compromise was struck. The town kept much of the topsoil so that about 10 other athletic fields across the seven-square-mile community could be renovated.
"The problem was that there are a majority of new members on the council," Bayne said. "They didn't understand all the ramifications. Once people realized how things work and what we needed, we have all the dirt we could possibly want."
Another powerful element of athletic organizations like Delran's is that their aim is to keep boys and girls on a regimented academic schedule, which schools like, and prevent them from getting into trouble, which townships like, Bayne said.
"We keep them as busy as we can," he said. "With football, they're working from August to December. From 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., they are at school with academics and at practice, running a very efficient schedule. When football is done, they're off until March, and their academic discipline actually goes down because they have more time to waste."
Keep teens off the streets and in school, and local movers and shakers are apt to show sympathy to an athletic organization's cause, Bayne said.
Delran Council President Henry Shinn was quick to agree.
After a heated exchange at the November council meeting, when Bayne and others accused Shinn of letting the developer "rape" Delran of precious topsoil, Shinn tried to restore peace immediately.
"We can do whatever we want" with recreation sites, Shinn said in a recent interview. "But we usually abide by what the athletic association wants. They do carry a lot of weight, mainly because they - the coaches and parents - deal with the teams all the time. What they suggest to us is taken with a lot of credibility."
The township contributed about $13,000 toward the association's $93,000 budget last year. Bayne said the association hoped for non-monetary assistance as well.
"What would (the youths) be doing without athletic associations?" Bayne asked. "Wasting time and making trouble."
In Deptford, the Little League program has been an indirect source of trouble for the Township Council, which has been embroiled for the last few months in its own dispute over the relocation of four baseball diamonds.
The Little League favors the project, which will give it new fields with sprinklers and lights.
But, as with many affairs of South Jersey athletic associations, the proposal has run into opposition.
The agreement with a land-development firm to move the fields is unpalatable to Democratic council members, who don't like the fact that the deal did not go through the bidding process. Republicans, who control the council, were not moved by the Democrats' argument.
The proposal calls for the township to give its 16-acre Little League complex near Routes 41 and 42 to the Walker Group, which hopes to develop the tract into a shopping district.
In return, the Walker Group would buy 30 acres on Almonesson Road for about $500,000 and make $500,000 in improvements to the site, including building four new ball fields. The Walker Group would then give the land to the township, along with $400,000 in cash.
"This is a step to give Deptford something we've never had before" - lights and sprinklers at the fields, said Mayor Bea Cerkez, a Republican, at a public meeting last month. The deal still needs final approval from the company and from the state Green Acres program.
Just a few miles away, the Deptford Township Junior Wrestling Club thrives with about 150 members between the ages of 5 and 14. In one tough match, the youngsters needed a few quick moves from their coaches to help them out of a losing battle.
In the fall of 1991, school district officials told the club it couldn't use Deptford High School's gymnasium for its annual regional tournament because the school wanted to protect the gym's new $125,000 floor from spilled food and drinks. Besides, the January tournament draws more than 500 spectators, and the gym's fire code allows only 440 people, said Assistant Superintendent Donald Le Van. The coaches were livid.
Wrestling coach John Nestore, flanked by two associate coaches, stormed a Deptford school board meeting and demanded that the board take action. "The gym isn't just for basketball," Nestore told the board. "It's got to be used." The board agreed to hold a special meeting, in which the original decision was overturned. The wrestling team decided to stagger the rounds of competition and got the gym, which it continues to use, Le Van said.
And because the tournament has raised about $4,000 for the wrestling program, Nestore and his fellow coaches were especially pleased.
"We just sat down and worked everything out," Nestore said. "We're really happy."
Still, not all folks are pleased about the influence that athletic clubs have over local governing bodies.
In Winslow Township, the recent growth of youth baseball - now with 1,200 players - has distressed some black residents, who feel that basketball is not a big enough priority with the local athletic association.
A proposal to build two new baseball diamonds in a predominantly white section of town met with criticism from several black residents at a meeting in December. Among them was Leon Moss, who accused the township and recreation committees of "discriminating against part of the community" and "leaving certain ethnic groups out."
Black residents wanted basketball courts and tennis courts instead of the baseball fields. The committee considered the proposal but voted it down, 6-2. Only the two black committee members voted for the idea.
Moss said that recreation facilities were needed to keep youngsters off the streets, but that black youths were getting the short end of the stick in Winslow.
"When the sun sets, we have to disperse because the (basketball) courts have no lights," Moss said recently. "The only alternative is to hang out on corners, then they get into trouble. The main thing is to keep kids off streets. Not everybody goes home after the sun goes down. The township is so one-sided, like a dictatorship. They just ignore issues and basically do what they want."
Winslow Township Committeeman William O'Brien saw the ball-field decision differently.
"It's not a black vs. white issue," said O'Brien, who has helped lead the Winslow Athletic Association's move to get more baseball fields. O'Brien said he was "up in arms" when the black residents proposed basketball and tennis courts instead of baseball diamonds.
"There are plenty of basketball courts," he said.
Fellow Committeeman Nicholas LoSasso, also the township's recreation director, said that a new basketball association was formed in January, and that 250 youths signed up.
The township this year will probably budget more than last year's $40,000 for soccer, baseball, basketball and football programs combined, he said.
"We don't want to turn our backs on young people," LoSasso added. Athletic clubs "are good for them. Coaches give good guidance, and, in this society, you need all the role models you can get."
In tiny Delanco (pop. 3,400), residents would take any kind of recreational program they could get.
Even a tot lot.
So, mustering up grass-roots support, Delanco resident Linda Lewis dreamed of an elaborate, interconnected playground for little folks who had nowhere else to play.
"There was nothing in Delanco," Lewis said.
Though it wasn't targeted as an athletic need, the playground project involved recreation, Lewis said. She and her supporters incorporated the Delanco Playground Association under six trustees in March 1992 to raise money for two playgrounds - one at West End Field and a larger one behind the Pearson School. The whole project fell under the jurisdiction of the township's Recreation Committee, she said.
After residents and local officials gave their support, the Township Committee allotted $5,439 for the playground at West End for youngsters up to 5; that playground is already in place. The larger playground, for which the association had to raise $15,000, is to be installed in March.
"People are looking for very passive forms of recreation also," not just organized athletics, Lewis said. "It serves socialization needs with children and parents. And it's better than playing on a pile of dirt while watching T- ball."
Town Pinched By Recession Is Now Ready To Rebound Lots Of New Development Is Planned. Affordable Housing Has Attracted Scores.
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20150919100718/http://articles.philly.com/1993-04-18/real_estate/25981606_1_affordable-housing-housing-market-moderately-priced-housingBy Josh Zimmer, FOR THE INQUIRER
Posted: April 18, 1993One could easily drive through this suburban mecca off Route 130 and miss the hidden treasures.
Split in two by a heavily commercialized highway, Delran offers a vast housing pool - priced in the $110,000-to-$175,000 range - that beckons scores of families with middle to upper-middle incomes.
The township's Delaware River shoreline, while missing the stately mansions that dot the waterway elsewhere, quietly boasts one of the river's largest concentrations of marinas.
"I think a lot of people don't realize the size and magnitude of marinas in the area," Jeff Truesdale, general manager of Clark's Landing Marina, said.
"If they came over here, they'd be shocked."
Delran takes its name from the Delaware and the Rancocas Creek, which form the township's western and northern borders, respectively.
Like other area towns, it was pinched by the recession of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Several of the township's large commercial properties negotiated large decreases in tax assessments. In 1992 and 1993, total township assessments actually decreased.
Now, once-dying properties along Route 130 are taking on new life. With the expansion of the township's sewage-treatment plant and the state's decision last year to end the near-total construction moratorium, developers have begun to show a heightened interest in reviving projects the recession and the moratorium had put on hold. Thelma Espenschied, the controller in Delran's building inspections department, said she expected building applications to increase.
The housing market, a big magnet in this township of about 14,000, is perky again after an 18-month slump.
"It has picked up considerably in the last couple of months," said Liz Oberschmidt, broker manager at Stockwell-Knight Co., a real estate firm in Cinnaminson.
SummerHill, a 713-unit development on the eastern side of the township near Moorestown, is the most recent boost to Delran's housing credentials.
SummerHill symbolizes the inexorable march of development in Burlington County, where corn and cows have lost out to people in the battle for the expanses of gently rolling land.
Scarborough Corp.'s project is attracting aspiring homeowners looking for townhouses that sell for about $105,000 and detached single-family houses that go for about $137,000.
At least 120 units have been sold since sales began last year.
Condominiums are set to be constructed, which will help the township meet its court-approved quota to provide low- to moderately-priced housing. Every municipality in New Jersey is required by state law to provide such units.
An adjacent tract of land already is zoned for another large housing development, yet to be named. Once it has been built and occupied, the township population will be much closer to the 20,000 limit envisioned by the township's 1990 master plan.
Despite the housing slump, Delran homeowners historically have received a good return on their investment, Oberschmidt said.
When pitching a home in Delran, Oberschmidt said, she talks about quality housing, neighborhoods that are friendly and safe, good schools and ample shopping.
Families stay in Delran for generations and even attract relatives from Philadelphia who are seeking an escape from the city's hustle and bustle.
Joann and Stephen Blaser are making such a move, leaving their twin house in Northeast Philadelphia to follow relatives into Delran. Earlier this month, they applied for a mortgage on a single-family home in Tenby Chase, where they hope to settle soon with their 16-month-old daughter, Lauren.
"We were looking in the area for about the last six months," Joann Blaser said. "I have family members over here, and I really enjoy the area."
With interest rates at their lowest in recent years, "we figured this was the perfect time (to buy) because we could get more house for the money," she said.
Location is another Delran plus. Joann Blaser, a registered nurse at Pennsylvania Hospital, has only a 15-to-20-minute car ride to work in downtown Philadelphia. Delran is accessible to both the Jersey Shore - the Atlantic City Expressway is easily reached by traveling south on Route 130 - and the bridges that form a gateway into the Poconos.
Boaters and water lovers gather along Delran's marina to nibble on fast food and glimpse the setting sun. Truesdale believes the township's marina facilities are a great asset and should be marketed more aggressively. Philadelphia's docks are just a 20-minute boat ride away and the Chesapeake Bay is a mere 2 1/2-hour trip downriver and through the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, he said.
"Instead of driving two hours in traffic to get to the Jersey Shore, we're right here," Truesdale said. "We offer the same things all the Jersey marinas offer: dockage, sales, service, fuel and food. There's coves and harbors and creeks. There are a lot of places to go, a lot to do."
Most of Delran's suburban developments - Swedes Run, Millside and Tenby Chase - are on the eastern side of Route 130. Built in the late 1950s and early 1960s, they contain about 2,500 single-family homes.
Houses on the western side of town are more moderately priced, and they are well-maintained, Oberschmidt said.
Indians had settled the Delran area long before the English and French Huguenots arrived during the Quaker migration of 1675-82.
Through the years, Delran was included in the old township of Chester, then Cinnaminson. Delran was incorporated as a town in 1880.
Despite the presence of a lumber and small-boat-building industry during the 1700s and 1800s, Delran remained predominately rural until the construction of the first large housing developments.
Commercial development along Route 130 exploded in the 1970s and '80s, further changing the town's once pristine atmosphere.
Some longtime residents, such as former Mayor Lorraine Schmierer, long for the Delran of yesteryear, when Millside Shopping Center was part of a large dairy farm, instead of a mixture of asphalt, glass and concrete.
"I think it (Delran) is two towns," said Schmierer. "I would prefer that it be like it was. (There's) too much congestion, too much development, too much of everything."
But the Blasers are excited about their move.
"We always had an idea that we wanted to settle in Delran," Joann Blaser said.
VITAL STATISTICS
Population: 13,178.
Median home price: $132,000 in 1991.
Income: $13,971 per capita in 1987, 4% lower than the 7-county suburban average.
Public schools: Delran School District. Elementary: Aronson Bell School; Cambridge School; Millbridge Elementary School. Delran Middle School and Delran High School.
Taxes: Estimated tax on median-price house is $2,950.
Transportation: 15-20 minutes to Philadelphia via Route 130 and the Betsy Ross Bridge or via Route 130 to Route 30 (Admiral Wilson Boulevard) to the Ben Franklin Bridge.
Hot Dogs, Burgers And Chicken: That Was Sure Some Block Party!
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20150919181813/http://articles.philly.com/1993-06-18/real_estate/25973395_1_block-party-neighborhood-elbow-greaseBy Sheila Dyan, FOR THE INQUIRER
Posted: June 18, 1993Builders build houses. But people build neighborhoods.
Building a sense of community at SummerHill, a new home development in Delran, is what Bert Hermansky and his wife, Linda, had in mind when they started knocking on their neighbors' doors to invite them to a block party.
"We moved into SummerHill last November," said Hermansky, a liquor and wine salesman. But it was the summer before that, while their home was under construction, that the Hermanskys got the idea for the get-together.
"Driving around in the mud, meeting our future neighbors, seeing how we got along . . . we decided it would be a good idea to have a block party," he said.
And so, they did. Last Saturday, about 200 people showed up at 2 p.m. - many of them before that - to meet and greet, to run races, play volleyball, croquet and tug of war, poke at piatas, ride on fire trucks, and eat hot dogs, hamburgers and Linda Hermansky's "phenomenal" hot chicken wings. Many stayed until after midnight.
Hermansky said he wanted to belong to an old-fashioned neighborhood where ''everybody knows everybody else," where he could take a vacation and know his house would be guarded, where his children would always be under watchful and caring eyes.
On Saturday, neighbors set the foundation for a community, among the rows of brand-new houses.
"We're all new here and feeling our way around," said Bert Hermansky. ''And it would be real nice if, as a result of this, everyone looked out for everyone else."
Bert Hermansky didn't stop at his neighbors' doors when he began organizing the block party. He went to the police and fire departments, and local merchants for their support. And he got it. Donations in the form of discounts, goods and services came pouring in, adding to the pot of good will the Hermanskys had started cooking up.
Even the developer, Scarborough Corp., came through with some funds. The rest of the money, and elbow grease (it takes a lot of hands to set up, cook, and clean up for 200 guests), came from the neighbors themselves.
"It looks like I started something," Bert Hermansky said.
It's called a neighborhood.
At A Delran Development, Anger Over Back Yards That Fall Short Residents Feel Fenced In And, They Say, Surprised Over Limits On What They Can Do With Their Land.
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20151017021421/http://articles.philly.com/1993-08-10/news/25970146_1_buffer-zone-scarborough-sun-roomBy Josh Zimmer, INQUIRER CORRESPONDENT
Posted: August 10, 1993DELRAN — A tour of Albert Hermansky's house in Delran Township's new SummerHill development inevitably stops at the back yard, where the father of two young sons explains his unfulfilled vision.
Connected to the house should be a sun room that leads out to a 12-foot-by- 24-foot above-ground pool, the Springcress Drive resident said. They would be flanked by decks, which would complement the existing swing set, he added.
When he bought the new $150,000 house in October, Hermansky said, he paid $300 more to get a 70-by-130-foot lot - the standard lot is 30 feet shorter - that would easily accommodate his $2,500 pool. Then in May, his application for a building permit was rejected by the township's land use office, which said the deck, sun room and pool would violate the 50-foot buffer requirement.
What buffer?
Hermansky said no one had said anything about a buffer, which in this case separates Hermansky's home from a tree farm.
Hermansky learned that the buffer requirement is part of the consent order signed by Delran in 1986 that governs the development zone where SummerHill's 713 single-family homes and townhouse and condominium units are being built. A portion of the development is set aside for moderate- and low-income housing under the Mount Laurel II agreement.
In many cases, Scarborough Corp., the developer, built close to the buffer zone, residents said.
Hermansky and others have discovered they cannot proceed with additions, which they often planned for by purchasing extra land from Scarborough.
"I have a wonderful yard," said Hermansky, who has a 59-foot back yard. But "if there's a 50-foot buffer zone, that leaves me with nine feet to work with."
Scarborough officials did not respond to repeated phone calls seeking comment.
The residents say Scarborough never told them about the buffers. Homeowners said they were shown site plans indicating the lot dimensions but not the placement of the homes.
"If you sell something for that price, you ought to let people know what they're getting," said Hermansky, a Delran native who moved back from Willingboro so his children could attend township schools. "I was never told of a buffer zone."
Some residents blame themselves for not asking Scarborough salespeople about the placements, but they are still upset. The same sentiments are expressed by residents across the street from Hermansky, who have 20-foot backyard setbacks that also cannot be built upon. The way their homes are placed, their back yards are not much deeper than 20 feet.
"Maybe I was stupid, maybe I should have asked," said Jack Smith, one of those with the irksome setback. "I thought 70-by-100 was a fair-sized lot for the home I was buying."
Similar setbacks separate Smith's home from other single-family homes under construction behind him, creating a crowded feeling that has some owners joking about sharing newspaper subscriptions with their future neighbors.
The complaints have not gone unnoticed. The Township Council has scheduled a public meeting with Scarborough officials for Sept. 1 to arrange a solution that will satisfy residents. Under the 1986 consent order, the council is acting as the planning board for the development.
Councilman Andrew Ritzie said he would push for a blanket variance to allow residents to build on their buffers.
"What bothers me is the developer sold the land, collected the money, (and) didn't tell the residents what they're doing," Ritzie said. "It never crossed my mind that people could sell a buffer."
Joseph Bieniek said he did not let the setback requirement stop him from building a deck, but he reduced the dimensions from 18 by 14 feet to 18 by 8 feet because he didn't want to pay $400 to apply for a variance.
He said he also had to return $100 worth of unneeded lumber and wasted another $100 in cutting down oversized pieces.
That made him angry, said Bienick, who paid $500 extra to get an 80-foot- deep lot.
The SummerHill houses, themselves, are of good quality, residents said. Janet Yansick, formerly of Tenby Chase, another Scarborough development in Delran, is among those who say so.
But after she and her husband spent $1,300 for a larger lot and $700 for a special structural beam that would facilitate an addition, their plans were defeated by the buffer.
"They should have let us know in the very beginning there was a 50-foot buffer," she said.
Freeholders Say They'll Back Down On Unpopular Creek Road Project They Want The Towns To Decide. But They Worry About Liability If The Bridges Are Not Fixed.
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20151225152923/http://articles.philly.com/1994-01-27/news/25824083_1_freeholders-creek-road-project-residents-from-three-townsBy Herbert Lowe, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
Posted: January 27, 1994MOUNT HOLLY — After hearing from 100 residents from three towns, the Burlington County freeholders last night pledged to "wash our hands" of an unpopular road proposal that has haunted officials and residents for 20 years.
The freeholders proposed returning control of Creek Road to Delran, Moorestown and Mount Laurel. The county had planned to widen a section of that road.
Freeholder Director Vincent R. Farias said the move "would negate the project" because the towns would vote against the project to widen 3.8 miles of Creek Road. The section runs from Bridgeboro Road in Delran, through Moorestown, to Centerton Road in Mount Laurel.
The freeholders are reluctant to kill the project because the county could be held liable if bridges along the road are not fixed. The Department of Transportation has been working with the county on the project since 1975.
"Let the towns make the decision," whether the project goes forward, Freeholder Francis Bodine said. Farias said if the towns reject the project, the county must reimburse the state between $2 million and $3 million in engineering costs.
Moorestown resident Gregory Lawson, who helped lead opposition to the project - which officials say is expected to cost at least $10.8 million if completed - said after the meeting that he did not think the freeholders would get off that easy.
"I think it's predictable politics," Lawson said. "The potential of these towns taking back something with a potential liability is low."
State and county engineers want to widen the road for safety. But residents said that expanding the two-lane road from 20 feet to 24 feet and adding an eight-foot shoulder on each side would harm their areas.
They particularly worried about more traffic, especially from trucks traveling from Routes 38 and 130 and I-295.
"I don't want to cross a major highway to get to my school," said David Gorman, 7, of Moorestown. "I don't think the Creek Road project is safe or makes any sense. My friends don't either."
The boy and his parents were among 18 people who spoke against the project during a 90-minute session.
Many of the residents were also concerned about environmental damage.
Last week, they asked the Department of Environmental Protection to deny the county a permit for stream encroachment, required because the road passes over five tributaries of Rancocas Creek.
These Homes Are Suited For Empty Nesters As Well
Source: http://articles.philly.com/1994-06-19/real_estate/25832485_1_flats-single-homes-unitsBy Sheila Dyan, FOR THE INQUIRER
Posted: June 19, 1994SummerHill, Delran Township, Burlington County
Sandy and Stanley Wieckowski moved from a rowhouse in Philadelphia's Port Richmond section to a condominium garden flat at SummerHill when their two boys were grown because it was the right size for their stage of life.
"We fell in love with the atmosphere, the cozy apartment. It was convenient, just the right size for the two of us," said Sandy Wieckowski.
"And we really liked the way everything was laid out here at SummerHill - the townhouses, condominiums and the single homes," she added.
Gary Schaal, senior vice president of Scarborough Corp., said SummerHill was designed to provide families with the right size home for different stages of their lives without leaving the neighborhood.
And although Schaal's vision is of families trading up from a smaller home to a larger one, the Wieckowskis have shown that moves can go both ways.
"Being in our 50s, we decided it would be easier for us to enjoy our weekends together here," Sandy Wieckowski said. "I always had an idea of how I wanted things. Here, I have everything I could want on one floor."
About 711 residences are planned for SummerHill in Delran, including 172 single-family homes, 331 condominium townhouses (half with garages), and 208 condominium garden flats.
"We started with the singles, then we started the towns. The condos are the middle," said Schaal. "I think it makes a nice homogeneous community," he said.
The garden flats are in two-story buildings with vinyl siding of various pastel tints. Each unit has a private front entrance, and the second-floor units have interior stairwells.
"The exteriors of the condos were designed to blend in with the community," Schaal said. "They don't look like flats per se, but more like townhomes. And the colors are the same (ones) we use throughout all our communities."
All of the flats at SummerHill have two bedrooms and one bath as part of the standard package. The first-level units all have 921 square feet of living space, and the second-level units have 1,039 square feet. They range in price from $78,990 to $81,990.
Optional second baths are available for $2,150. End units, which have an additional two or three windows, cost $1,000 extra.
The two basic designs (offered on each level) are the same except for the location of the kitchen. In the Arlington it's between the living/dining room and the second bedroom; in the Braddock, it's at the rear of the unit.
A patio or balcony with a storage closet is standard in every unit, as are mini-blinds or vertical blinds on all windows and sliding glass doors. Also, besides hard-wired smoke alarms, every unit has an interior sprinkler system. If activated, this system sounds a common alarm in the building, said sales manager Jackie Marrama.
Second-floor units have cathedral ceilings and a large walk-in closet with two windows in the second bedroom.
SummerHill currently has a single community association, with a $95 monthly fee. Eventually each section of SummerHill will have its own association that will operate under the main organization.
Bert Hermansky, 37, who lives in a single home with his wife, Linda, and their two young sons, is one of two residents serving on the board along with three Scarborough representatives.
He said he feels that any problems in individual homes are taken care of quickly, and that Scarborough is taking care of a minor drainage problem brought to its attention by residents.
"I'm just thrilled to be here," Hermansky said. "It's our slice of heaven."
THE DETAILS
Name: SummerHill.
Type of Housing: Condominium Garden Flats.
Builder: Scarborough Corp.
Phone: 609-461-3919.
Number of Units: 216.
Standard Price Range: $78,990 to $81,990.
Bedrooms: Two.
Baths: One.
Construction: Frame on slab; vinyl siding.
Heating: Electric heat pump.
Air Conditioning: Standard.
Fireplace: None.
Garage: None; off-street.
School District: Delran.
Estimated Taxes: $1,800 to $1,900.
Insulation: Walls: R-11 to R-13; Roof: R-19 to R-30. (Recommended insulation standards for the metropolitan area are: R-19, walls; R-30, ceiling. The higher the R factor, the better the insulation.)
Floors: Wall-to-wall carpet in living areas; no-wax sheet vinyl in kitchen, foyer and bath.
Shopping: Moorestown Mall, 10-minute drive; Cherry Hill Mall, 15-minute drive; food market, 5-minute drive.
Public Transportation: PATCO High-Speed Line, 25-minute drive; bus, 5- minute drive.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday; noon to 5 p.m. Monday, or by appointment.
Directions: In New Jersey, take I-295 North to Exit 43 (Rancocas Woods/ Delran). Bear right off the ramp toward Delran, and onto Creek Road. Go 0.2 mile to first traffic light and turn left onto Rancocas/Centerton Road. Go 1.4 miles to Hartford Road (blinking light) and turn right. Go about 2.4 miles to SummerHill Drive on the right. Go 0.2 mile to Autumnwood Drive and turn left. Go one block to Foxglove Drive and turn right to the garden homes.
Township Opposes Widening Of Road Moorestown Officials Say Expansion Of Creek Road Will Change Its Character.
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20150910193149/http://articles.philly.com/1995-03-06/news/25698147_1_freeholders-10-ton-weight-limit-trucking-routeBy Christine Lutton, INQUIRER CORRESPONDENT
Posted: March 06, 1995MOORESTOWN — For more than 20 years, Burlington County officials and residents have fought about plans for a project to widen Creek Road.
They're fighting still.
Township Council members in Moorestown - which is home to the largest section of the road - went on record last week opposing the plan as it is currently designed, contending it "would forever alter the roadway's character and surrounding environment."
"What we don't want to see is a legalized trucking route through Moorestown that hasn't been a legalized trucking route," said Councilmember Howard A. Miller Jr., to the applause of about 60 residents.
State and county engineers want to widen 3.8 miles of Creek Road, from Bridgeboro Road in Delran to Centerton Road in Mount Laurel, for safety reasons.
Residents have argued that expanding the two-lane road from 20 feet to 24 feet and adding an eight-foot shoulder on each side would add traffic that would damage their neighborhoods and the environment.
"It would be like living on Vine Street in Philadelphia," said John Semenuk, who told the Moorestown Council that prospective buyers for his Kendle's Run Road home had shied away from the property because of its proximity to Creek Road. "I don't see any need for going through with the project. There are enough interconnectors."
They have particularly expressed concerns about more traffic, especially from trucks traveling from Routes 38 and 130 and I-295. Many of the residents were also concerned about environmental damage and the $10.8 million price tag for the project.
Burlington County first suggested the project to the state Department of Transportation in 1975. Originally, plans called for Creek Road to be turned into a four-lane highway from Route 130 all the way to Route 38. Strong opposition to the plan forced the county to downgrade the reconstruction.
"We have worked to mitigate the impact and we are still working to mitigate the impact," said Ralph Shrom, administrative assistant for the county freeholders.
For example, the county got state and federal highway officials to approve a 10-ton weight limit on the road. Although the project would still improve the bridges so emergency vehicles over that weight would be safe, the limit would make regular usage of the road by large trucks illegal.
But the project still faces obstacles. The Department of Environmental Protection still must approve a permit for stream encroachment, required because the road passes over five tributaries of Rancocas Creek.
The DEP and the Department of Transportation also have conflicting ideas about how the project should be accomplished, Shrom said. The freeholders are set to meet with representatives from those departments within the next month to try to reach a consensus.
In January 1994, the Burlington County freeholders had toyed with the idea of returning control of Creek Road to Delran, Moorestown and Mount Laurel, which some believed would have effectively stalled the project because the local governments likely would not have supported it.
Shrom said the municipalities did not seem to want to take back control of the road, perhaps because of liability concerns if bridges along the road are not fixed. Also, if the project is halted, whoever owns the road would have to reimburse the federal government more than $2 million in engineering costs.
Delran drew boundaries from many divisions
Source: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/12328012/the_philadelphia_inquirer/Posted: March 3, 2000
Western New Jersey was divided into 10ths by the English settlers around the 1670s. The land that would become Delran Township was part of the "London Tenth," which covered what is now Burlington County and extended to the Pennsauken area. The earliest road that ran north to south was set down in 1682, linking the early towns of Burlington and Salem Counties.
By 1694, the division into l0ths had fallen by the wayside and Burlington County was established. Chester Township, which included what is now Delran, is mentioned in records as early as 1692. The township covered a large expanse of land from the Rancocas to the Pennsauken Creeks and from the Delaware River to Mount Laurel, and it included what also would become Moorestown, Riverside, Riverton, Palmyra and Cinnaminson.
Some of the early landowners and influential residents of what would become Delran included Thomas Hackney, Thomas Hackney Jr., Isaac Conoroe and Matthew Allen. Thomas Hackney, Conoroe and Allen all served as the township constable. Thomas Hackney Jr. was the "overseer of highways."
A north-south road was built through Chester Township in the 1740s. It connected the settled town of Burlington with Cooper's Ferry (later Camden). The road, made of sand and gravel, was known simply as "the Road to Cooper's Ferry." A century later it was a turnpike road, called Burlington Pike. Today it is Route 130. Soon after the road was established, a ferry across the Rancocas Creek was started. It went from Chester Township to Willingboro Township and was operated by John Buzby.
The new road and the ferry drew business and people to the area. Taverns were built, one by William Allen in 1755 and another by Thomas and Mary Gill and William Wallace in 1763. Surrounding land was developed, and communities began to evolve. By 1860, it was decided that Chester Township would be divided into two smaller, more manageable municipalities. Cinnaminson was created from about half of what was Chester Township, taking with it what would become Delran. Twenty years later, Delran was established by legislation that split Cinnaminson in half again. A town hall that had been built for Cinnaminson a decade earlier became Delran's town hall, or "town-house," as it was often called.
When Delran became its own municipality, the population was about 1,760. The towns in Delran included Bridgeboro, Fairview and Cambridge. By the 1970s, the population was 9,748.
Delran had its first full-time police officer in 1960. Today, Delran has 29 full-time officers. In 1967 the first police station was built. Before then, the township rented half of Gracie's Coffee Shop on Bridgeboro Road in the Bridgeboro section.
Facts and figures
1998 population: 14,191
Projected 2003 population: 14,791
Household Income
$100,000 or more: 798
$75,000-$99,999: 890
$50,000-$74,999: 1,264
$35,000-$49,999: 673
$25,000-$34,999: 325
$15,000-$24,999: 484
Less than $15,000: 352
Median household income: $60,494
Population by age
Younger than 6: 1,008
Age 6 to 17: 2,307
Ages 18 to 24: 1,451
Ages 25 to 34: 1,948
Ages 35 to 44: 2,149
Ages 45 to 54: 2,137
Ages 55 to 64: 1,489
Ages 65 or older: 1,702
SOURCE: "The Historical Background of Delran Township" by Lloyd S. Griscom; Delran Police Chief Art Saul and Claritas Inc., 1999.
Burlco Buys Farm And Declares That's Where The Sprawl Stops
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20150920044735/http://articles.philly.com/2000-06-29/news/25600455_1_county-offer-ray-anderson-developersBy Leonard N. Fleming, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
Posted: June 29, 2000DELRAN — Negotiations had stalled, and Burlington County officials thought the coveted Anderson peach farm along the Rancocas Creek would end up in the hands of developers.
"I really walked out the front door feeling we were way apart on what we were offering and what they had in hand," Freeholder Director James K. Wujcik recalled of talks with Phil and Alice Anderson in April.
But the freeholders purchased the Creek Road farm for $5 million yesterday after the Andersons decided to sell them 123 of the 130 acres of lush beauty that has been in their family for 100 years.
Under a tent at the farm, three of the five freeholders held a special meeting to buy the property as family members and county officials looked on. Then the Andersons, Wujcik, and Freeholder William S. Haines Jr. walked down to the creek and signed the agreement.
The deal, in the works for nearly two years, calls for the Andersons to continue farming the land and retain their homes. The family has the option of receiving $1 million for five years or receiving interest payments for five years with $4 million payable in the final year.
Looking out over the creek, Phil Anderson said that five or six developers had been "hounding and pestering" him with lucrative offers to sell but that he had accepted the county offer even though 1,300 homes had been created all around him.
"Everything's going to be the same," he said. "That has value of its own."
His son, Ray, 45, agreed.
"If we sold to developers, we'd have to look out of our windows . . . and see bulldozers and the tops of houses every day," Ray Anderson said. "That wouldn't be a pretty sight. I'd like to see it stay a farm forever."
The Anderson property is an integral piece of the county's much-touted open-space and farmland-preservation program. The purchase is also the officials' third involving farmland along the Rancocas Creek, which extends from the Delaware River into the heart of the county. Last year, the county spent $1.4 million to buy the Pennington Farm on Creek Road in Delanco. It also led the purchase of Olympia Lakes in 1997.
Under the direction of the county park-and-recreation system, the farm will be opened to the public in about three years, after bike and hiking trails have been carved along the creek, county officials said.
The farm was purchased through taxes collected by way of public referendums in 1996 and 1998. Each year, the 4-cent tax generates about $9 million, Haines said.
Haines acknowledged that the price of the land was significantly higher than that of other purchases but said he was "more worried about losing the race" with developers than about "running out of money."
Wujcik and Haines said that once they had seen the view of the farm overlooking the creek, they knew the deal had to be made at all costs.
"You only have to take the ride once," Haines said, "to realize that, regardless of the dollar amount you're spending on this property, you can't buy potential, you can't buy the future, and you can't buy the creek."
Leonard N. Fleming's e-mail address is lfleming@phillynews.com
In Delran, a rift over rent rise
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20151017210105/http://articles.philly.com/2001-10-15/news/25305693_1_rent-tenants-rate-increasesBy Lauren Mayk INQUIRER SUBURBAN STAFF
Posted: October 15, 2001DELRAN — Call it the story of Rent in suburban South Jersey.
The characters are grandparents and retirees in the 30-year-old Tenby Chase Apartments off Route 130 in Delran.
During the summer, word at the 327-unit complex was that new owners were planning rent increases. That was worrisome enough to those on fixed incomes. But no one expected the notices of 24-percent increases that some tenants got in the mail after Panco Real Estate of Bergen County bought the 15 buildings in June for $20 million.
At the time, rents on identical two-bedroom townhouses ranged from $750 to more than $1,000 a month because of rent practices by prior owners.
To fight the changes, residents of about 170 units have formed a tenants association, run primarily by retirement-age adults, and tried to get the township to pass a rent-control ordinance. They plan to walk picket lines. Some are paying rent at their former rate, saying they signed renewals under duress. Others are putting their rent in escrow. Some say they might go to court.
"I'm angry for all of us," said Jane Schwedes, 81. "I'd be willing to do almost anything to fight this."
Management has been negotiating with a committee appointed by the association, but both sides say talks are all but stalled. Each side blames the other for not wanting to compromise or see the opposing point of view.
Panco, whose rate increases ranged from nominal amounts to more than $170 a month, says it wants to improve the property and bring long-discounted rents closer to market value while maintaining as much of the Tenby Chase community as possible.
"We don't want to displace anybody," said Mary O'Donnell Dowd, vice president of Panco, which owns several other complexes, including Ramblewood in Mount Laurel.
The company, based in Saddle Brook, will wait until negotiations break down before taking anyone in Tenby Chase to court, she said.
Last week, revised lease renewals went out to tenants. The top increase for renewals through next summer is about 15 percent. Discounts of up to $50 a month will be offered to longtime residents and up to $35 per month for older adults, Dowd said.
The tenants are cool to the discounts. They say Panco wants to empty the complex by attrition so new tenants will move in and pay higher rates. Because Tenby Chase was last assessed in 1991 at $10.3 million, about half the purchase price, they say the company is trying to make up the difference in just a few years.
Panco representatives say that the previous owners deferred maintenance responsibilities for years, and that Tenby Chase is a good investment in need of some work.
Deferring maintenance helped keep rents low and annual increases to about 2 percent or 3 percent, but it skewed the residents' perspective of the market value of their apartments, Dowd said.
"It was run like a mom-and-pop operation," she said.
Mick Sussman, 76, looked around his apartment, which shows off his interior-design handiwork.
"I did all this assuming I'd spend the rest of my life here," he said. "If this goes through, I'm out of here."
It is unclear how many tenants are 65 or older, but some say the changes are challenging both their budgets and their way of life.
Schwedes said she had moved to Tenby Chase to be closer to her family after her husband died. After putting four sons through college (and medical and law schools), she said, she would like to give some money to her granddaughter, a student at Princeton University. Now she is having second thoughts.
"I daren't offer any," Schwedes said. "I might need it myself."
Jack McCusker, 73, has put his German shepherd on a diet; if the dog exceeds the new 40-pound limit for pets, it will cost McCusker more than the $35-per-month standard pet fee.
Jack Harrington, 76, a retired school superintendent, has lived in a one-bedroom townhouse with his wife, Lone, for 29 years. They were originally told that their rent would increase 24 percent, he said, from $714 per month to $885. That would have meant cutting back on travel, including visits to his wife's native Amsterdam, Harrington said.
The fight has prompted Delran to hold a public hearing on a possible rent-control ordinance, and has spurred widespread discussion in the township.
Mitchell Kahn, vice president of the New Jersey Tenants Organization, said that the Tenby Chase tenants' association was a tight, well-led, passionate group, and that renters in Tenby Chase and the Hunter Glen apartment complex across the road would find they had new influence in Delran politics.
"Those two large complexes will, from now on, be a political force in town," Kahn said. "They're going to elect the next council person, and that council person will be for rent control."
Lauren Mayk's e-mail address is lmayk@phillynews.com.
At Delran's Tenby Chase, it feels 'just like a home' Townhouses and apartments, ranging from small to spacious, create a diverse mix.
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20151231095944/http://articles.philly.com/2002-02-15/news/25334878_1_basements-townhouses-bedroomBy Sheila Dyan FOR THE INQUIRER
Posted: February 15, 2002This Burlington County rental community may be called Tenby Chase Apartments, but there's more to it than its name implies - the complex offers not only apartments, but townhouses.
Adding yet another dimension, studio and some one-bedroom apartments have finished basements, and one-bedroom townhouses have lofts.
The property is now undergoing a $2 million-plus renovation.
Alma Crennan, who says she is retired from "raising children," has lived in a townhouse at the complex for 16 years. "I like everything about it. I like the location. I love my townhouse. It's just like a home, not a rental. It's spacious, I use my fireplace, and it's very quiet here," she said. "And I have good neighbors."
John Kovach, 33, said that his neighbors seem nice, and that the location is convenient.
"I grew up in Burlington County, and this is in good proximity to everything - Routes 295 and 130, shopping, entertainment, my friends," he said. A New Jersey state investigator, Kovach has lived at the complex for almost three years, after hearing about it from friends.
"My friends' parents lived here and had nice things to say about it. One thing in particular I like is that it's nice and quiet, and that's the way I am."
Built in the early 1970s, the 20-acre community has been under new ownership and management since June, and they have been busy renovating and upgrading units as they become available.
Included in the renovation are refinished cabinets; new hardware, appliances, countertops, flooring, interior railings and room dividers; window blinds and heating/air-conditioning systems; updated exterior signs; exterior painting; new lighting in interior and exterior common areas; enhanced exterior architectural features, such as door surrounds; new concrete; and upgraded landscaping and topography.
A wide variety of floor plans - 10 in all - are found in the 15 buildings, made of brick and siding and distinguished by varying rooflines and setbacks. A personal touch found in each unit is a private front entrance with mail slot. Fireplaces and hookups for washers and dryers are in many units of all sizes. There are coin-operated laundry facilities on-site.
Heat and hot water are included in the rent, as is use of the tennis court and swimming pool, in season. Some dogs and cats are permitted, for a fee.
Studio apartments with basements (1,000 square feet) rent for $795. One-bedroom apartments (700 to 1,271 square feet) with 1 to 1 1/2 baths and some with basements, rent for $775 to $1,035. Two-bedroom, two-bath apartments (1,331 to 2,662 square feet), some with basements, rent for $1,250 to $1,450. One-bedroom, 1 1/2-bath townhouses, with lofts and basements (1,243 square feet), rent for $1,150. Two-bedroom, 1 1/2-bath townhouses with basements (1,944 square feet) rent for $1,400 to $1,425.
Of the new management, Kovach said, "They've been very responsive."
Crennan agreed. "If I need anything, they're right there," she said. "I have no complaints, although I have very little that needs to be done."
In Delran, unlikely activists stage rent strike Tenby Chase tenants face litigation and eviction as they refuse to pay a new owner's higher rates.
Source: http://articles.philly.com/2002-04-14/news/25338383_1_rent-panco-tenantsBy Angela Valdez INQUIRER SUBURBAN STAFF
Posted: April 14, 2002The residents of the Tenby Chase Apartments in Delran are not prime candidates for the activist lifestyle.
Many are nurses, retirees and elderly grandparents on fixed, middle-class incomes.
But over the last year, these suburban renters have entered into a legal battle with their landlord that could end in a raft of eviction notices.
When Panco Management of Bergen County bought the 15 buildings off Route 130 last June for $20 million, the company began raising rents when leases came up for renewal. Tenants in the 327-unit complex reported increases of as much as 24 percent.
Panco vice president Mary O'Donnell Dowd would not provide a complete list of rental prices, but said her firm is charging fair-market rates.
"Increases vary because the rents in place [under the old ownership] for virtually the same apartments were vastly different," she said.
Some tenants consented to sign new leases. But after the formation of a tenants' association last August, at least a dozen refused and began placing the difference between their old rent and the renewal rates in escrow accounts.
Panco has offered discounts for elderly and long-term residents. But members of the tenants' association say the discounts are selective and don't go far enough.
Some say they were pressured into signing the renewals, and have also decided to withhold rent.
Tenants also say that maintenance services have declined since Panco purchased the complex.
Panco has sued to evict four residents who did sign leases, for failing to pay all of their rent. One case was settled out of court in February, and the tenant has agreed to pay the new rent rate. The remaining three cases are pending. The next hearing is scheduled for Friday.
Tenants who refused to sign the renewals expect to be taken to court soon, said lawyer George Saponaro, who is representing the residents.
Gary Jackson, 59, a medical equipment repairman who is on disability, and his wife, Josselyne, 58, a property accountant, decided not to sign the new lease after Panco raised the pet fee from $10 to $50 a month for their Yorkshire terrier, Muffin, and cat, Emerald. Their rent will increase from $882 to $1,042 when their lease expires in June.
"We just made a decision we're not going to pay it," said Gary Jackson, who has lived in Tenby Chase since 1980.
"They just don't care whether you're disabled, whether you're on a fixed income or not."
In response to complaints about maintenance, Dowd said, many tenants did not request maintenance services under the old ownership and flooded the office with repair requests when Panco took over, causing a temporary slowdown in service.
Contact Angela Valdez at avaldez@phillynews.com.
Camp-out for new housing cut short A dozen couples lined up eight days in advance for 23 homes in Delran. Police intervened. The wait will resume Saturday.
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20150913023430/http://articles.philly.com/2002-07-15/news/25356439_1_single-family-homes-single-homes-hopeful-home-buyersBy Sara Isadora Mancuso INQUIRER SUBURBAN STAFF
Posted: July 15, 2002DELRAN — Police yesterday disbanded a group of two dozen hopeful home buyers who had been sleeping in cars and tents in front of a Delran leasing office since Friday.
The group had intended to stay until Saturday so that, at 10 a.m., they could be first in line for 23 available single-family homes in the Liberty Trail section of the Grande at Rancocas Creek.
Before the dozen couples left, agents from Grande Realty Inc. recorded their names and order of arrival, promising them first dibs.
The wait will not resume until 12:01 a.m. Saturday. A security guard will hand out numbers to others who arrive at that time.
Grande Realty had already put up a portable toilet for the group.
Since Friday, the Police Department had received complaints from a couple of residents in the neighboring Glenbrook development, which has 62 homes.
Traffic was bad, and the tents looked tacky, they told police.
The new development abuts the homes in Glenbrook, and in spots wraps around it. Both are on Creek Road.
The fervor was to be expected, sales manager Bethanne Franco said as she ran down the Grande's offerings: tennis courts, pools, a clubhouse and two-car garages - all for about $220,000 to $265,000.
"For that price, the home and the features they're getting are of great value," Franco said. "In Moorestown, you couldn't touch a [comparable] single-family home for less than $700,000."
When it is completed, the Grande will include 171 single-family homes, 187 townhouses and 156 condominiums. So far, 73 single homes have been sold.
Delran Police Sgt. Howard Davenport said the campers seemed relieved when he asked them to leave about 10 a.m. yesterday.
"They were thrilled they didn't have to stay there for the week," he said.
The decision to disband the group had been made out of fear that the number of people would grow, he said.
"It's somewhat flattering to us as a police department that people want to live here so much. We don't want to discourage people from moving to town," Davenport said.
Contact Sara Mancuso at 856-779-3877 or smancuso@phillynews.com.
Robert K. Scarborough, 88, longtime South Jersey builder
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20151017090425/http://articles.philly.com/2011-04-22/news/29463447_1_scarborough-corp-paint-works-single-family-homesBy Sally A. Downey, Inquirer Staff Writer
Posted: April 22, 2011Robert K. Scarborough, 88, who built thousands of homes in South Jersey, died of heart failure Thursday in the first home he built, a three-bedroom Cape Cod in Collingswood.
In the 1950s and 1960s, Mr. Scarborough constructed single-family homes in developments including Wedgewood, Wexford Leas, Kings Croft, Tavistock, Charter Oak, Barclay Farm, and Tenby Chase. In 1969 he built the townhouse complex Tenbytowne in Delran, and in the 1970s he built apartment complexes.
Mr. Scarborough, whose father was a lumber salesman, grew up in Collingswood and graduated from Collingswood High School, where he met his future wife, Olive Lafferty. They married in 1942.
During World War II, he served in the Army Air Force as a flight instructor in Texas, then piloted B-17 bombers from an air strip in northern Italy.
After his discharge, he built his home in Collingswood, and in the postwar housing boom, built home additions and affordable single houses on available land in older towns in South Jersey.
In the early 1950s, he formed Scarborough Corp. to build housing on tracts of land. He had three partners: Jack Sansom, who handled financing; Walt Riley, who did marketing and sales; and Bill Feather, who dealt with contractors and utilities.
Mr. Scarborough was involved with design and building. Though he had no formal training, he was an excellent artist and draftsman, and could do miter cuts for trim freehand, his son Kevin said.
In 1963, Scarborough Corp. sold its 1,000th home at Barclay Farm. The "kitchen of tomorrow" in the development, with a wall oven, countertop range, dishwasher, garbage disposal, washer-dryer, and sliding glass doors to a terrace, was featured in American Builder Magazine.
When Mr. Scarborough wanted to extend the subdivision over a creek, he commissioned an architect to design a covered bridge wide enough for two-way traffic. The development had a residents-only swim club and Scarborough Corp. donated land to what is now Cherry Hill Township for an elementary school.
After Scarborough Corp. was sold to Weyerhauser Co. in 1974, Mr. Scarborough continued to work with the new owners for several years.
In 1982, he began developing a 19th-century paint-factory complex in Gibbsboro as a corporate park. "Our first idea was to develop the Paint Works as a warehousing and light industrial park," he told The Inquirer. "But as we began to discover what a beautiful setting we have, we gradually shifted more toward an office center."
Mr. Scarborough made the park's centerpiece a lily pad-filled lake with gazebos and a boardwalk from which children fished for bass. He continued to develop the Paint Works until retiring in the 1990s, his son said.
Mr. Scarborough was a member of the Haddonfield Rotary and the South Jersey Builders League. For more than 30 years he served on the board of West Jersey Hospital.
In addition to his son, Mr. Scarborough is survived by six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. His wife died in 2004 and a son, Randy, died in 2009.
A funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 26, at Blake-Doyle Funeral Home, 226 Collings Ave., Collingswood. Friends may call from 9. Burial will be in Arlington Cemetery, Pennsauken.
Donations may be made to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 34th Street and Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia 19104.
Contact staff writer Sally A. Downey at 215-854-2913 or sdowney@phillynews.com.
Delran left out of park grants program
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/article/20110614/NEWS/306149792By Todd McHale
Posted: Jun 14, 2011DELRAN -- Not everyone jumped for joy after the announcement of the latest round of funding for Burlington County's park grants program.
Mayor Ken Paris said he was disappointed that the township's application did not make the cut in the second round of funding from the Burlington County Board of Freeholders' 2011 Municipal Park Development Assistance Program.
"The submission for the continuation of the development of the Myers tract that includes the ADA-compliant ball field, utilizing a fully accessible sports surface and accessible walkway system to link the other initial park improvements, would have allowed physically challenged kids from Delran and all over Burlington County the much-needed opportunity to participate in all types of recreational activities," Paris said.
Last month, the county handed out $5 million in park grants. Twenty-five municipalities were awarded money ranging from $20,000 to $250,000 for shovel-ready park development and improvement projects.
While Delran received $250,000 in the initial round of funding last fall, Paris believes this year's denial will set the project back and hurt those who need the assistance most.
"I am saddened that these children needing accessible field opportunities will not be accommodated," he said. "Without the continuation of county grant funding, it will be nearly impossible to move forward with the project beyond the initial phase."
The township applied for the second round for its proposed Delran Sports Complex on township-owned property, previously known as the Myers tract, off Hartford Road.
In addition to the wheelchair-friendly ball field, the first phase would include an access road, parking area, site lighting, handicapped-accessible walkway, and possibly natural turf fields, if budgetary constraints allow.
The first phase will cost about $1.3 million, which will be paid from grants and funds raised through the township's open space tax, officials said.
Future phases will include a multipurpose turf field; a building to house restrooms, concessions and maintenance equipment; an accessible playground area; and walking and hiking trails throughout a wooded area.
County spokesman Ralph Shrom said a lot of the selections made this year by the freeholders were municipalities that were not awarded funding in the first round.
"This program is intended to be 'no town left behind,'" Shrom said.
He said no one intended to downplay Delran's park proposal, but that a number of municipalities had submitted applications to bring their facilities into compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act and other urgent needs that need to be addressed.
The bottom line is that there's only so much money available.
"We've got, by far and away, more requests than what we have money for," Shrom said.
The good news: Delran is among the towns that will be considered in the third round of funding slated for early next year, he said.
Todd McHale: 609-871-8163;
email, tmchale@phillyBurbs.com;
Twitter, @toddmchale
Delran park project clears first hurdle
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/article/20110728/NEWS/307289744By Todd McHale
Posted: Jul 28, 2011
DELRAN -- The township cleared the first hurdle required to spend $2.2 million on a park project off Hartford Road.
The Township Council introduced a bond ordinance to fund recreational improvements on land known as the Myers tract.
The proposed Delran Sports Complex includes a wheelchair-friendly turf field for children with disabilities, two baseball fields, a softball field and needed infrastructure.
Council President Tom Morrow said if the bond ordinance is adopted at the next meeting, work could begin as soon as the fall.
"Those fields could be in use in the next year or so," Morrow said, referring to four fields slated for the project's first phase.
The initial phase also calls for an access road, parking area, lighting, and handicapped-accessible walkway.
The council has discussed constructing a multipurpose turf field, restrooms and a concession stand, and adding maintenance equipment, playground, and walking and hiking trails throughout a wooded area in future phases.
Brian Gorman of the Delran Athletic Association liked the plan but said the council shouldn't forget about the town's other recreational areas.
"I think the Myers tract is great, but we don't want to neglect our current parks," Gorman said.
Resident Tom Tartaglia said the construction of the fields could take longer than expected.
"It's going to be three years before those fields will be ready to be used," Tartaglia said.
Officials said permits and New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection approval will be required, but they were hopeful that the fields would be near completion by next year if all goes as planned. Some residents opposed the project.
"I don't think it's right," Bill Pfeffer said. "I don't know where you're getting all this money."
Morrow said the project is being funded with $250,000 from the county's Municipal Park Development Program and from money collected for the township's dedicated open space tax.
The township also intends to apply for additional state and county grants, officials said.
Resident Don McCabe asked how the council could approve spending $2.2 million given the economic climate.
"You're acting like that guy in Washington (D.C.) -- just tax everybody more," McCabe said.
The township's action follows the lead of several other area communities that have turned to using open space funds to pay for recreational improvements.
The council will hold a public hearing on the bond ordinance at its Aug. 23 meeting, which will be held at 7:15 p.m. at the municipal building on Chester Avenue.
Todd McHale: 609-871-8163;
email: tmchale@phillyBurbs.com;
Twitter: @ toddmchale
Delran firm awarded Mount Laurel revaluation contract
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/article/20120418/NEWS/304189653By Kristen Coppock
Posted: Apr 18, 2012MOUNT LAUREL -- The Township Council on Monday awarded a million-dollar contract to a Delran firm to perform a communitywide property revaluation.
Professional Property Appraisers on Bridgeboro Road will be paid $1,065,135 for the work. Last week, the company received a $224,807 contract to perform Palmyra's revaluation.
The revaluation was mandated by the Burlington County Board of Taxation and the New Jersey Department of Treasury's Division of Taxation.
The revaluation process, which includes a two-year period to defend completed assessments, will assign fair-market values to all residential and commercial properties through interior and exterior inspections. The outcome will determine each property owner's fair share of the municipal tax bill and redistribute the financial burden.
The last revaluation took place more than two decades ago. A municipal reassessment occurred in 1995, according to the county board.
A revaluation and reassessment are synonymous, according to Professional Property Appraisers' website. A revaluation is typically ordered by the county and undertaken by a certified company hired by a municipality. An assessment is conducted by the local tax assessor.
In business for more than a decade, Professional Property Appraisers provides services for revaluation, reassessment, database maintenance, added assessment and tax appeals. Its client list includes dozens of municipalities in New Jersey, including Cinnaminson, Mansfield and Southampton.
The company submitted one of two bids and was selected based on its price and "other factors," Township Manager Maureen Mitchell said. Work will begin after the state approves the contract. Field work in Palmyra may begin in June and is expected to take about three months.
"We are hopeful, if approved, that they will be inspecting (properties) by May 15," Mitchell said in an email.
The council passed an ordinance Monday authorizing a $1.5 million special emergency appropriation to pay for the revaluation. One-fifth of the cost will be appropriated annually for five years, Mitchell said.
The council also passed a resolution Monday allowing payments on the emergency costs to begin this year.
Staff writer Todd McHale contributed to this story.
Kristen Coppock: 609-871-8073; kcoppock@phillyBurbs.com;
Twitter @kcoppockbct
Delran purchases land to preserve as open space
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/article/20120521/NEWS/305219771By Todd McHale
Posted: May 21, 2012DELRAN -- A small tract off Fairview Street will be spared from development and preserved as open space.
The township acquired the 3.7 acres near Pancoast Boulevard for $515,000 last week.
"I am happy to be able to purchase this open space in conjunction with our master plan," Mayor Ken Paris said. "The best part is that it is being acquired using open space funds and will have no effect on the tax bill for Delran residents."
The property, owned by Tar Construction, has been a source of contention for several years after the Riverside developer proposed six homes on the land bordered by Fairview and Hubbs streets and Pancoast and Harper boulevards.
The mostly wooded area served as a water pumping station for decades before the developer purchased it in 2005.
When word spread of the proposal in 2007, dozens of residents voiced their opposition to construct the homes on 15,000-square-foot lots behind numerous residences on Pancoast and Harper boulevards.
"Reading about this property, literally in my backyard, which was about to be developed and turned into more residential buildings, was not welcome news," said Councilman Tom Morrow, who was elected in 2008. "Many of my neighbors and I banded together and went to Planning Board, Township Council and (Burlington) County freeholders meetings. This issue was very important to me and one of the reasons I got involved as a councilman."
Morrow said he and his neighbors were determined to stop the development, no matter how long it took.
"It's inconceivable to be putting homes in a residential area that's been built up over the last 45 years," he said. "You've got to preserve the natural beauty of the town."
The land is home to owls, woodpeckers, hawks, deer and other wildlife, Morrow said.
"The property is one of the oldest in Ward 2, and they were trying to shoehorn a development into this small parcel that would have detrimentally impacted both environmental and safety issues," Council President Gary Catrambone said.
The project called for a new road that officials said would have added to an already congested area.
"For the safety of the residents and the added cost to the taxpayers, this development was not the best option for Delran," Catrambone said. "We are glad that we are able to move forward, protecting this open space in Delran now and for future generations."
The acquisition will be paid for with money raised through the township's dedicated open space tax, which is 2 cents per $100 of assessed property value.
Officials said the land could be used as a park for passive recreation, but no decisions have been made yet.
"Delran has a special character, and we want to maintain the community and improve the quality of life," Paris said. "This accomplishes that without burdening the taxpayers."
Todd McHale: 609-871-8163; email: tmchale@phillyBurbs.com; Twitter: @toddmchale
New park coming to Delran
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/article/20120729/NEWS/307299740By Todd McHale
Posted: Jul 29, 2012
DELRAN -- The township broke ground on a new multimillion-dollar recreation complex designed to serve everyone.
Dozens of residents and dignitaries came out Friday afternoon to celebrate the start of the first phase of construction of the Delran Recreation Complex off Hartford Road.
"This is one of the better days of my life," Mayor Ken Paris said. "I'm really excited about this project. It's going to be great for the children and adults and those with special needs."
The complex will feature four ball diamonds, a multipurpose turf field, accessible playground, concession stand, restrooms, walking and hiking trails and eventually a community garden. All told, officials estimate the park will cost about $4.5 million.
"This is going to be our centerpiece," Council President Gary Catrambone said of the complex being built on township-owned property previously known as the Myers tract.
Work on the first phase will begin as soon as Monday, officials said.
In the first phase, workers will construct four ball fields for baseball and softball, including a synthetic turf "Buddy Ball" field that will give those with physical or developmental disabilities a chance to compete.
"I believe it's going to be one of the first special needs fields in the county," Paris said.
Resident Daisy Scott, whose 17-year-old son Andrew has cerebral palsy, appreciated that the township decided to build a facility that would enable everyone a chance to play.
"I think it's pretty cool. It's neat that they're doing this," Scott said.
She said Andrew loves to play baseball.
"He enjoys it," Scott said. "It gives him a chance to get out and get some fresh air and not lay in bed all the time."
"Yeah," Andrew said as he raised his hand and grinned.
Another resident Harry Buzard agreed.
"They think it's the greatest thing in the world when they get to play ball," Buzard said of the children with special needs.
Joe Walsh, director of the Delran Special Needs Athletics program, said the field will get plenty of use.
Currently, the program draws about 45 special needs youngsters from throughout the region to play baseball and 110 to take part in bowling.
And that's just a fraction of those who are expected to play on the fields.
Delran Athletic Association has more than 2,000 registered to play sports in town and another 1,500 from athletic clubs.
Bob Kennedy, vice president of the Delran Athletic Association said the town needed more fields to accommodate all the young athletes. He said the new fields will go a long way in filling that need.
"The layout is nice," he said. "I think it's a great opportunity for all the kids."
Councilwoman Patricia Pomeranz couldn't agree more.
"I think it's fantastic," she said. "I think it will alleviate some of the traffic around some of our other fields."
In addition to the baseball and softball fields, the first phase includes construction of an access roadway and other infrastructure.
The first phase is expected to be completed by spring.
On Friday, officials also used the occasion to announce that the multipurpose field will be named after Delran native and two-time Olympian Carli Lloyd.
"Right now you're standing on what will be Carli Lloyd field. We told her after she won the gold medal (in 2008) that we were going to name a field after her," Catrambone said of the soccer standout.
The township plans to pay for the complex with open space funds and state and county grants. It's also in discussions with the Delran Board of Education for the construction of the multipurpose field due to the site's close proximity to the high school.
Todd McHale: 609-871-8163;
email: tmchale@phillyBurbs.com;
Twitter: @toddmchale
Cut the grass, clean up the yard or face the consequences
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/article/20120802/NEWS/308029713By Todd McHale
Posted: Aug 2, 2012
There appears to be a growing problem in Burlington County.
High grass, brush and other rubbish are not being addressed by property owners.
And a number of municipalities have plans to deal with the issue: by hitting homeowners and businesses in the wallet and possibly locking up those who fail to maintain their properties.
This month, Delran and Southampton introduced ordinances to tighten their municipal codes regarding property maintenance. Evesham began discussions on the matter in June.
"It's becoming a big deal," Delran Township administrator Jeffrey Hatcher said. "It wasn't much of a problem before. We would get four or five properties a year, but now we're getting 15 to 20."
The economic conditions of late are likely contributing to the problem, Hatcher said.
"A lot of these are real estate sales or could be a property in foreclosure," he said.
To deal with it, Delran now hires a contractor to cut the grass and places a lien on the property for the cost of the work if the owner doesn't pay. The township could soon increase the fees charged to property owners for any administrative and management costs incurred.
Depending on the size of the lawn and the amount of debris needed to be cleared, Delran charges between $100 and $150 for the first cut and usually about $40 for subsequent mowing, plus administrative charges.
If the ordinance is adopted later this month, the township will increase the administrative fees to $25 every time it needs to intervene on a property that's not being maintained. Delran currently charges $25 for the first time and $10 thereafter.
"It's taking a lot of time to inspect these properties and arrange contractors," Hatcher said of the fee hike.
In Southampton, the governing body introduced an ordinance that places even more restrictions on poorly maintained properties.
The proposed code changes would make it unlawful for property owners, occupants or tenants to have "any brush, weeds, dead or dying trees, stumps, roots, obnoxious growth, filth, garbage, trash and debris (that are) injurious to the public health, safety and general welfare, or where the same shall tend to create a fire hazard," the ordinance states.
Violators will be subject to a $1,000 fine and up to 90 days in jail. If the property is not cleaned up within 10 days of notification, the township would authorize its Public Works Department to perform the task and bill the property owner. Those who do not pay will have a lien assessed against their property.
A public hearing on Southampton's ordinance will be held Aug. 21 at 8 p.m. at the municipal building on Retreat Road.
Todd McHale: 609-871-8163;
email: tmchale@phillyBurbs.com;
Twitter: @toddmchale
Delran neighborhood hit hard by Sandy’s winds
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/article/20121031/NEWS/310319768By Todd McHale
Posted: Oct 31, 2012
DELRAN -- The winds of Hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc on one township neighborhood.
Downed trees littered the Tenby Chase area, including on top of two homes.
"That's got to be a 100-120-foot oak that split through my sons' bedrooms," said Mike Rossi outside his Oxford Road home. "They had just left the room about five minutes before."
On Tuesday, Rossi surveyed the damage to the split-level home and recalled how bad the storm was for his family.
"It was very scary for my wife and me, too," he said. "We heard it blowing really hard."
Then, about 9:15 p.m., the old oak gave way.
"The whole house shook when it hit," Rossi said.
He and his wife raced to check on their five children.
Fortunately, they were all OK in the family room.
As for the tree, it landed on his son's bed.
"It could have been a lot worse. The house can be fixed. It might take a month, two months or three, but it could have been a lot worse," Rossi said of the home his family moved into in July.
A couple of blocks away on Waterford Avenue, a tree crashed into Barbara Danetz's home.
"I just finished making dinner, sat down, and some plaster started falling in the family room," she said. "I got up to see why the plaster was falling. Then I heard this really loud crashing. As I kept going, I couldn't believe what I saw -- all my insulation was down, all my antiques, my aunt's china, a lot of memories ...
"Thank God for my neighbors across the street," Danetz said.
Her neighbor Jerry Bailey said winds whipped through the neighborhood like he's never heard them do before.
Down the street, resident Margaret Meade said she was stunned by the damage to her neighbor's home.
"I was in shock when I came out and saw that tree on their home," Meade said. "I feel so bad for them."
She said one of her trees came down, but did not damage her home.
On Tuesday, residents continued to clean up what Sandy left behind. No injuries were reported.
Todd McHale: 609-871-8163; email: tmchale@phillyBurbs.com;Twitter: @toddmchale
Holiday lighting displays in Burlington County
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/article/20121224/LIFESTYLE/312249840Posted: Dec 24, 2012
Burlington County holiday lighting displays nominated by our readers:
Beverly
471 Cooper Street: Lights are synchronized to music
Browns Mills
Filbert Ave.: Very well-thought out and gorgeous
Burlington City
Burlington Township
1 Laramoor Drive: This house truly embraces the essence of Christmas
46 Steeplechase Blvd. : 30,000 lights in sync with music broadcast on 96.1 FM. Donations accepted for Burlington Township Food Pantry
Cinnaminson
132 Park Ave.: Lights synchronized with holiday music
111 Purnell Ave.: Arches that dance to the music and window animations
Delran
506 Brown St.: Home is outlined in large colored lights and resembles a gingerbread house
Edgewater Park
Evesham
58 King Ave.: 110,000 lights, 35 inflatables, snow-making machine, life-size sleigh and reindeer
Corner North Maple and Kings avenues
Florence
610 E. Fifth St.: Four trees lit up
Lumberton
Mansfield
5 Kings Court: The light display is absolutely stunning and there is so much to look at, especially for young children and children at heart!
Marlton
Medford
16 Maine Trail: 80,000 lights plus 40-plus yard decorations. Community event with Santa and refreshments 5-8 p.m. Dec. 21
5 Taunton Blvd.: Homemade lighting decorations
Moorestown
Mount Holly
Mount Laurel
5 Fulton Drive: 41,000 lights and it has some unique effects like dancing poles, a tree that spirals, arches that leap, strobes and much more
11 Evergreen Road: 10,000 lights set to 40 songs; donations for Abandoned Angels Animal Rescue
North Hanover
Palmyra
Riverside
856 Bridgeboro St. : 23 minutes of holiday music synched to lights and played on a continuous loop; tune radio to 93.1 FM
800 Devon Road: This home is worth seeing
Riverton
629 Linden Ave. : Light show runs from 5 to 10:15 p.m.
Southampton
9 Retreat Road: Old-time Christmas
Springfield
Tabernacle
71 Powell Place Road: Wow is this house bright!
Tenby Chase Apartments gets new owner
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/article/20130125/BUSINESS/301259521By Chris Bishop
Posted: Jan 25, 2013
Chris Bishop / Staff
DELRAN -- Tenby Chase Apartments, a mainstay for housing in the township since the mid-1970s, has been sold.
Private investment firm Pantzer Properties sold the Route 130 complex to SDK Holdings in Hackensack, Bergen County, for $37.5 million, or about $115,000 per unit.
The 327-unit multifamily complex, built in 1975 and renovated in 2001, was 98 percent leased at the time of sale, according to HFF, a commercial real estate broker headquartered in Pittsburgh.
HFF marketed the property on behalf of the seller.
The property has one- and two-bedroom units, including townhouses, which average 1,387 square feet each. Community amenities include an outdoor pool, playground and tennis court.
Jose Cruz, Jeffrey Julien, Kevin O'Hearn, Michael Oliver, Andrew Scandalios, brokers with HFF, coordinated the disposition of the property.
"Tenby Chase has successfully raised market rents three times in the past 12 months. Coupled with larger-than-average unit sizes, this property presented an attractive opportunity for investors," Cruz said in a statement. "The seller took advantage of a great time to capitalize on a strong demand for multi-housing properties."
It was unclear what changes, if any, would be made by the new landlord. Calls to Dinesh Khosla, a partner in SDK Holdings, were not returned.
Pantzer Properties, founded in 1971 as a vehicle for private investment in undervalued real estate, has more than $1.5 billion in assets under management. Headquartered in New York City with offices in Rochelle Park and Herndon, Va., the firm is an owner/operator of apartments on the East Coast. Its closest complex to Burlington County is the Heather Ridge Apartments in Mantua, Gloucester County.
Among its commercial properties, Pantzer owns Acme Commons, a shopping center off Route 130 in Bordentown Township.
Chris Bishop: 609-871-8140; email: cbishop@phillyBurbs.com; Twitter: @chrisleebishop
Delran lawn ordinance designed to root out errant property owners
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/article/20130522/NEWS/305229689By Todd McHale
Posted: May 22, 2013DELRAN -- Property owners who fail to keep up with grass, weeds and rubbish will not be cut any slack by the township.
Unkempt properties will not be allowed to get out of hand under a proposed ordinance introduced by the Township Council during its work session last week.
The measure would amend the municipal code and allow the town to clear yards and continue maintenance at the owners' expense.
The township already has a similar ordinance in place, but the measure wasn't effective given the amount of time it took to remedy the situation at some properties, Council President Gary Catrambone said.
"We would have to notice the property, give them 10 days, then follow it up with another letter and have to wait for another 10 days, and then we could act," Catrambone said.
While it would resolve the problem at the time, the whole process would have to be repeated when the property got out of hand again.
"It wasn't so bad when you had a half a dozen properties, but when you've got two or three dozen, it's a problem," Catrambone said.
Like many municipalities, the township experienced a rise in the number of abandoned properties after the decline in the housing market in recent years. With no one living in the properties, grass and weeds flourished.
To deal with it, the township hires a contractor to cut the grass and places a lien on the property for the cost of the work if the owner doesn't pay. The township also imposes a $25 administrative fee to the property owner, plus the cost of the contractor for the work.
Under the proposed ordinance, property owners who fail to maintain their yards will still be notified by the township and be given 10 days to cut the grass and remove any debris. However, after 10 days, the measure would allow the township to step in and have the grass cut.
To prevent the grass from becoming overgrown again, the township will have a contractor continue to keep up the lawn. The property will remain on the contractor's schedule until the owner of the home or business notifies the township in writing that he or she has arranged to take care of the lawn. The township would place a lien on the property for the cost of the work and administrative fees.
"We're just trying to get a quicker turnaround," Mayor Ken Paris said.
Paris said it's not fair to neighbors to have to live next to properties that aren't being properly maintained.
The council will hold a public hearing on the ordinance Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the municipal building on Chester Avenue.
Todd McHale: 609-871-8163; email: tmchale@phillyBurbs.com; Twitter: @toddmchale
High grass remains an issue in Delran
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/article/20130531/NEWS/305319754By Todd McHale
Posted: May 31, 2013
DELRAN -- A crackdown on property owners who are lax about lawn maintenance will begin in a matter of days.
For those who don't heed the warning, the township soon could be contacting them to either remedy the situation or pay up.
The Township Council adopted an ordinance Tuesday to amend the local code to allow for the municipality to clear yards and continue maintenance at the owners' expense.
The township did have a similar ordinance on the books but found it to be ineffective, given the amount of time it had to wait before it could take action.
"We had an ordinance in place, but we needed to tighten it up, because it took too long before we could do anything about it," council President Gary Catrambone said.
With the adoption of the ordinance, which goes into effect 20 days after being publicized in the newspaper, the township will be able to step in sooner. The law officially goes into effect June 24.
Under the local law, property owners who fail to maintain their yards will be notified by the township and given 10 days to cut their grass and remove any debris.
If they don't keep up with the yardwork, the township will hire a contractor to cut the grass and continue to do so indefinitely at a cost of $125 for the first time and an additional $45 thereafter. The township also will impose a $25 administrative fee to the property owner.
The property will remain on the contractor's schedule until the owner of the home or business notifies the township in writing that he or she has arranged to take care of the lawn. A lien will be placed on the property to cover the cost of the work and administrative fees.
Similar to numerous other municipalities, the township experienced a spike in the number of abandoned properties after the recent downturn in the housing market. As expected, grass and weeds flourished on those properties.
"It's unbelievable," Catrambone said of the number of properties where lawns have gotten out of hand. "Every time I take a different route home, I see a new house. It's all over. It's not in one specific section."
Mayor Ken Paris said the township needed to do something to ensure that neighbors no longer have to live next to unkempt properties.
Resident Richard Grockenberger applauded the change.
"I think they should crack down on it to keep the neighborhoods halfway decent," he said.
Todd McHale: 609-871-8163; email: tmchale@phillyBurbs.com; Twitter: @toddmchale
Delran park plan delayed, not abandoned
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/article/20131021/NEWS/310219715By Danielle Camilli
Posted: Oct 21, 2013
DELRAN -- When the county purchased the Anderson farm, with its rows of peach trees and views of the Rancocas Creek, officials announced plans to turn the land into a public park.
That was more than a decade ago, and the preserved acres now look like the farm that time forgot.
The old market and packing house sit quietly on the 127 acres along busy Creek Road. Some of the equipment used to work the land is rusty. The old signs that once welcomed guests are faded and peeling. Dozens of large wooden crates once filled with peaches are now empty.
The peach orchards are long gone, but standing in the sandy soil on a gray and cool fall day, a visitor can still smell that they once were plentiful here. The namesake Anderson family farmed this land since 1906 and continued for five years after the county sale.
While it has been more than 13 years since the Burlington County Board of Freeholders purchased the farm for $5 million and announced the park plan, the governing body is still committed to adding the Anderson farm to the growing county parks system.
Earlier this month, the freeholders, none of whom served on the board when the farm was acquired, approved two contracts that officials said will begin the process to open the property to the public once again.
The county awarded a contract to the Taylor Design Group of Mount Laurel for design, construction and administration services for phase one of the project. The contract is not to exceed $97,400. The board also awarded a contract not to exceed $99,500 to Environmental Resolutions, also of Mount Laurel, for environmental and cultural resources investigation on the land.
The contracts, like the acquisition costs, are funded by the taxpayer-supported open space, park development and farmland and historic preservation fund.
The Environmental Resolutions contract will help address the major contributor to the delay of the project: pesticide contamination. Earlier environmental investigation on the site identified contaminated hot spots, and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection was notified, as evidenced by a large sign at the front of the farm.
"We see this on former farms because of the pesticides used in farming," said Mary Pat Robbie, the director of the county Department of Resource Conservation. "It's particularly prevalent in the farming of peaches. The arsenic compounds in the pesticides tend to be retained in the soil."
She said Environmental Resolutions will examine what's in the soil, where it's located, and how to clean up the site. New protocols for remediating the contamination should give the county greater -- and possibly less expensive -- flexibility and options to undertake the cleanup, Robbie said.
One option could be soil blending that allows the mixing of clean and contaminated soils. Other options would be to scrap the pesticide-laden areas and cap the contaminants under paved areas.
"ERI will prepare the plan that we can present to the DEP for approval for the remediation of the site," she said, noting that more samplings from the farm will be taken and that the firm will also sample for groundwater contamination. "A good part of the delay has been the environmental issue."
Environmental Resolutions will also perform a survey for any cultural resources. Like many sites along the Rancocas in the region, the Anderson farm is believed to be a past home to Native Americans. Robbie said that artifacts have been found along the creek and that such areas are protected from development.
"The site is fairly rich in artifacts," she said, noting it shouldn't impede any park design since the county wouldn't be looking to place amenities so close to the creek.
While there is no timeline established for the studies, Robbie said the county would like to see the public have access to the farm by next spring.
Currently, a locked gate and a roped-off entrance greet visitors. The county ended its lease with its tenant farmer last year, and the farmer's market has been shuttered for longer.
Ultimately, the county's goal is to add the farm to its growing inventory of county parks. All county parks are used for passive recreation, but each offers various amenities and resources, depending on its setting. The county has built its parks system since the early 2000s and focuses its efforts on developing land near the Rancocas Creek.
There are now seven open county parks in various stages of development, including Historic Smithville in Eastampton and Boundary Creek, which is up the road from the Anderson farm on Creek Road in Moorestown. Delran also boasts Amico Island Park at the confluence of the Delaware River and creek.
"Our first phase for the Anderson farm is really doing what we need to get the park open to public," Robbie said. "We want to look at access and parking and look at how we can develop a trail system."
The county may be able to use the farm's existing roads and complete some trail stabilization to make the sandy soil paths more user-friendly, she said.
The county will also study how it can use the farmer's market, which already has a restroom, at the front of the property. From the outside, the building looks to be in good condition.
While the county put out a larger-scale plan for the Anderson property that some recall as having an amphitheater and boat launch, Robbie said for now improvements will likely include only trails, open passive recreation areas, and picnic and pavilion space. The county may pursue some formal gardens and a playground, too.
"We have done some concept designs, and as time goes on the plan could develop," Robbie said. "This is really a wonderful piece of land that offers great access to the Rancocas."
She said unlike some other properties, the Anderson farm allows visitors to truly be creekside.
Mayor Ken Paris said he and the Township Council have been advocating for the county to make good on its promised park for several years. He said he was pleased to hear that contracts have been awarded and that the park plan is back on the county's radar.
"We would love to see the site be utilized. It's very large and has so much potential," Paris said. "I know the county showed us extravagant plans years ago, but I understand that plan may not be feasible right now due to the economy. But I definitely think they need to get it open to the public so the people of Delran and the rest of the county can enjoy it."
Danielle Camilli: 609-267-7586; email: dcamilli@calkins.com; Twitter: @dcamilli
Where the holiday lights are in Burlington County
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/article/20131222/LIFESTYLE/312229788Posted: Dec 22, 2013
Where the lights are
Get the hot chocolate ready.
You and your family can have a merry little Christmas by bundling up, climbing into the car, and driving over hill and dale to scout out other people's displays.
You don't have to travel far to find festive decorations -- the residents of Burlington County have gone all out this year.
Following is a list of the best and the brightest decorations the area has to offer, as recommended by Burlington County Times readers (including their comments):
Beverly
103 Dory Court: Bright lights
107 Dory Court: Cute
121 Dory Court: Country living style
129 Dory Court: Country style
131 Dory Court: Cute
137 Dory Court: Really cute
John Court
413 Laurel St.: Cute
204 Manor Road: Candyland
Third Street
Burlington Township
19 Bloomer Drive: Cute
215 Brittany Court (Chateau Apartments)
501 Neck Road
46 Steeplechase Blvd.: Thousands of lights, music play light at 96.1 FM, donations for Burlington County Food pantry accepted
Cinnaminson
111 Purnell Ave.: lighted arches dance to music and Santa in the window checking his list
Delanco
410 Orchard Ave.: Lights flashing to Christmas music, blow ups and an outdoor garden scale train display
Delran
4 Auburn Drive
882 Wills St.: Colorful lights, numerous vintage blow molds
Evesham
Corner of King and North Maple avenues
Florence
514 Chestnut St.: 30-foot diameter natural wreath decorated with 25 antique sleds, lights, balls, other ornaments, with 25 additional antique sleds along the house and grounds
Medford
16 Maine Trail: 80,000 lights, 30 inflatables
5 Taunton Blvd.: House totally covered in lights
366 Tavistock Drive
2 Trimble St.: Front porch decorated with small houses and trucks
Moorestown
343 Bridgeboro Road
Mount Holly
10 Bispham St
14 Bispham St..
Mount Laurel
12 Clements Court: Decorations are very elegant
11 Evergreen Road
1410 Hainesport-Mount Laurel Road
North Hanover
3 Ivy Lane
Palmyra
418 Leconey Ave.: Lots of lights, very bright
Southampton
133 Main St., Vincentown: Victorian home, front porch fully decorated; 100-year-old set of Santa and reindeer
Tabernacle
71 Powell Place Road: 16 zones of lights all timed to holiday music, and lights high in trees that look like falling snow
Westampton
70 Bentwood Drive
801 Beverly-Rancocas Road
Olive Street (Rancocas)
Willingboro
Charleston Road and Somerset Drive
Delran weighs playground partnership with nonprofit
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/article/20140424/NEWS/304249518By Todd McHale
Posted: Apr 24, 2014DELRAN -- The township has started discussions with the nonprofit organization that was behind the creation of an all-access playground in Camden County.
Township Council members Lona Pangia and Michael Schwartz recently met with representatives from Build Jake's Place about possibly forming a partnership for a similar project at the Delran Community Park off Hartford Road.
"What we had was an initial sit-down to learn what the organization was about, what they've done, and what projects they want to pursue," Schwartz said.
Created in 2007, Build Jake's Place's mission is the construction and operation of playgrounds for children of varied abilities.
Inspired by 2-year-old Jacob Nasto, who died of complications from a heart defect, the family chose to honor his memory with a specially designed playground based on its belief that every child deserves a chance to play, regardless of physical challenges.
"We're all about all-access playgrounds and play areas for those who have disabilities to play with children of all abilities," said Art Ashton, executive director of the nonprofit.
The way the playground was constructed at the Challenge Grove Park on Bortons Mill Road in Cherry Hill, youngsters and parents who may have a disability that prevents them from climbing on a structure can take part in the fun.
"It's quite an impressive park," Pangia said. "It has double-wide ramps, so adult wheelchairs can go up."
The organization found the Delran Community Park, which is under construction, an interesting site for another Build Jake's Place playground because of the American With Disabilities Act-approved synthetic turf and "Buddy Ball" field that give those with physical or developmental disabilities a chance to compete, according to Ashton.
And the organization's track record impressed town officials.
"They built the (Cherry Hill playground) with most of their own fundraising," Pangia said of the $500,000 project that opened in 2011.
The idea would be for the township and the organization to partner to raise money through donations and grants and eventually conduct a community build with volunteers.
Mayor Ken Paris said funds are needed but cautioned that the county also has an interest in the park.
"Right now, we don't have the funding to do the tot lot," Paris said. "If this is an alternate way of doing it, I'm all for it. I think it's a fantastic idea. But right now, I'm pursuing funding from the county, which has been interested over the last couple years."
The township received a $250,000 Burlington County Municipal Park Development Grant for the site in 2010 but was shut out the next two years because the $4.5 million project stalled and the funds were not expended. Last year, the township did get another $94,950 from the county program to continue work on the project, which includes four ballfields for baseball and softball and other infrastructure.
Given the stakes, the mayor said the municipality should approach the county before entering into any partnership.
"I want to make sure that everybody that's involved with this community park, including the county, is OK with supporting this," Paris said.
Pangia assured Paris that Build Jake's Place expressed interest in eventually meeting with all sides to make sure everyone is on the same page.
"Looking at this project, this is not just a Delran resident project. It's not a Delran community project. It's a county project. It's going to serve more than just Delran," she said.
"At this point, they want to have a site visit with our engineers and their engineers and the contractor that built this (Challenge Grove Park playground) to see what scale we have here," Pangia said. "They want to know what the price tag is, and I can't give that to them unless they look at the ground."
The council agreed to allow the professionals to check out the property and plans to explore the partnership.
Council President Gary Catrambone credited the governing body for pursuing the matter.
"Let's get that moving forward," he said. "And great catch, nicely done."
Todd McHale: 609-871-8163; email: tmchale@calkins.com; Twitter: @toddmchale
Delran to address rental properties
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/article/20140514/NEWS/305149577By Todd McHale
Posted: May 14, 2014DELRAN -- Rental properties soon could be under more scrutiny.
Inspections, stepped-up enforcement of property maintenance and other measures are being considered by the Township Council to deal with blighted rental housing stock.
"It's an issue that's present," Council President Gary Catrambone said at Tuesday's work session. "We don't know if it's pervasive, but we need to investigate it."
The township already requires registration of rental properties and has measures related to maintenance and upkeep.
"We do have (a rental ordinance) in place, but it wasn't being enforced," Catrambone said of the measure approved "30 some years ago."
"We know for sure about 150 are registered as rentals. That does not include the apartment complexes, which falls under the state jurisdiction," he said.
But officials know that number could be much higher.
On one street alone, Catrambone said he was told that up to 10 percent of the homes are rentals.
"If that's the case, with 6,000 homes, do the math," he said.
Township Administrator Jeffrey Hatcher cautioned that it would take a lot of time for municipal employees to increase enforcement.
"Compelling people to do things that they don't want to do takes a lot of man hours," Hatcher said.
Councilman Tom Morrow said something needs to be done.
"This is about protecting our neighborhoods," he said.
Councilman Mike Schwartz voiced concern about the township targeting residents who choose to rent.
"I don't want to see a situation where you're a renter so you're not really the same as someone who owns a home," Schwartz said.
The council agreed and plans to pursue the matter further in the coming weeks.
"Now we're investigating what the costs would be and the implications would be," Catrambone said. "As always, we're not trying to create unintended consequences."
Todd McHale: 609-871-8163; email: tmchale@calkins.com; Twitter: @toddmchale
Delran moves closer to long-awaited park opening
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/article/20140808/NEWS/308089743By Todd McHale
Posted: Aug 8, 2014DELRAN -- Lighting and a little more patience appear to be the final hurdles that need to be cleared before the opening of the Delran Community Park.
The Township Council recently crossed off one of those items with the introduction of a bond ordinance to pay for lighting improvements at the 34-acre site off Hartford Road.
If adopted next month, the measure will allow officials to appropriate $248,000 to pay for lights along an access driveway leading into the park, parking lot and one of the four ballfields. The funds would also pay for the engineering costs and bleachers.
"We're really enthusiastic in getting this pushed forward and getting the lighting done this year," said Mayor Ken Paris, clearing the way for a long-awaited opening of the park next spring.
Officials broke ground on the multimillion-dollar park nearly four years ago, but a lack of funding, followed by a long winter, forced officials to push back the opening.
"Naturally, last year we had the worst winter in my memory, and it depressed the growth of the fields. So we had to give them another growing season," Council President Gary Catrambone said. "The (synthetic turf) field is ready. We'd love to open that up. But as soon as we do that, people will be running on the other fields and we'll ruin them."
To date, the municipality has spent $2 million to complete the first phase of the project, which features four fields for baseball and softball, including a synthetic turf "Buddy Ball" field designed for those with physical or developmental disabilities.
Additional plans call for hiking trails, a veterans walk, and an all-access playground constructed with the help of a Camden County nonprofit organization, Build Jake's Place.
"Besides the lighting, we're also in the evolving stage with Jake's Place," Catrambone said.
Created in 2007, Build Jake's Place's mission is the construction and operation of playgrounds for children of varied abilities.
Inspired by 2-year-old Jacob Nasto, who died of complications from a heart defect, the family chose to honor his memory with a specially designed playground based on the belief that every child deserves a chance to play, regardless of physical challenges.
"They're going to assist not only with constructing, because the plan is to have a community build, but also to fund it," Catrambone said, once an agreement can be finalized with the nonprofit.
Given the town's budget constraints, any financial assistance from the organization or the county is welcome, officials said.
"It's all about the money," Catrambone said. "We're trying like the devil to get additional funding from the county."
The township received $250,000 in 2010 and $94,500 last year from the Burlington County Municipal Park Development Program to help pay for the park, which is estimated to cost $4.5 million.
"We want to make it that there's going to be something for everybody, not just ballfields," Councilman Tom Morrow said. "There's a lot more to come. It's just a slow process. But there's a lot of good vision from the residents. Going forward, I think it's going to be something the town will be very proud of."
Officials know that many residents are eager to use the facility.
"I've said it before, government moves at a glacial pace," Catrambone said. "It's always too slow. It's very frustrating."
The mayor agreed but said the park will be worth the wait.
"We're just excited about it," Paris said. "I know that everyone in town is excited about getting it open."
The council will hold a public hearing on the bond ordinance on Sept. 2 at 7 p.m. at the municipal building.
Todd McHale: 609-871-8163; email: tmchale@calkins.com; Twitter: @toddmchale
Delran reaches agreement with Jake’s Place
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/article/20140821/NEWS/308219641By Todd McHale
Posted: Aug 21, 2014
DELRAN -- After months of discussions, the township has struck a deal to team with a Camden County nonprofit to turn a proposed all-access playground into a reality.
Build Jake's Place, of Cherry Hill, signed a memorandum of understanding with the municipality last week to assist in the construction of the playground for children of all abilities at the Delran Community Park on Hartford Road.
Township Councilwoman Lona Pangia, who approached the nonprofit last spring, is thrilled to have Jake's Place on board.
"My goal with reaching out to Jake's Place from the beginning was to find a different way to raise money to build a playground that everyone can utilize," Pangia said.
Given budget constraints, Pangia said she knew the township could not afford it without the organization's assistance.
Created in 2007, Build Jake's Place helps construct and operate playgrounds for children of varied abilities. Inspired by 2-year-old Jacob Nasto, who died of complications from a heart defect, his family chose to honor his memory with a specially designed playground in Cherry Hill based on its belief that every child deserves a chance to play, regardless of physical challenges.
The organization found the Delran Community Park, which is under construction, as a perfect option for another Build Jake's Place playground because of the Americans With Disabilities Act-approved synthetic turf and "Buddy Ball" field that give those with physical or developmental disabilities a chance to compete, according to Art Ashton, executive director of the nonprofit.
"I know this playground is a good idea because everyone will be able to utilize it," Pangia said, "whether it's grandpa chasing his grandchildren or mom and dad spending time with their children or a special-needs family finally able to let loose with their kids."
Councilman Mike Schwartz said the playground will be an asset to the community and beyond.
"It's exciting," he said. "It's going to be great for people with disabilities since the facility will be all-accessible."
With the agreement in place, the next step is to begin fundraising efforts.
First, Jake's Place will host a 5K and 1-mile fun run Sept. 27 at 8:30 a.m. at the Challenge Grove playground on Bortons Mill Road in Cherry Hill. A team "Building a Better Delran" has been created to raise money for the playground. Anyone interested in joining the team should visit the Build Jake's Place website, http://buildjakesplace.org.
Todd McHale: 609-871-8163;
email: tmchale@calkins.com; Twitter: @toddmchale
Delran calls an audible on park plan
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/article/20141030/NEWS/310309523By Todd McHale
Posted: Oct 30, 2014DELRAN -- A change of plans for the Delran Community Park appears to be in the works.
After further consideration, township officials believe that bathrooms may be a more urgent matter than additional lighting, which was being funded by the county, for the athletic complex off Hartford Road.
Instead of using $250,000 awarded from the Burlington County Municipal Park Development Program for more lights, the township and members of the Delran Athletic Association felt the money would be better spent on facilities.
Mayor Ken Paris said the county was "very cooperative about changing the plan."
If approved by the Township Council, the municipality would use the grant to construct a building for a concession stand and restrooms.
Council President Gary Catrambone said there's a consensus to move the funds to help pay for construction of a "snack shack and handicapped-accessible bathrooms" given the amount of people who will use the park when it opens in the spring. The building and bathrooms are estimated to cost about $650,000.
The township had submitted its grant application to finish the lighting because it was under the impression the county would rather approve funding on projects nearing completion, according to Catrambone.
However, the more the governing body and athletic association thought about it, they realized the sooner they get bathrooms in place the better, since the multifield complex will serve hundreds, including dozens of children, who will use the synthetic turf Buddy Ball Field, designed for those with physical or developmental disabilities.
"We really needed bathrooms, especially for the kids playing on the Buddy Ball Field," said Bob Kennedy, president of the athletic association.
Even though everyone involved seems to agree on the need for the facilities, the township still must find a way to pay for the rest of the structure.
"We've got to figure it out," Catrambone said of finding more money.
Councilwoman Patty Kolodi is working on putting together some fundraising activities to benefit the park.
Officials broke ground on the multimillion-dollar park nearly four years ago, but a long winter forced them to push back the opening until 2015.
To date, the municipality has spent about $2 million to complete the first phase of the project, which features four fields for baseball and softball, including the turf field.
Additional plans call for hiking trails, a veterans walk, and an all-access playground constructed with the assistance of a Camden County nonprofit organization, Build Jake's Place.
The council plans to discuss the project at its Nov. 11 meeting.
Todd McHale: 609-871-8163;
email: tmchale@calkins.com;
Twitter: @toddmchale
Delran to crack down on creditors of abandoned homes
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/article/20141103/NEWS/311039686By Todd McHale
Posted: Nov 3, 2014DELRAN -- The township may soon join a growing list of municipalities to levy steep fines against creditors that fail to maintain vacant properties.
Recent state legislation allows the practice as a way to deal with the mass of foreclosed properties, Township Council President Gary Catrambone said.
"State law now allows us to give (creditors) a 30-day notice to respond or be fined $1,500 a day," Catrambone said.
The proposed measure would hold banks and other lending institutions responsible for the care, maintenance, security and upkeep of the exterior of vacant homes.
Out-of-state creditors also would be required to have an in-state representative that can be reached to address any issues or be subject to a $2,500 fine for each day of the violation.
Evesham recently adopted a similar ordinance aimed at banks and lien holders that have failed to maintain properties.
Local officials indicated that the only way to get some creditors' attention is to hit their bottom lines.
"If somebody's going to foreclose a property, they need to fix it and at least cut the grass," Catrambone said.
Under the proposed ordinance, if municipal code or officials determine that a creditor, obligated to care, maintain, secure and keep up a vacant and abandoned property, fails to do so, a notice of violation will be issued.
The creditor or its representative then must correct the violation within 30 days, or 10 days if the problem is deemed to be an imminent threat to public health and safety.
The council discussed the matter last week and is expected to introduce the ordinance at its Nov. 11 meeting.
Todd McHale: 609-871-8163; email: tmchale@calkins.com; Twitter: @toddmchale
2014 Burlington County Holiday Light Displays
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/article/20141218/NEWS/312189627Posted: Dec 18, 2014
The best and the brightest -- the county residences that light up the night and are all decked out in their holiday finery.
Check out our interactive map to the area's best holiday lighting displays.
Check back often. The list will be updated as we receive submissions.
Click here for information on submitting a holiday display in your neighborhood.
BURLINGTON CITY
BURLINGTON TOWNSHIP
46 Steeplechase Boulevard: Over 30,000 Christmas bulbs all in sync with music.
CINNAMINSON
111 Purnell Avenue: Dancing arches, Santa's workshop.
DELANCO
2405 Burlington Avenue: Topiary trees, garland and raindrop lights.
101 Walter Avenue: Voted top house in Delanco last year.
DELRAN
EVESHAM
E Main Street & Knox Boulevard
FLORENCE
514 Chestnut Street: 20-foot antique sled is one of 50 on display.
MEDFORD
5 Taunton Blvd.: Simply magical. Nothing like it in the area.
2 Trimble Street: Very pretty; glassed-in porch, backyard and top of house decorated. Moving decorations.
MOORESTOWN
MOUNT LAUREL
1410 Hainesport-Mount Laurel Road
1412 Hainesport-Mount Laurel Road
PALMYRA
101 Cinnaminson Avenue: Animated figures, Disney, Star Wars, Sesame Streets characters.
814 Washington Avenue: Large-style bulbs, blow mold figures.
SOUTHAMPTON
133 Main Street: Entire front porch and fence decorated.
TABERNACLE
71 Powell Place Road: Thousands of lights timed to music in extra-dark setting.
WESTAMPTON
39 Beacon Street: Animated display.
Main Street: Along Main Street, Rancocas (pretty and quaint)
Delran to issue fines for blighted properties
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/article/20150120/NEWS/301209642By Todd McHale
Posted: Jan 20, 2015DELRAN -- Financial institutions with vacant properties in disrepair could be slapped with fines from the township in a matter of days.
With a new measure in place to address the matter, the municipality expects to begin enforcement in February.
"The properties in question have been a blight on the community for some time. Some have been derelict for years," Township Council President Gary Catrambone said. "These properties not only bring down the price and ability to sell for other residents who are selling their homes, but quickly become health hazards as animals and birds find their way into the buildings."
Following state legislation passed to deal with the mass of foreclosures, the council adopted an ordinance to hold banks and other lending institutions responsible for the care, maintenance, security and upkeep of the exterior of vacant homes.
If banks and mortgage properties fail to fix a problem at a vacant property within 30 days, they will be subject to fines of $1,000 a day.
The measure also requires out-of-state creditors to have an in-state representative who can be reached to deal with any issues that may come up, or be hit with a $2,500 fine for each day of the violation.
Local officials estimate that about two dozen properties aren't being properly maintained, but they expect many creditors will act fast when facing those kinds of fines.
"If we start fining them $1,500 a day or $2,500 a day, if they are out of state with no in-state representative, that adds up fast," Catrambone said. "Think about how quickly we would get the attention of the property owners, who have been derelict for years, when they see that they will be fined $45,000 a month."
Council members said they understand the housing market is depressed but cannot allow the problem to continue.
"Our goal is to force the lenders to maintain their properties and avoid the potential health risks associated with wild animals, leaks, and the subsequent likelihood of mold associated with damaged roofs and windows, and protecting the neighbors from having to shake their head in disgust when they see the neighboring properties," Catrambone said.
Officials already know that some municipal employees may experience an uptick in workload once property owners are notified.
"I suspect that our building code inspector should plan to have some busy days the first and second quarter of this year," Catrambone said. "The investors and banks that hold these properties will likely be lining up to get building permits to fix these homes."
Todd McHale: 609-871-8163;
email: tmchale@calkins.com;
Twitter: @toddmchale
Laurel Run Park in Delran is the county’s latest park to open
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/article/20150526/NEWS/305269711By Rose Krebs
Posted: May 26, 2015
Sean Patick Murphy/Staff
DELRAN -- Residents who are tired of Pennington Park in Delanco or Amico Island Park in the township can enjoy the outdoors with a walk or picnic along the Rancocas Creek at the county's newest open space. The 120-acre Laurel Run Park off Creek Road, formerly the Anderson Farm, is open to visitors.
"This marks an important step toward Burlington County's goal of building an interconnected park and trail system," said Mary Ann O'Brien, director of the Burlington County Board of Freeholders.
"These parks and trails are important not just for their recreational value, which is huge. They are prescriptions for better health and wellness, good business for the local economy and safe havens for families that hike and bike."
The former farm has been sitting for years since the county purchased it in 2001 for $5 million under the state's Green Acres preservation program. The Anderson family farmed the land for a century before it was sold.
Township officials long had urged the county to do something with the property, but there were financial concerns and environmental issues with pesticides. The county was steadfast that it would add the site to its inventory of parks, including others along the Rancocas Creek, for use as passive recreation.
Preservation of the farm prevented more than 130 houses from being built, county spokesman Eric Arpert said.
The public will be able to enjoy its "rolling fields and majestic views of the Rancocas Creek," he said.
The park includes a picnic pavilion, grills, kiosk, parking area, entry driveway, plantings, signs and striping, Arpert said. Construction, performed by Command Co., of Egg Harbor City, Atlantic County, cost $667,000 and was paid from the county's parks and open space trust fund.
Officials may pursue other recreational opportunities for the park in the future, such as a playground, gardens and boat launch.
Laurel Run Park is the township's second county park, along with Amico Island off Norman Avenue at the Rancocas Creek and Delaware River. It also fits in with the county's plans to establish a greenway along the creek.
Boundary Creek Natural Resource Area is nearby on Creek Road in Moorestown, and Willingboro Lakes Park across the creek off Route 130 is in the works.
Officials recently announced that they are looking at possibly extending walking trails along the Rancocas, across the Centerton Road bridge, to the county-owned former Rowan home in Westampton.
The century-old bridge, closed since late April for safety reasons, may not reopen to motorists. The structure's steel has deteriorated to a point that it may be too costly or take too long to repair, officials have said. The county is awaiting reports from inspectors before making a final decision.
If the bridge is closed to vehicles, it may be used instead for fishing, biking and walking.
The county also is completing a Rancocas Creek Greenway study, funded by the Federal Transportation and Community Development Initiative, to connect its parks with a 5-mile off-road hiking and biking trail, including a crossing at Route 130, Arpert said. Plans are for the trail to eventually run from the Delaware River to the Brendan T. Byrne State Forest in the Pinelands.
Rose Krebs: 609-267-7586;
email: rkrebs@calkins.com;
Twitter: @rosekrebs
Delran official looks to address abandoned homes issue
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/article/20150911/NEWS/309119713By Todd McHale
Posted: Sep 11, 2015
DELRAN -- As some neighborhoods in town continue to experience the fallout of the housing market crash from several years back, a member of the governing body believes it's time for the municipality to act.
"My proposal is the township start moving in the direction of enforcement of our ordinance -- with the banks leaving (vacant homes) in limbo," Councilman Michael Schwartz said of a measure adopted by the Township Council earlier this year to fine banks and other lending institutions that fail to properly maintain empty properties.
Schwartz believes more needs to be done to address the problem after meeting recently with residents of the Riverside Park and Cambridge neighborhoods and hearing their concerns.
"It's an epidemic," he said of the magnitude of the problem. "There is one street (where) more than 10 percent of the homes have been abandoned. It's time to start taking a more aggressive line."
Following state legislation passed to deal with the mass of foreclosures, the council adopted an ordinance in January to hold banks and other lending institutions responsible for the care, maintenance, security and upkeep of the exterior of vacant homes.
If banks and mortgage companies fail to fix a problem at a vacant property within 30 days, they will be subject to fines of $1,000 a day.
With the council's approval, Schwartz wants local officials to begin investigating these abandoned properties to nail down who actually owns them and the status of any foreclosure proceedings.
And if all else fails, he would favor proceeding with eminent domain for some of the worst cases.
Council members and town officials agreed that the abandoned homes situation needs to be dealt with, but it's not easy, given the lack of employees.
"As far as the administrator, who is responsible for the day-to-day operations, doing this and getting accomplished what you want to have done, I think we would need a hell of a big staff to do what you want to do," Mayor Ken Paris said.
Township Administrator Jeffrey Hatcher said enforcement can be "cumbersome and time consuming" in terms of finding the right person to contact at the bank or lending institution.
"We'll name the vice president, and he goes, 'I'm from California, and I'm not coming to Delran to go to municipal court,' " Hatcher said. "That's been one of the difficulties we've had."
Council President Gary Catrambone said he's leery about seeking legal action to take a property, but agreed that if the fines rise high enough, it could get a bank's attention.
While residents in attendance at the council's work session Tuesday night understood that it will take more time to remedy a situation that's been years in the making, they asked officials to at least start the process.
"I know it's going to be time-consuming, but we've got one house just littered with cats," said Linda Gilbert, of the Riverside Park neighborhood. "I mean, kittens and cats just in and out of the basement windows."
Another property that a tree fell on has been empty for longer than she can remember.
"There are just some of them that are worse than others, but if you could do a couple at a time, we would appreciate it," Gilbert said.
Given the extent of the problem and public health concerns from rodents and pests coming from the vacant properties, officials agreed that more needs to be done.
"The idea of this is not to fine banks," Schwartz said. "The idea is to get them to rehabilitate the property or sell the property to someone who will."
Otherwise, he said the municipality may be dealing with a much larger issue in the future.
"We may be looking at rehabilitating neighborhoods and not just these properties in very short order if this continues to go the way it's been going," Schwartz said.
The council agreed and hopes to begin putting together an action plan.
Delran could be next town to snuff out smoking in parks
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/article/20151030/NEWS/310309747By Todd McHale
Posted: Oct 30, 2015
DELRAN -- A smoking ban at every township park soon could be the law of the land.
The Township Council has introduced an ordinance to prohibit smoking at all parks and playgrounds, joining a growing list of municipalities in Burlington County and the state to institute bans.
If approved next month, the local law would make it illegal for anyone to light up in more than a dozen parks in town.
Mayor Ken Paris supports the measure, which was suggested by members of the township's Green Team.
"It's a health issue," Paris said. "There's no reason to smoke, especially around the ballfields, where the kids are playing."
Given the public health risks of smoking, as well as the potential fire hazards from improperly disposing of cigarettes or other smoking devices, the governing body decided to act.
The move comes just over a decade after a previous council approved banning smoking at all tot lots in 2004.
If the latest ordinance is adopted, anyone caught smoking in parks or playgrounds could face fines of up to $500, depending on the municipal court judge's discretion.
However, Paris said the municipality isn't looking for the police to spend too much time looking for smokers.
"The police will be enforcing the smoking ban based on people calling to complain," he said. "Really, the police have enough to do, so if someone calls, that's when they will come out and enforce it."
Being an ex-smoker, the mayor said he understands the frustrations of those who may be opposed to further restrictions.
"It's a tough one," Paris said. "I can see why (smokers) feel that they have no rights anymore."
To date, anti-smoking advocates indicate that more than 220 of the 566 municipalities in New Jersey have instituted bans in parks. In Burlington County, the list includes Beverly, Bordentown Township, Burlington Township, Cinnaminson, Delran, Edgewater Park, Evesham, Mansfield, Maple Shade, Mount Holly and Palmyra, along with all county parks.
"I think it's very much understood, looking out there, that a lot of towns are banning smoking in their parks," Paris said. "People don't want to be around smoking, and you've got to respect that."
He said he wouldn't have a problem if smokers went out to their cars and lit up. A designated smoking area has not been created.
The council will hold a public hearing on the proposed ordinance at its Nov. 10 meeting, which will be at 7 p.m. at the municipal building.
Todd McHale: 609-871-8163; email: tmchale@calkins.com; Twitter: @toddmchale
Delran residents upset over rundown home in neighborhood
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/article/20151101/NEWS/311019649By Todd McHale
Posted: Nov 1, 2015
DELRAN -- Residents on Arch Street are fed up with a dilapidated home in their neighborhood and want the township to address it or even seize the property.
The older vacant home has been blight on the street for some time, residents told the Township Council last week.
"We came from the city to Delran because of what it is, (but) this is a disgrace," Arch Street resident Scott Farkas said of the condition of a property near his home.
Several neighbors agreed and called for the municipality to step in.
"That place is full of junk," Arch Street resident Ed Kortum said. "I mean, this place is a dump."
While neighbors said they have compassion for the owner, something needs to be done to deal with a property that's seen better days.
Officials assured the residents that they have been working for months to find a solution to the ongoing maintenance issues and will continue to do so.
"We have multiple departments and the administrator working on it," Council President Gary Catrambone said. "We have to go through the process. I've said it a million times, 'Government moves at a glacial pace.' "
After an inspection earlier this year, the property was declared uninhabitable.
For years, Delran, like many other municipalities in Burlington County and the state, has attempted to deal with property maintenance issues at vacant homes.
"That's becoming pervasive all over the country, especially in New Jersey and now in Delran, that homes are not being maintained for a variety of reasons," Catrambone said.
The council and Mayor Ken Paris said that doesn't mean the township will stop trying to resolve the issue on Arch Street and in other areas.
"We've done a lot of different things to try and get it addressed," Paris said. "Now we're reaching out to the solicitor to see what we legally can do."
But officials indicated that seizing a property, whether a resident lives there or not, would not likely be in the cards.
"I personally don't have any appetite for taking people's homes," Catrambone said of using eminent domain.
Todd McHale: 609-871-8163; email: tmchale@calkins.com; Twitter: @toddmchale
Delran to hold special meeting to address housing issues
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/article/20151214/NEWS/312149781By From staff reports
Posted: Dec 14, 2015DELRAN -- The Township Council is turning to experts to help address the ongoing problem with foreclosed and abandoned properties in its neighborhoods.
The council will hold a special meeting Monday at 7 p.m. at the municipal building on Chester Avenue. A handful of panelists will address the housing issues facing Delran and other towns.
"With the rate of residential foreclosure worsening in South Jersey, local and statewide advocates are urging the Town Council to take legislative action to help mitigate the crisis," read a statement on a news release about the meeting.
Earlier this year, Delran adopted an ordinance to fine banks and other lending institutions that fail to properly maintain empty properties. The governing body also began looking at enforcement options in September when residents continued to raise concerns about properties that have fallen into disrepair since being foreclosed on.
Following state legislation passed to deal with the mass of foreclosures, the council adopted an ordinance in January to hold banks and other lending institutions responsible for the care, maintenance, security and upkeep of the exterior of vacant homes.
If banks and mortgage companies fail to fix a problem at a vacant property within 30 days, they will be subject to fines of $1,000 a day.
Officials have acknowledged that enforcement can be time-consuming and difficult, considering many of the problem properties are owned by bank and financial institutions throughout the country. But, residents have continued to ask council to help as it has become an issue for neighborhoods.
Monday's panel includes Tom Borgers, of Borgers & Associates LLC, which is supporting local communities in dealing with housing challenges, including foreclosures, abandoned properties, eminent domain and affordable housing.
Raphael Kasen, a community building specialist of the Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey, also is scheduled to attend along with local Realtors, agents and loan and financing specialists.
Delran urged to fight foreclosure fallout
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/article/20151220/NEWS/312209753By Todd McHale
Posted: Dec 20, 2015
DELRAN -- No neighborhood seems to be spared.
Homes that once housed individuals and families are now abandoned and left to rot on the way to becoming the next eyesore in town.
"It's everywhere," Township Councilman Michael Schwartz said of the number of homes that are in the midst of being foreclosed on. "It's not unique to Delran. It's everywhere."
New Jersey ranks among the highest in the country with tens of thousands of foreclosure cases. But some in the township have had enough of dealing with the remnants of the housing crisis and believe the time has come to address the problem, given the stakes.
New Jersey accounted for 6,448 properties receiving a foreclosure filing in November, a rate of one in every 553 housing units -- second highest among the states, according to RealtyTrac, the nation's leading source for comprehensive housing data.
Resident Faith Bass, a South Jersey Realtor who leads a group known as the On the Move Team, has been compiling data on the issue locally for four months and found that 314 township homes were in some stage of foreclosure and that 122 were abandoned.
"It's staggering," Schwartz said of the findings, even though he's not surprised. "This is the repercussions from the housing fallout of 2008."
At a special Township Council meeting Monday, several real estate experts summoned by the On the Move Team discussed the effects of high foreclosure numbers and the options municipalities have in addressing them.
New Jersey licensed real estate appraiser Jason Kreisman discussed, in part, the effect foreclosed homes can have on the value of other properties in the same neighborhood.
"The foreclosure market can negatively influence, but not necessarily determine, the appraised value of a normal property," Kreisman said.
"Appraisers must draw on their expertise to conclude whether foreclosure data should be applied in a specific territory," he continued. "In areas saturated with foreclosures, appraisers might have little choice but to use distressed sales to support their evaluations."
In summary, Kreisman explained, determining whether foreclosures will decrease the value of other homes is not black and white, and many factors play a role.
"Distressed properties may have a negative impact on the value of surrounding homes in a specific geographical area, again depending on the trend in the area's marketplace," he said, noting that local, regional and nationwide external issues also impact value.
Raphael Kasen, community building specialist for the Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey, said his organization consists of more than 250 corporations espousing affordable housing and neighborhood revitalization, among other causes.
During the meeting, Kasen gave a PowerPoint presentation outlining programs available to municipalities, including creating an abandoned property list; special tax sale and assignment of tax liens; accelerated tax foreclosure; and "Spot Blight" eminent domain, along with other tools towns can use to deal with the issue.
It's unclear how effective any of the programs would be to address Delran's specific needs. Several Burlington County municipalities have tried similar measures, including assessing liens, going after financial institutions and issuing fees for homes left empty, in an attempt to deal with the rash of vacant and abandoned properties after the housing market deflated years ago.
While a solution for every municipality remains elusive, some have managed to bring in some funds.
Palmyra projects to bring in about $75,000 in fees for vacant properties this year alone and even more as time goes on. The revenue is being generated through a local law passed in 2013 that requires owners of vacant properties to register and pay a $500 fee for the first year. The fee jumps to $1,500 for the first renewal of the registration, followed by $3,000 for the second, and $5,000 for the third and subsequent renewals.
Delran Council President Gary Catrambone said that the meeting was informative and that the township has also implemented some of the measures discussed in an effort to solve the problem locally.
Earlier this year, the municipality adopted an ordinance to fine banks and other lending institutions that fail to properly maintain empty properties.
Following state legislation passed to deal with the mass of foreclosures, Delran, similar to other towns in Burlington County, adopted an ordinance in January to hold banks and other lending institutions responsible for the care, maintenance, security and upkeep of the exterior of vacant homes.
If banks and mortgage companies fail to fix a problem at a vacant property within 30 days, they will be subject to fines of $1,500 a day. The fines increase to $2,500 a day if out-of-state creditors do not have a representative in New Jersey to deal with any issues at the property.
"It's not going to take long to get financial institutions' attention when they're getting fined $1,500 to $2,500 a day," Catrambone said.
Both Kasen and Bass value that as a formidable option, among others.
"If you put $1,500-a-day or $2,500-a-day fines on these banks, you'll bring in a lot of revenue," Bass said. "But it's not really about the revenue. It's about our neighbors."
More important, cracking down on financial institutions will discourage them from holding onto properties and not moving them.
"At least get banks to have management teams out there," Bass said. "At least board the homes up so kids don't get in."
However, officials admitted that the "zombie foreclosures" can make it difficult to enforce local measures.
A "zombie foreclosure" is when a homeowner abandons a house after the foreclosure actions are initiated, but the bank has not completed the legal action and taken possession of the house. The homeowner, now long gone, is still listed on the deed. The process can go on for years, leaving the property in limbo and no one maintaining it.
Bass and the team identified two properties in Tenby Chase and Millside Heights, both showing signs of disrepair and neglect, that have sat abandoned for four and seven years, respectively.
Finding the responsible party from financial institutions also can be a daunting task for a town trying to enforce its laws.
"It's a shell game," Schwartz said. "We send notices and they say they are no longer the representative."
Meanwhile, township officials plan to continue to search for more ways to deal with the housing mess.
"We're moving forward and being proactive as we can be," Catrambone said. "It takes time."
He said after the first of the year, the township plans to ramp up code enforcement, but he's not in favor of seizing properties through eminent domain.
"Everybody says, 'Why don't you just take the properties, fix them up and sell them?' " Catrambone said. "The reality is we're not in the position of taking properties," which could cost millions.
"We need to incentivize banks or homeowners to do it now or risk paying $40,000 to $60,000 a year in fines."
Schwartz said he just hopes his fellow council members don't wait too long to act, even if it takes hiring a private company as a resource to help the township tackle the problem.
"This is about protecting the people that are here and not letting banks hold them hostage," Schwartz said of allowing homes to remain vacant rather than modify a loan and keep the owner in the residence. "Neighborhoods are rotting from the inside."
Joe Green: 609-871-8064; email: jgreen@calkins.com; Twitter: @JoeGreenBCT
Proposal on the table to build 108 age-restricted homes in Delran
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/article/20160222/news/302229765By Rose Krebs
Posted: Feb 22, 2016
DELRAN -- Township officials will be considering a proposal to build an age-restricted community at the former Willow Brook Country Club off Bridgeboro Road.
Timber Ridge LLC is seeking preliminary subdivision approval for its Timber Ridge at Delran development at the March 3 Planning Board meeting. Meetings are at 7:30 p.m. at the municipal building on Chester Avenue.
Attorney Tim Prime, who represents the developer, said no builder has signed on yet for the project. The 108 single-family homes would be built on 76 acres and be restricted to those 55 and older. Prime said no affordable units are planned.
The former Willow Brook Country Club, on the border of Moorestown, opened in 1968 and had an 18-hole public golf course on 150 acres in both towns.
The course closed in 2013, and the Moorestown portion is already under construction, including 10 upscale homes built by Cornell Custom Homes as part of the Willow Brook at Moorestown development off Bridgeboro Road. Other builders are also constructing upscale homes off the Garwood Road part of the site.
Clearing is already being done on the Delran portion.
The old clubhouse will be renovated for use by residents, Prime said. The price range for the Timber Ridge homes has not been determined. The square footage will probably be about 2,000 to 2,500 square feet, standard for many age-restricted homes.
The proposed community is one of three major housing projects pending in town, including The Orchards at Delran, which is being built by Ryan Homes off Hartford Road, and 82 single-family, age-restricted homes at the former Stellwag Farm, also off Hartford Road, according to the township.
When asked if the improved economy is starting to lead to more building, Prime said he believes developers are still somewhat cautious, as the resale market has still not entirely recovered to the heights it was at a decade or so ago. Until the resale market recovers a bit more, Prime speculated that builders may not be as quick to move on new development because their prices are often higher than resales.
"I haven't represented a major subdivision in years," said Prime, who has represented many developers over the years. He said things slowed down in about 2007.
"It just died and has not been back since," Prime said.
During the building boom of the 1980s and 1990s, when houses were going up all over South Jersey, Prime said he was representing developers monthly at planning board meetings in towns like Evesham, Medford and Washington, Gloucester County.
Rose Krebs: 609-267-7586; email: rkrebs@calkins.com; Twitter: @rosekrebs
Delran measure aimed at vacant, abandoned properties
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/article/20160322/news/303229758By Todd McHale
Posted: Mar 22, 2016
DELRAN -- The owners of vacant properties are facing a number of new requirements from the township. Registration, fees, inspections and insurance will be mandated starting next month.
The measure, adopted by the Township Council earlier this month, goes into effect May 3 and institutes several requirements for uninhabitable homes and long-shuttered commercial buildings.
The ordinance is aimed at addressing properties that have fallen into disrepair and are no longer being maintained, which leads to a host of problems, including increased fire and public health risks, criminal activity, and a decrease in property values in neighborhoods, officials said.
"These are homes that are not being kept up, with the gutters falling off and some even abandoned," Council President Gary Catrambone said.
Under the measure, vacant properties are any buildings used or to be used as a residence, which are not legally occupied, or in which all lawful construction operations or residential occupancy has ceased and cannot be reoccupied without repair or rehabilitation.
As of the effective date, owners of vacant properties must register them within 30 days after the building becomes vacant or within 10 days of the receipt of a notice from the municipality.
Registration is valid for a year and costs $500. The fee jumps to $1,500 for a first renewal, $3,000 for a second, and $5,000 for every subsequent renewal.
In addition to securing and maintaining the property, the owner must post a sign to the building with the name, address and telephone number of an authorized agent. The owner also must keep liability insurance of not less than $300,000 for residential buildings and $1 million for multifamily and commercial properties.
Violators will be subject to fines of between $500 and $1,000 for each offense. Every day a violation continues will be deemed a separate offense and must be paid by the owner or risk a lien being put on the property.
"We're just trying to be proactive," Catrambone said of the measure and other local laws passed recently that are designed to deal with vacant and abandoned properties.
Todd McHale: 609-871-8163; email: tmchale@calkins.com; Twitter: @toddmchale
Delran Community Park slated to open Saturday
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/article/20160406/NEWS/304069720By Todd McHale
Posted: Apr 6, 2016DELRAN -- Winter, money and even grass will not delay the long-awaited grand opening of the Delran Community Park on Saturday.
As long as rain stays away, the township and a parade of ballplayers will formally open the athletic complex at the 34-acre park off Hartford Road starting at 9:30 a.m.
Officials and residents have been waiting for years for this day to happen.
"It's probably one of the biggest things going on in Delran in a long time," Mayor Ken Paris said.
The multimillion-dollar park was supposed to open on Memorial Day 2015, but a tough winter the year before, followed by the grass not taking root, forced a delay.
"Unfortunately, you can't control the weather or the grass germination," Paris said.
But that's all in the past, and officials look forward to seeing players, coaches, residents and dignitaries stream in to see firsthand the park, which features four fields for baseball and softball, including a synthetic-turf "Buddy Ball Field" for children with physical and developmental disabilities.
Eventually, with the assistance of grants and donations, the municipality plans to put in an all-purpose field for soccer, field hockey and lacrosse; a Jake's Place accessible playground; and passive recreation that includes hiking trails, a veterans walk and benches.
"We really needed something that would be the centerpiece where all the festivals and all the big events would happen," Township Council President Gary Catrambone said of the vision for the site.
After several years of planning, securing funding through the Burlington County Municipal Park Development Assistance Program, and fundraising efforts by the Delran Athletic Association, the fields are ready for action.
To mark the occasion, nearly 500 ballplayers will parade in, followed by the dedication of a flagpole donated by the Klumpp family, former owners of Willow Brook Country Club; musical performances, including by Audio Overdrive and Tyler Petrucelli, a local high school graduate and former contestant on "The Voice"; and a short ceremony before the first pitch.
In addition to the games, there will be a magician, face painters, balloon makers, candy tosses, mascots and other activities.
The event was organized by Councilwoman Patty Kolodi and the Delran Athletic Association. Kolodi credited association president Bob Kennedy for his efforts.
"Bob has been the force behind the fundraising," she said of the tens of thousands of dollars in donations provided by local businesses for scoreboards, dugouts, bleachers and other amenities slated in the coming months.
Since acquiring the property in 2008, the township has spent about $3.2 million and received just over $1.8 million in grants and financial commitments.
Even though it's taken longer than expected, Paris said he and the council wanted to make sure the park wasn't a budget buster.
"I know a lot of the families with kids would have liked to see it done quicker, but we're trying to please everybody," he said. "We've got a lot of seniors in town, and with the way the economy is, we try to balance it out."
Catrambone agreed.
"We now have that centerpiece that is going to get even better," he said. "I feel proud of what has been accomplished and how we accomplished it, and proud of how we funded it."
"I can't wait until Saturday," he added.
If weather is an issue, organizers will make the call on Friday and post an announcement on the municipal website, www.delrantownship.org, and on the association's site, www.delranaa.org.
Todd McHale: 609-871-871-8163; email: tmchale@calkins.com; Twitter: @toddmchale
Jake’s Place raises awareness in Delran, beyond
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/article/20160608/NEWS/306089706By Todd McHale
Posted: Jun 8, 2016
As the fundraising efforts continue for an all-inclusive playground to be built at the Delran Community Park off Hartford Road, Jake's Place has inspired state legislation for similar projects across New Jersey.
Assembly Majority Leader Louis Greenwald and state Sen. James Beach have sponsored a bill to ensure every county has a playground that any child, including those with disabilities, can play on. Both Democrats represent the 6th District and live in Voorhees.
The proposed legislation, advanced Monday by the Assembly's Women and Children's Committee, would clear the way for state funds to be used to assist in paying for these projects.
"This law will be a giant step forward for people of every ability," said Arthur Aston, executive director of Build Jake's Place. "By encouraging Green Acres funding for all-inclusive playgrounds, more communities and more families can enjoy the obvious benefits of accommodating all New Jersey residents."
Created in 2007, Build Jake's Place helps construct and operate playgrounds for children of varied abilities. Inspired by 2-year-old Jacob Nasto, who died of complications from a heart defect, his family chose to honor his memory with a specially designed playground in Cherry Hill based on the belief that every child deserves a chance to play, regardless of physical challenges.
In 2014, the organization found Delran Community Park to be an ideal location for another Build Jake's Place playground because of the Americans With Disabilities Act-approved synthetic turf and "Buddy Ball" field that give those with physical or developmental disabilities a chance to compete.
But before construction of the playground can kick off, a lot of money needs to be raised.
"The playground is going to cost upwards of $700,000, and that's with a community build," said Debra Gordon-Leonard, board secretary for the nonprofit organization.
In the last couple of weeks, the organization has been talking to students in town to encourage them to join the fundraising efforts, including one on July 19 at the Cinnaminson Rita's Water Ice and the Jake's Run4Play 5K run and 1-mile walk at Delran High School on Oct. 2.
Prior to joining the organization several years ago, Gordon-Leonard said she never imagined how many are not able to enjoy a playground.
Children and adults with disabilities find obstacles with the ground-up rubber fill or wood chips that are used in many playgrounds.
"Wheelchairs can't move on that and crutches have a hard time moving on it, and that's just the start of it," Gordon-Leonard said. "The child in a wheelchair cannot go to the playground, cannot go to the top of the climbing apparatus because there are no ramps."
That's not the case at Jake's Place.
"A child who is challenged or even if a (parent) was injured in some way, they can play not only with the other kids normally, but parents can play with their kids in a way they were never able to do so before, because of the challenges they have to face," Gordon-Leonard said.
For more information about fundraisers and sponsorship opportunities for Jake's Place, visit buildjakesplace.org.
Todd McHale: 609-871-871-8163; email: tmchale@calkins.com; Twitter: @toddmchale
Delran race, walk to take strides at building all-inclusive playground
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20200804052635/https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/75b11edc-8674-11e6-9622-63f247e0d98a.htmlBy Danielle DeSisto
Posted: Sep 29, 2016DELRAN -- The third annual Jake's Run4Play 5K run and one-mile walk on Sunday will not only kick off Delran High School's Spirit Week, but also will help build an all-inclusive playground at the Delran Community Park.
The playground will be constructed at the park on Hartford Road by Build Jake's Place, a Camden County nonprofit working to provide playgrounds accessible to children with disabilities.
The Run4Play will be held at the school off Hartford Road with on-site registration beginning at 6:45 a.m. The 5K will start at 8 and the walk at 8:15.
The first three finishers in the male and female groups will receive cash prizes. Awards will also be given to those who raise money through pledges above the registration fee of $20 per student and $25 for adults.
About 325 participants have already registered for the event, making it the largest 5K run for Build Jake's Place to date, according to executive director Arthur Aston.
Race director Debra Gordon-Leonard, who is also board secretary for Build Jake's Place, said she's thrilled with how well the event has been received and anticipates that even more may come out.
"A lot of people wait to find out what the weather is going to be like before they decide," Gordon-Leonard said. "So far, it looks like there will be overcast skies at the start and hopefully no rain."
For those who decide at the last minute to participate, organizers assure that there will be a spot for them, too.
"Anybody who wants to run or walk, we will register them up until the race and walk start," Gordon-Leonard said.
Township Councilwoman Lona Pangia, a mother of triplets, reached out to Build Jake's Place in 2014 about constructing an all-inclusive playground after learning about the nonprofit's first effort in Cherry Hill. That playground opened five years ago in memory of Jacob Cummings-Nasto, who was born with half a heart and died at age 2 in 2007.
Like its sister playground, the Delran location will feature amenities that allow children with disabilities to play in a way they may not be able to at other playgrounds, including having wheelchair accessibility, play equipment with braille, and de-escalation areas for children with autism.
"Everything is intentionally built to target different disabilities," Aston said.
The playground will have a South Jersey theme, with tributes to the shore, New Jersey Turnpike, farming and Ben Franklin Bridge.
The group hopes to "have shovels in the ground" next fall, Aston said.
Aston has spina bifida, a birth defect that affects his spinal column. He uses crutches regularly and a wheelchair for long distances. He said he is delighted to give children with disabilities opportunities he did not have in his own childhood.
"It would have meant so much to me then, but it means so much to me now," he said.
Build Jake's Place has raised more than $100,000 of the $650,000 it will need to build the playground.
Organizers credited the school administration and students for their assistance in Sunday's event. A $5,000 donation by Eickhoff ShopRite Supermarkets, Carlo's Bakery's donation of some tasty treats, and all the other sponsors helped make Sunday's event happen, Gordon-Leonard said.
Besides the 5K event, the organization will host a "Paint 'n' Sip" night at Holy Cross Academy on Route 130 at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12, at which guests may bring their own wine and create art pieces.
For more information, visit buildjakesplace.org/#buildjakesplace.
Danielle DeSisto: 609-871-8050; email: ddesisto@calkins.com; Twitter: @DeSistoBCT
Affordable housing fight brewing in Delran
Source: https://www.facebook.com/groups/858497087512260/posts/1932215086807116/By David Levinsky
Posted: Jul 23, 2017DELRAN -- The long-standing court battle over affordable housing and whether New Jersey towns are doing enough to make it available within their borders may have originated in Mount Laurel, but the fight is coming to Delran.
The 7-square-mile suburb along the Delaware River and mouth of the Rancocas Creek is being sued by the Fair Share Housing Center. The nonprofit advocacy group alleges that the Township Council is trying to skirt its affordable housing obligations by claiming there isn’t enough vacant space for substantially more low-income homes or apartments, even though the Planning Board recently approved the development of two large age-restricted housing projects. Neither included affordable units.
The group, which believes the township should be planning for hundreds of additional affordable units over the next decade, is seeking a court order to prevent the projects from moving forward until a decision is reached on Delran’s housing obligation.
Fair Share isn’t the only one taking issue with the municipality’s housing plans.
Two developers have also entered the legal battle, arguing that they are interested in building communities with low-income housing in different parts of town, but in at least one of the cases, the township has refused to rezone the land to permit the proposed high-density development.
Anthony Campisi, Fair Share’s spokesman, said Delran’s actions could be interpreted as “fraud,” and he rated the township as one of the worst actors in the state when it comes to avoiding their constitutionally mandated affordable housing obligation.
“They seem intent on locking out working families in New Jersey and doing anything they can to drag this on,” Campisi said. “They haven’t complied. They’re probably one of the worst municipalities in the state given the games they’re playing.”
Delran officials countered that their intent in approving age-restricted housing was to keep the township affordable by expanding its tax base without overburdening the school system with new children.
The township’s average property tax bill has grown by close to 8 percent over the last three years, from $6,817 in 2013 to $7,381 last year, according to tax records posted by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs.
“We felt those (age-restricted communities) would have a minimal impact on schools and be good for Delran,” Mayor Ken Paris said Thursday.
At the heart of all the legal wrangling are the series of New Jersey Supreme Court decisions establishing that towns have a constitutional obligation to provide opportunities for adequate affordable housing.
The litigation began in the 1970s, when housing advocate Ethel Lawrence and the NAACP sued Mount Laurel for using zoning to keep out low-income housing.
Achieving compliance with those court orders has been challenging and has sparked years of debate, legislation and even more litigation, including a 2015 Supreme Court ruling ordering lower courts to take over affordable housing compliance from the state Council of Affordable Housing, the agency created by the Legislature to enforce the housing laws and mandates. The takeover stemmed from COAH’s failure to craft adequate rules and quotas for how many low- and moderate-income homes towns must zone and plan for.
In the wake of the takeover, municipalities must submit housing plans to Superior Court to review. The plans are expected to spell out how many affordable homes and apartments the town expects will be developed over the next decade, approximately where the development is expected, and what steps the town plans to take to encourage the development.
If a judge decides the plan is adequate, the town will be granted protection from lawsuits by developers and nonprofits, called builders remedy lawsuits, that can force it to approve low-income housing if there isn’t adequate housing available or planned.
Since the high court’s order, hundreds of communities have been involved in litigation over the number of affordable units they need, with Fair Share acting as an intervener.
Delran is one of the towns seeking court protection.
The municipality’s 2016 housing plan submitted for court approval specifies that officials believe there is a realistic potential for the development of 44 affordable units based on the available vacant land.
Fair Share argues that the town’s obligation is substantially more, closer to 800 units, and that the vacant land-use study submitted in February 2016 failed to factor in the 76 acres of available land for the Timber Ridge development, a proposed 108-unit age-restricted community planned on the former Willow Brook Country Club off Bridgeboro Road.
The development, by Timber Ridge LLC, received preliminary major site-plan approval from the Planning Board in May 2016, but Delran contends that the project was in the works well before then and was the result of a 2009 settlement agreement between the landowners and the municipality over the zoning.
The adopted ordinance specified that the development would be market-rate units only and would include no affordable units. Fair Share never contested the ordinance.
In July 2016, Delran also approved a redevelopment plan for the former Stellwag Farms off Hartford Road specifying that an 82-unit age-restricted community would be built there. That plan also calls for no affordable homes.
“These are lost opportunities we thus far are aware of, but in view of the pattern of disregard for its (affordable housing) responsibilities, there are likely other examples,” Fair Share counsel Kevin Walsh wrote in a January letter to Superior Court Judge Paula Dow, who is considering Delran’s housing plan.
Walsh’s letter asked Dow to allow Fair Share to intervene in the case, and to order so-called “scarce resource restraints” preventing the municipality from allowing the two developments to proceed or the township from approving any additional development, without the court’s consent.
Fair Share has estimated that the Timber Ridge site alone has room for 228 affordable homes, and that without action by the court, the opportunity for low- and moderate-income families will be lost.
“Without an injunction on future conduct that further exacerbates the scarcity of development and redevelopment opportunities, the municipality’s misconduct will continue and the public interest will be harmed,” Walsh wrote.
The judge has made no decision in the case.
In addition to Fair Share’s legal filings, two other low-income developers have entered the legal battle.
Chester Avenue Developers LLC is interested in developing 23 acres off Chester Avenue owned by Holy Cross Academy as multifamily housing. It claims in court papers that the municipality has refused to consider rezoning the site for that purpose.
More recently, Atlantic Delta Corp. purchased close to 15 acres off Route 130 near Haines Mill Road that it believes is suitable for 240 multifamily apartments or a similar development with at least 36 affordable units.
Neither developer is permitted to file a builders remedy action because Delran still enjoys temporary immunity from such actions. But Fair Share plans to argue that the immunity should be lifted.
“As it stands now, we think they’re really bad actors and aren’t acting in good faith at all,” Campisi said.
Dow is expected to consider that issue in September, he said.
Paris said the township is preparing for what could become a protracted legal battle over the proposed developments and how many more affordable homes are needed.
“Our (housing) experts came up with a number, and (Fair Share) thinks it should be higher,” the mayor said, adding that the municipality plans to hold a special public meeting to discuss the litigation.
“We want to make sure our residents are informed about what’s going on, what the litigation is about and where we’re at,” Paris said. “We want to make things very transparent.”
Council President Gary Catrambone said the township has been working for years to keep development at a minimum to help control property taxes and school overcrowding.
“Specifically, the developer at Willow Brook, we’ve been working for over five years to get the right number of units that hopefully will have zero impact on the schools, because they are age-restricted and (have) very little impact, if any, on their close neighbors,” Catrambone said.
“The developer of the old Stellwag property understood that this council and the mayor would work with them if they were proposing age-restricted housing, and they did,” he said.
Tim Prime, an attorney representing the Timber Ridge developers, said the company would join Delran in fighting Fair Share’s request to put a hold on that development.
“Obviously, we have a valid approval given to use by the Planning Board,” Prime said. “We believe we have the right to proceed.”
David Levinsky: 609-871-8154; email: dlevinsky@calkins.com; Twitter: @davidlevinsky
Groundbreaking set for Jake’s Place all-inclusive playground in Delran
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/news/20180331/groundbreaking-set-for-jakes-place-all-inclusive-playground-in-delranBy Danielle DeSisto
Posted: Mar 31, 2018After four years of planning, fundraising and much anticipation, the Camden-County nonprofit Build Jake’s Place is ready to construct an all-inclusive playground at Delran Community Park. Groundbreaking for Jake’s Place is planned for June 2. The all-access installation will be built by volunteers beginning in September, with an anticipated grand opening in October.
DELRAN — After four years of planning, fundraising and much anticipation, Camden County nonprofit Build Jake’s Place is ready to construct an all-inclusive playground at Delran Community Park.
Groundbreaking for Jake’s Place, a playground for children of all abilities, is planned for June 2. The all-access installation off Hartford Road will be built by volunteers beginning in September, with an anticipated grand opening in October.
Created in 2007, Build Jake’s Place helps construct and operate playgrounds for children of varied abilities. Inspired by 2-year-old Jacob Nasto, who died of complications from a heart defect, his family chose to honor his memory with a specially designed playground in Cherry Hill based on its belief that every child deserves a chance to play, regardless of physical challenges.
Jake’s Place Delran will have a South Jersey theme, with tributes to the shore, New Jersey Turnpike, farming and Ben Franklin Bridge. It will feature amenities that allow children with disabilities to play in a way they may not be able to at other playgrounds, including having wheelchair accessibility, play equipment with Braille, and de-escalation areas for children with autism.
The nonprofit began working with the municipality in 2014. Like its sister playground in Cherry Hill, it took four years to fundraise the $600,000 needed to build.
Jake’s family members never lost hope that their vision would one day become reality.
“We’ve had confidence from day one that this would happen,” said Jim Cummings, Jake’s grandfather and a board member of Build Jake’s Place.
The nonprofit hit its goal at its second annual Magic of Play fundraiser March 22 at The Merion in Cinnaminson. Over 400 people attended.
Over the years, Build Jake’s Place received several large grants and donations, including a $200,000 Green Acres grant from the Burlington County Board of Freeholders, $100,000 from Fox and Roach real estate offices in South Jersey, and $50,000 from the Pennsylvania-based Widener Foundation.
The remaining contributions — just under half the budget — were individual small donations from community members and fundraising events, Cummings said.
“Essentially, it’s being built with 20 dollar bills,” he said.
Once the project was announced, the community came together in support of Jake’s Place, Mayor Ken Paris said. The school district, for example, offered space for annual 5K runs and one-mile walks, and the Township Council helped secure grants and funding.
“It was a conglomeration of everyone in the town helping and contributing to its success,” Paris said. “We’re excited to finally have it come to fruition.”
Nothing made Jake happier than spending time at playgrounds, even if he couldn’t use all of the equipment, Cummings said. He hopes Jake’s Place will bring a smile to the faces of children of all abilities.
“When we go to Cherry Hill, we can hear him laughing,” Cummings said. “We know it’ll be the same when he sees Delran.”
Judge rules Delran affordable-housing complaint can move forward
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/news/20180423/judge-rules-delran-affordable-housing-complaint-can-move-forwardBy David Levinsky
Posted: Apr 23, 2018
Superior Court Judge Paula T. Dow rejected motions from Delran, the town’s planning board and a local landowner to dismiss a pair of lawsuits brought by the Cherry Hill-based Fair Share Housing Center against the town, finding that there is sufficient enough reasons for the advocacy group’s complaints to go to trial.
DELRAN — A Superior Court judge has ruled that a legal battle over the township’s affordable housing obligation and whether its municipal government actions equated to fraud and civil rights violations can move forward.
Judge Paula T. Dow rejected motions from Delran, the town’s planning board and a local landowner to dismiss a pair of lawsuits brought by the Cherry Hill-based Fair Share Housing Center against the town, finding that there is sufficient enough reasons for the advocacy group’s complaints to go to trial.
“The court finds that under the particular facts of this case, Fair Share Housing Center has pled sufficient facts and a cognizable cause of action to proceed on its challenge,” Dow wrote in her April 17 decision.
Her ruling does not end the case, but does allow it to potentially proceed to trial unless the township and the nonprofit housing advocate are able to reach a settlement.
At issue is Fair Share’s claims that the municipal government is trying to skirt the town’s affordable housing obligations by claiming there isn’t enough vacant space for substantially more low-income homes or apartments, even though the Planning Board in 2016 approved the development of two large age-restricted housing projects. Neither project included affordable units.
Fair Share sued to prevent both projects from moving forward until a decision is reached on Delran’s housing obligation, which is subject to court approval due to a 2015 New Jersey Supreme Court order instructing Superior Courts to take over affordable housing compliance from the state Council of Affordable Housing, the agency created by the Legislature to enforce the housing laws and mandates.
The mandate that towns zone and plan for sufficient affordable housing dates back to the 1970s when housing advocate Ethel Lawrence and the NAACP sued Mount Laurel for using zoning to keep out low-income housing. The Supreme Court’s decisions established that towns have a constitutional obligation to provide opportunities for affordable housing within their borders.
The two developments in question are the Timber Ridge development, a proposed 108-unit age-restricted community planned on the former Willow Brook Country Club on Bridgeboro Road, and the Stellwag Farms development, a planned 82-unit seniors community off Hartford Road.
Both projects were approved by Delran’s Planning Board in 2016 after the township had already submitted an affordable housing plan for court approval that argued there was only enough vacant land left in the town to accommodate an additional 44 affordable housing units.
Fair Share argues that the town’s obligation is substantially more, closer to 700 units, and that the vacant land-use study submitted in February 2016 failed to factor in the available vacant land from both the Timber Ridge and Stellwag Farms projects.
The group’s lawsuits alleges that the town’s failure to include the approximately 100 acres on those two properties in the vacant land study amounted to fraud against the court, and that the town’s actions to avoid planning for sufficient affordable housing constitutes a Civil Rights Act violation because many of the residents who would likely take advantage of the low-income housing opportunities would be minorities or disabled.
On the Timber Ridge property alone there is potentially space for over 225 affordable units, according to Fair Share’s lawsuit.
In its legal filings, Delran argued that complaints should be dismissed on grounds that it wasn’t timely and was improperly filed and that Fair Share fails to make a sufficient case that the government may have committed fraud or violated the Civil Rights Act.
The Planning Board also argued its decision to approve the two developments was separate and independent from the vacant land use study, and that the township had long pursued developing both properties as age-restricted housing.
In 2009, the township reached a court-approved settlement with the owners of the Timber Ridge property specifying that the governing body would amend its zoning laws for the project in return for a donation of 42 acres of the property for proposed recreational athletic fields and $250,000 to assist with the development of that athletic complex.
Dow rejected those arguments, ruling that Fair Share had presented sufficient facts and arguments to permit the case to move forward.
Anthony Campisi, a spokesman for the Fair Share Housing Center, said the nonprofit was pleased with the judge’s ruling, noting that the housing laws require towns to make “good faith” efforts to comply.
“(Delran) has demonstrated time and time again they’re not interested in following New Jersey law,” Campisi said, adding that it was “crazy” for the township to believe it could approve two major developments without any affordable units while simultaneously argue that there is sufficient vacant land for more housing.
Brian Schotts, Delran’s affordable housing counsel, could not immediately be reached for comment.
Previously, Mayor Ken Paris and other township officials have said the town was in favor of developing the land as age-restricted housing in order to keep the town affordable by expanding its tax base without overburdening the school system with new children.
The township’s average property tax bill has grown close to 10 percent over the last four years from $6,817 in 2013 to $7,481 last year, according to tax records posted by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs.
During a public forum last year, several residents urged the township’s elected leaders to fight against any mandated affordable housing, arguing it would result in higher property taxes.
“No one is entitled to own a home,” resident Bob Gilbert said during the forum. “If you are low-income, then rent.”
Campisi said Delran’s reluctance to negotiate a reasonable affordable housing plan was in contrast to dozens of other towns across the state who have reached settlements with the nonprofit on appropriate housing plans.
He cited Delran’s neighbor, Moorestown, which recently reached an agreement with Fair Share on a housing plan that calls for a total of 337 affordable units to be developed over the next seven years and for hundreds more to be developed if redevelopment occurs at the Moorestown Malls and other underused commercial properties in town.
Editorial: Delran should settle housing dispute
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/opinion/20180425/editorial-delran-should-settle-housing-disputePosted: Apr 25, 2018
This isn't a battle worth fighting, but Delran appears willing to draw a line in the sand.
The municipality may be heading to court with the Cherry Hill-based Fair Share Housing Center over affordable housing, an issue that started in Mount Laurel over 40 years ago. Yet here we are, in 2018, and Delran is contesting what a dozen Burlington County towns have already negotiated and settled — their constitutional obligation to provide low- to moderate-income housing.
No one is saying these towns have to like providing for affordable housing. If they liked it, the matter wouldn't have required the New Jersey Supreme Court to get involved. But these other communities reached their settlements without undue stress or duress.
Delran obviously thinks its position is justified. It's a risky roll of the dice.
At issue is Fair Share’s claims that the local government is trying to get around the town’s affordable housing obligations by claiming there's not enough vacant space for low-income homes or apartments, even though the Planning Board in 2016 approved two large age-restricted projects. Neither included low-income units because the township had already submitted an affordable housing plan for court approval that argued only 44 units could be accommodated.
Not surprisingly, Fair Share sued, claiming fraud and civil rights violations, to stall both projects. A Superior Court judge this week found sufficient enough reasons exist for the nonprofit advocacy group’s complaints to go to trial. Unless, that is, the township and Fair Share can reach a settlement.
We recommend a settlement.
The developments in question are Timber Ridge, a 108-unit age-restricted community planned on the former Willow Brook Country Club on Bridgeboro Road, and Stellwag Farms, a planned 82-unit senior community off Hartford Road.
Township officials are on record as favoring housing for senior citizens because low-income families with children would overburden a school system that is one of the most underfunded in the state. And yet, in 2009, Delran reached a court-approved settlement to amend its zoning laws in favor of Timber Ridge in return for 42 acres of the property for recreational athletic fields and $250,000 to help develop that athletic complex.
Funny, but who is most likely to use those athletic fields? Families with children, including those in affordable housing.
If this seems crazy, that's just the word Anthony Campisi, a spokesman for the Fair Share Housing Center, used to describe how township officials could think they could approve two major developments without any affordable homes while at the same time arguing that there is insufficient vacant land for more housing.
“(Delran) has demonstrated time and time again they’re not interested in following New Jersey law,” Campisi said.
We get that Fair Share is playing hard ball, and that the state has its own reproachable role in all this, with the ongoing school funding crisis and the decade-long stagnation in state aid.
Also, Delran no doubt has existing housing that qualifies as affordable and should be credited. Still, 44 seems like a low number, especially when neighboring Moorestown recently settled with Fair Share for 337 units over seven years.
If this case does go to court, Delran could win. But it would be a legal victory only. Moral? Not so much.
Letters to the Editor for April 30
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/opinion/20180430/letters-to-editor-for-april-30Posted: Apr 30, 2018
Delran has plenty of low-income housing
In response to the Burlington County Times' April 25 editorial about Delran's affordable housing issue, in 1983 the Mount Laurel II Supreme Court decision granted builders' remedies to developers that had sued several towns in an effort to build large housing developments with low- and moderate-income housing components. One of these towns was Delran.
Although the concept that every community should be affordable to everyone is a noble concept, the fact is that social engineering does not work. These builders' remedies forced Delran, through this court order, to allow the building of Summer Hill and The Grande at Rancocas. Small components of these two developments are low- and moderate-income housing.
A number of these Council on Affordable Housing properties have gone through foreclosure. To preserve these homes as affordable units, Delran has had to buy them. Currently, the municipality owns three unoccupied COAH homes that have been marketed by the state agency and Delran for some time, yet qualified owners cannot be found. Delran has had an inventory of these homes since before I left the Township Council seven years ago.
Delran has a significant amount of low-income housing in the Hunter's Glen complex. These units, if applied to our COAH assessment, would more than meet our obligation. For some reason, these units don't count toward our obligation. Before we are forced to build more, can we find qualified buyers for the empty properties?
According to the BCT editorial, a victory by Delran would be a legal victory only, not a moral one. I disagree.
Mark Macey
Delran
Delran has a new plan for Stellwag Farm property and it includes tax abatement
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/news/20180912/delran-has-new-plan-for-stellwag-farm-property-and-it-includes-tax-abatementBy David Levinsky
Posted: Sep 12, 2018
DELRAN — The township’s governing body voted Tuesday to add affordable housing to the redevelopment plan for the former Stellwag Farm property and to enter into a five-year tax abatement agreement with the project’s developer.
The Council voted Tuesday to approve a package of ordinances and resolutions related to the redevelopment project, which is also at the center of an ethics complaint involving the town’s mayor, Democrat Ken Paris.
The revised plans continue to require the Hartford Road property be developed as age-restricted housing, but it now specifies that 20 of the 111 units planned on the 29-acre property should be affordable condos. Previously the project was to consist entirely of 82 market-rate townhouses.
Council President Gary Catrambone said the change was made as part of a larger affordable housing settlement agreement and plan the town hopes to finalize with the Fair Share Housing Center, a nonprofit advocacy group that alleged in a lawsuit filed earlier this year that the town was trying to skirt its housing obligations.
The proposed settlement calls for the town to plan for an additional 356 affordable units to be developed over the next decade, according to Catrambone.
In order to meet that quota, Catrambone said the township approached the Stellwag Farms’ developer, Delran Land Investment LLC, to discuss adding an affordable housing component to the project, which has been in the works for several years.
As part of those negotiations the town agreed to enter into a five-year tax abatement agreement for the property.
Under the agreement, which was approved by a 4-1 vote, the property’s planned development will be 100 percent exempt from local taxes in the first year, and then pay 20 percent of the full taxes owed in the second year, 40 percent in the third year, 60 percent in the fourth year and 80 percent in the fifth year.
Catrambone said the abatement would not extend to the affordable units planned for the property and that the town and the Delran School District would receive a portion of the payments made to the town under the agreement, even though the units would be age-restricted and unlikely to add to the district’s enrollment.
“The end result is after six years this property will go from generating around $30,000 to over $1 million in tax revenue with no impact on the schools. I think that will be a win,” Catrambone said, adding that the deal would also help stave off a prolonged legal battle with Fair Share that would likely be expensive.
“If we went to trial, we’d likely be spending half a million dollars in attorney fees, even if we won,” he said.
Anthony Campisi, a spokesman for the Fair Share Housing Center, said the council’s approval of the redevelopment deal with affordable units represented progress in the push for adequate housing in the suburban town.
“We’re pleased that Delran has approved a redevelopment agreement for Stellwags that helps the township meet its considerable fair housing obligation. Though we can’t comment on ongoing negotiations, we are hopeful that we will soon reach a settlement with Delran that will satisfy the township’s obligation and expand opportunities for working families in South Jersey,” Campisi said.
The lone vote against the amended redevelopment plan and tax abatement deal was from Councilman Tyler Burrell, who cited the ethics questions surrounding the mayor.
“I have a problem voting with it with the way the mayor’s potential alleged interest or ethical concerns. It’s me protesting that more than anything else,” Burrell said during the meeting.
His statement was prompted by a question from a resident during a public hearing on an ordinance related to the abatement deal.
Paris was not present at Tuesday’s meeting and could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.
The mayor said in April he would recuse himself from all township business involving the property after it was revealed that he has business ties with Jeff Lucas, a real estate broker who was a consultant on the project and served as the developer’s representative during council meetings in 2014, 2015 and 2016, according to council meeting minutes.
Lucas also testified for the developer during at least one township Planning Board meeting in November 2015, according to available meeting minutes.
Paris and Lucas share an interest in a limited liability company that owns Ott’s Voorhees Tavern in Camden County.
As mayor, Paris does not typically vote on resolutions or ordinances. However, he can participate in discussions at meetings and could be called upon to break a tie vote.
Catrambone said neither Paris nor Lucas participated in the recent negotiations with Delran Land Investment regarding the amended redevelopment plan or tax abatement.
“This had nothing to do with the mayor,” he said, adding that he sent a letter to the New Jersey Ethics Commission this month requesting that it launch an investigation to determine whether the mayor’s prior negotiations with Lucas or the developer were proper.
He said the letter reflects his own opinion and not the entire council’s.
“I am personally and deeply concerned about the ethical and legal nature of this transaction. I am therefore submitting this letter requesting an investigation,” Catrambone wrote in the letter, dated Sept. 3. “This unprecedented decision did not come easily and I never considered that I would ever have to deal with this type of ethical concern, but, my number one priority is protecting the residents of Delran.”
Catrambone’s request is the second made to the state Ethics Commission to investigate the mayor’s actions related to the redevelopment of the former farm. An anonymous complaint was previously sent to the commission over Paris and Lucas’ connection, according to a source who provided the newspaper with a copy.
It’s unclear if the commission has referred either request to the state Department of Community Affairs’ Local Government Services office, which handles ethics matters involving local officials.
Paris, a Democrat who has served as mayor since 2008, has previously described the controversy over his ties to Lucas and the redevelopment project as a “political witch hunt” instigated by Catrambone to make the mayor’s post available.
He has also said he was told by Doug Long, the town’s solicitor in 2014 when the redevelopment of the property was first discussed, that his business connection to Lucas was not a conflict.
Long and his firm, Grace Marmero and Associates, resigned as the town’s solicitor in June, citing a push by the mayor to replace them as the town’s general counsel.
Construction on Jake’s Place all-inclusive playground in Delran delayed
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/news/20180916/construction-on-jakes-place-all-inclusive-playground-in-delran-delayedBy Danielle DeSisto
Posted: Sep 16, 2018The community build for Jake’s Place, an all-access installation for children of all abilities, originally set for October has been postponed to spring, according to the nonprofit Build Jake’s Place.
DELRAN — Children will have to wait a little longer to enjoy an all-inclusive playground at Delran Community Park.
The community build for Jake’s Place, an all-access installation for children of all abilities, originally set for October has been postponed to spring, according to the nonprofit Build Jake’s Place.
Created in 2007, Build Jake’s Place helps construct and operate playgrounds for children of varied abilities. Inspired by 2-year-old Jacob Nasto, who died of complications from a heart defect, his family chose to honor his memory with a specially designed playground in Cherry Hill, Camden County, based on its belief that every child deserves a chance to play, regardless of physical challenges.
The nonprofit began working with the municipality in 2014 to build a Jake’s Place location in Delran. Like its sister playground in Cherry Hill, it took four years to raise the $600,000 needed to build.
Officials broke ground on the future installation site off Hartford Road on Aug. 7 to coincide with Delran National Night Out. Volunteers were expected to install the playground over three days in October for a November grand opening, but “unforeseen complications” have delayed the project, according to the nonprofit.
“It’s very complicated, but there was a cost overrun that would happen in the fall but would not happen in the spring,” said Jim Cummings, Jake’s grandfather and a board member of Build Jake’s Place.
When the nonprofit went out to bid for contractors to complete site preparation, concrete underlayment and site abatement work, among others, it was not able to find price estimates within its budget.
“Because of that fact that it’s late in the year, we only had one response to the bid that was way over all the estimates of what that cost would be,” Cummings said. Experts have told the nonprofit going out for bid in the spring should lower costs, he added.
Additionally, the surfacing for the playground can only be done during a five-day period with no rain with temperatures in the early 70s, so the excessive rain this season may have delayed the project further regardless, Cummings said.
Apart from the playground’s installation, the project is right on track, Cummings said. The design is complete, the funds have been raised, and over 20,000 pieces of playground equipment has been manufactured and is en route to Delran, where it will be stored for the winter.
Jake’s Place Delran will have a South Jersey theme, with tributes to the shore, New Jersey Turnpike, farming and Ben Franklin Bridge. It will feature amenities that allow children with disabilities to play in a way they may not be able to at other playgrounds, including having wheelchair accessibility, play equipment with braille, and de-escalation areas for children with autism.
The nonprofit hopes to hold the community build in April for a grand opening in late April or early May. The extended break this winter will allow Build Jake’s Place to raise additional funds to complete phases two and three of the playground, during which more equipment like swings and a zipline will be installed.
Though it will be a few months before Jake’s family’s dream will become reality, they are excited and grateful to have made it this far, Cummings said.
“We’re just so happy right now. When we got word the equipment was finished and on its way to us, we had a little dance in the living room,” Cummings said. “It’s very exciting to think we’re finally at fruition after all this time.”
For information and to donate to Build Jake’s Place, visit buildjakesplace.org.
All-inclusive Jake’s Place in Delran to open in July
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/news/20190528/all-inclusive-jakes-place-in-delran-to-open-in-julyBy Gianluca D’Elia
Posted: May 28, 2019
The playground on Hartford Road includes a synthetic surface, wide ramps; bridges, balance beams and stepping circles made for kids to work on their coordination and balance skills; swings with molded bucket seats, play equipment with braille and de-escalation areas for children with autism.
DELRAN — After five years of planning, a playground designed so that all kids, no matter their challenges, could get out and enjoy is set to open in Delran as early as July.
The township location at 12 Hartford Road will be the first Jake’s Place in Burlington County, and it would be the second statewide after the original Cherry Hill playground in 2011.
Jake’s Place is named in honor of Jacob Cummings-Nasto, who died at age 2 from complications of open heart surgery. He had a rare birth defect in which he was born with half a heart. He visited playgrounds for physical therapy but most of the time, he couldn’t use the equipment.
“I doubt in five years you’d build a playground that isn’t all-inclusive,” said Jim Cummings, Jacob’s grandfather and one of the founders of the nonprofit Build Jake’s Place. “When we started there were about 200 of these in the entire world, mostly near military bases. Today there are several thousand, and there’s not even an accurate count of them anymore.”
Jake’s Law, signed into law by Gov. Phil Murphy in August, requires every county in New Jersey to have an all-inclusive playground.
Delran held a community build on May 3 to build the new playground at Delran Community Park, and the only part left to finish is the pour-in-place rubber surfacing. The township and Jake’s Place could not confirm a specific date for the opening yet, but said they hope to hold a grand opening in early July.
The playground includes a synthetic surface, wide ramps; bridges, balance beams and stepping circles made for kids to work on their coordination and balance skills; swings with molded bucket seats, play equipment with braille and de-escalation areas for children with autism.
The idea to bring an all-inclusive playground made sense for Delran, Council President Gary Catrambone said. The township already has an all-access baseball field made of turf so wheelchairs can be pushed around the bases.
“This seems like the perfect complement to (the baseball field),” Catrambone said. “People came from all over, even out of state, to help build it because they just liked the whole idea.”
In Delran, almost 18 percent of students have some kind of disability, according to school performance reports from the state Department of Education.
“There’s become a real mentality that every kid deserves a place to have fun,” Cummings added. “We’re hoping to provide that.”
Over the years, Build Jake’s Place received several large grants and donations, including a $200,000 Green Acres grant from the Burlington County Board of Freeholders, $100,000 from Fox and Roach real estate offices in South Jersey, and $50,000 from the Pennsylvania-based Widener Foundation.
The remaining contributions — just under half the budget — were individual small donations from community members and fundraising events, Cummings has said.
Jake’s Place gets its opening date in Delran
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/news/20190618/jakes-place-gets-its-opening-date-in-delranBy Gianluca D’Elia
Posted: Jun 18, 2019The township will hold a ribbon-cutting for the long awaited disability-friendly park on July 9.
DELRAN — The long-awaited, all-inclusive Jake’s Place playground will open at Delran Community Park on July 9.
Like the first Jake’s Place in Cherry Hill, the fundraising to build the $600,000 playground took about four years. Those involved from the beginning said the wait has been worthwhile.
“I grew up with spina bifida, and I could never find a place to play,” said the nonprofit’s executive director, Arthur Aston. “To see this all happen and be part of the wave of change, I can’t put it into words. I’m speechless.”
The playground on Hartford Road includes a synthetic surface; wide ramps; bridges, balance beams and stepping circles for kids to work on their coordination and balance skills; swings with molded bucket seats; play equipment with braille; and de-escalation areas for children with autism.
In Delran, almost 18 percent of district students have some kind of disability, according to school performance reports from the New Jersey Department of Education.
Aston said the play area is also beneficial to adults with disabilities, who can more actively play with their kids because of the special-needs-friendly features. For that same reason, all-inclusive playgrounds are a popular feature at military bases, where wounded veterans can play with their families more easily.
“The special aspect of this playground is that it speaks to different systems,” Aston said. “It’s intended to assist in developing senses. It speaks to the needs of various disabilities.”
Over the years, the project received funding from several large grants and donations, including a $200,000 Green Acres grant from the Burlington County Board of Freeholders, $100,000 from Fox and Roach real estate offices in South Jersey, and $50,000 from the Pennsylvania-based Widener Foundation.
The remaining contributions — just under half the budget — were small donations from community members and fundraising events, Jake’s Place co-founder Jim Cummings has said.
Jake’s Place is named after Jacob Cummings-Nasto, who died at age 2 from complications of open heart surgery. Jacob had a rare birth defect in which he was born with half a heart. His physical therapists recommended he visit playgrounds for physical therapy, but most of the time he couldn’t use the equipment.
The nonprofit advocated for Jake’s Law, which was signed by Gov. Phil Murphy last August and requires every county in New Jersey to have an all-inclusive playground. Delran will be the second, after Cherry Hill.
The township held a community build on May 3, putting together everything but the pour-in-place rubber surfacing, which needs three consecutive dry days to set after it’s installed.
The dedication and ribbon-cutting will feature live music and food from Cafe Madison in Riverside and start at 5 p.m.
All-inclusive Jake’s Place playground opens in Delran
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/news/20190710/all-inclusive-jakes-place--playground-opens-in-delranBy Gianluca D’Elia
Posted: Jul 10, 2019
[Gianluca D'Elia/Staff]
The new playground in Delran Community Park is South Jersey-themed, paying tribute to Philadelphia, the Jersey Shore, the Benjamin Franklin Bridge and Jersey’s agriculture industry. It includes a cushioned, synthetic surface that accommodates wheelchairs; wide ramps, sensory gardens, play equipment with braille, de-escalation areas for kids with autism and bucket-seat swings with harnesses so all kids can play.
[Gianluca D'Elia/Staff]
DELRAN — Long before the bright blue, red and yellow ribbons were cut at the long-awaited Jake’s Place playground Tuesday evening, children had already taken over the all-inclusive park, a space built so all can play no matter their challenges.
Behind the bright red arch of the entrance, a boy glided from the top of a slide emerging from a replica of Philadelphia’s Independence Hall, and kids ran through a red barn-themed clubhouse — an homage to South Jersey’s farming community — where a plastic horse poked its head out from behind the wall.
[Gianluca D'Elia/Staff]
After five years of fundraising for and building the $600,000 park, it proved to be worth the wait for the hundreds who played there Tuesday. Lona Pangia, a former Delran councilwoman, began to cry as she walked up to the entrance of Delran Community Park on Hartford Road and saw the playground she’d first pitched to the township years ago.
“I have a daughter with special needs — she was classified with Asperger’s when she was 3 years old, so having a playground where she could function and operate and be safe was always a concern for me,” said Pangia, who dressed in neon yellow jeans and a red polka-dot shirt in honor of the park’s color scheme. “It’s a park where both of my children who are typical can play with my daughter who has autism. I’m so happy, it’s just overwhelming to see it all together now.”
After a meeting on a seesaw with the designer of the first Jake’s Place, which opened in Cherry Hill in 2011, Pangia knew she wanted to bring a similar park to Delran.
[Gianluca D'Elia/Staff]
The new playground is South Jersey-themed, paying tribute to Philadelphia, the Jersey Shore, the Benjamin Franklin Bridge and Jersey’s agriculture industry. It includes a cushioned, synthetic surface that accommodates wheelchairs; wide ramps, sensory gardens, play equipment with braille, de-escalation areas for kids with autism and bucket-seat swings with harnesses.
[Gianluca D'Elia/Staff]
“There are all kinds of sensory processing features, like marbles kids with autism can turn around and focus on, and areas where you can read information about the Liberty Bell or Ben Franklin,” Pangia explained. “Someone who has a hard time processing can sit down and focus on something small, but they’re still in a setting where they can be around other kids — all these little things you don’t think of when you have a typical, functioning child that you suddenly realize you need to look at.”
[Gianluca D'Elia/Staff]
Delran Mayor Ken Paris said the playground is a way to bring both kids and parents together, and it complements the neighboring all-access baseball field, which is made of artificial turf so wheelchairs can be pushed around the bases.
“We’ve had the intention from way back to have nice fields for people and make them handicapped accessible,” Paris said. “This park is coming along, and we want to add a walk-through trail and soccer field. There’s more to continue with.”
[Gianluca D'Elia/Staff]
The $600,000 project has received funding from several large grants and donations, including a $200,000 Green Acres grant from the Burlington County Board of Freeholders, $100,000 from Fox and Roach real estate offices in South Jersey, and $50,000 from the Pennsylvania-based Widener Foundation.
The remaining contributions — just under half the budget — were small donations from community members and fundraising events, Jake’s Place co-founder Jim Cummings has said. About 300 volunteers helped build the park’s structures on May 3 and 4, and the rubber turf was added about a month later when weather conditions were appropriate for it to settle.
[Gianluca D'Elia/Staff]
“Too often, we’re a little bit unattached to where our tax dollars go,” Burlington County Freeholder Deputy Director Balvir Singh said. “As a resident responsible for the needs of the county, I’m proud of the freeholder board for spending tax dollars wisely and giving back to the community.
“We all aspire to leave a mark with our longevity,” Singh added. “Jake did that in a few short years.”
The Pennsauken-based nonprofit and its parks are named in honor of Jacob Cummings-Nasto, who died at age 2 from complications of open heart surgery. Jacob had a rare birth defect in which he was born with half a heart. Physical therapists recommended he visit playgrounds for physical therapy, but most of the time he couldn’t use the equipment.
[Gianluca D'Elia/Staff]
“We could build 100 playgrounds and it will never bring back our Jake,” said Lynn Cummings, his grandmother. “Today would have been Jake’s 14th birthday. Seeing the smiles and squeals of delight of every child who plays on this playground is our wonderful memory of Jake — so have fun on this playground, respect each other, and be really, really kind and gentle to each other.”
The Cummings-Nasto family also advocated for Jake’s Law, which was signed by Gov. Phil Murphy last August and requires every county in New Jersey to have an all-inclusive playground. Delran will be the second Jake’s Place and first in Burlington County after the original Cherry Hill location in nearby Camden County.
[Gianluca D'Elia/Staff]
“It’s not just a playground meant for people with disabilities,” Tamara Koveloski, a mother of two from Cinnaminson, said as she watched her son play with the park’s outdoor percussion instruments. “So it’s important for ‘normal’ kids to see that these other people with special abilities are just as normal as they are, and to have that inclusive feeling and play with them.”
[Gianluca D'Elia/Staff]
Some parents of children with disabilities said they’ve struggled to find a playground in the area that suits their needs.
Nierra Conner, a mother from Willingboro, said she usually drives about 20 minutes to a park in Hainesport where her son could play, but feels relieved to have a new park close to her home now.
“This is important to me because my son King has special needs. He’s limited to where he can play, what he can do, and this park is his hope that he can go out and play, and not even realize that he’s limited,” Conner said. “I look forward to just allowing him to be free.”
Delran to host informational meeting on affordable housing
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/news/20190713/delran-to-host-informational-meeting-on-affordable-housingBy Lisa Broadt
Posted: Jul 13, 2019
[FILE PHOTO]
The meeting will include an overview of the issue and a presentation on the status of Delran’s affordable-housing compliance.
DELRAN — The Township Council will host a special meeting later this month to update residents on the township’s affordable housing obligation.
The meeting will include an overview of the issue and a presentation on the status of Delran’s compliance to meet the state Supreme Court-mandated requirements.
The public will have the opportunity to ask questions and provide comment, according to the township.
The council Tuesday adopted several resolutions related to affordable housing, including endorsing a housing element plan pursuant to the terms of a settlement agreement between the township and the nonprofit Fair Share Housing Center; adopting an affordable housing spending plan and appropriating funds to purchase bonds for affordable housing in case of a funding shortfall.
In 2015 the state Supreme Court ordered lower courts to enforce affordable housing compliance, a task that previously fell to the state Council of Affordable Housing (COAH). The Supreme Court mandated the takeover after determining COAH failed to craft adequate affordable-housing regulations and quotas.
Delran came into conflict with the Fair Share Housing Center, a nonprofit advocacy group that was a party to the Supreme Court action, after it told the court that it only had enough vacant land to develop 44 affordable-units. The Fair Share Housing Center disagreed and intervened in the court case — as it did in most cases throughout the state — arguing that officials had omitted large tracts of land which would allow for the development of additional affordable housing units, including the Stellwag Farm Redevelopment Area.
In September, the council approved adding affordable housing to the Stellwag Farm redevelopment plan and entering into a five-year tax abatement agreement with the developer of the Hartford Road project.
Earlier this year the court case was dismissed and the township reached a settlement with the Fair Share Housing Center.
The public meeting will be held 7 p.m. July 22 in the courtroom of the Delran Municipal Building, 900 Chester Ave.
Delran adopts affordable housing settlement, plans for 681 more homes
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/news/20190905/delran-adopts-affordable-housing-settlement-plans-for-681-more-homesBy Lisa Broadt
Posted: Sep 5, 2019
[ARCHIVE PHOTO]
Some of the units are to be built on privately-owned land while others are planned for the former Abrasive Alloy site, which is owned by the township.
DELRAN — After adopting a third-round affordable housing settlement, the township is moving forward with a plan that would increase housing units by an estimated 11%.
Officials are preparing the township for an additional 681 housing units, including 186 low-income units and 495 fair-market-value units.
Some of the units are to be built on privately owned land while others are planned for the former Abrasive Alloy site on Rancocas Avenue, which is owned by the township. More than half of the low-income units are to be age-restricted.
In all, the agreement stipulates:
Currently, Delran has 6,436 housing units, according to the township.
Officials emphasize the settlement was successful in significantly lowering the township’s requirement from the 4,135 units initially demanded by the Fair Share Housing Center, a nonprofit advocacy group.
Council President Gary Catrambone acknowledged the new housing units will "certainly have an impact on the township" but said the settlement mitigated a proposal that otherwise would have been "catastrophic."
“It is hard to be happy with over 600 new homes coming to town when we weren’t looking for any additional housing. But, I am happy that it is not over 4,000 homes being built," Catrambone said in an email Wednesday.
Catrambone also noted that negotiations were complex.
"Remembering that the affordable housing requirement is constitutionally mandated in New Jersey, our goal was to settle the lawsuit with the least impact on our current residents. We had to negotiate with the three interveners: Fair Share Housing, Atlantic Delta and Chester Avenue and satisfy the court’s special master who sat in on the negotiations. This four sided negotiation was certainly complicated," Catrambone said. "Ultimately, our goal was to do this while getting the total number of new homes to be built to the lowest number possible and have as many units as we could be age restricted to lessen the impact on our schools."
But, despite the decreased numbers, some residents have said they are concerned about the impact, particularly to the local school district.
Board of education member Amy Rafanello at a meeting earlier this summer said the board shares those concerns.
“There definitely will be an impact to the schools. The schools already are at capacity,” Rafanello told the township council. “The question is, who is going to pay for the additions to the schools?”
In 2015 the state Supreme Court majorly changed affordable housing when it ordered lower courts to enforce affordable housing compliance, a task that previously fell to the state Council of Affordable Housing. The Supreme Court mandated the takeover after determining COAH failed to craft adequate affordable-housing regulations and quotas.
Delran came into conflict with the Fair Share Housing Center, which was a party to the Supreme Court action, after it told the court that it only had enough vacant land to develop 44 affordable units. The Fair Share Housing Center disagreed and intervened in the court case — as it did in most cases throughout the state — arguing that officials had omitted large tracts of land which would allow for the development of additional affordable housing units, including the Stellwag Farm property.
Last September, the council approved adding affordable housing to what is now called the Stellwag Farm redevelopment plan and entering into a five-year tax abatement agreement with the developer of the project.
In early July, the township council voted to endorse the housing element plan based on the terms of the settlement agreement. The council also approved an affordable housing spending plan; appropriated funds for affordable housing in case of a funding shortfall; and adopted an affirmative marketing plan.
Despite these developments, construction is unlikely to begin anytime soon, according to Catrambone. The third-round affordable housing numbers reflect development from now through 2025.
"The potential look, feel, size and shape has not even been presented to the township planning board, who will be the first board who sees the proposals," Catrambone said. "Also, Atlantic Delta and Chester Avenue have not even purchased the land."
Delran seeks county grant to increase parking at local parks
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/news/20190925/delran-seeks-county-grant-to-increase-parking-at-local-parksBy Lisa Broadt
Posted: Sep 25, 2019
Should Delran receive a Burlington County park grant, the township would increase parking at municipal parks, including Jake's Place.
DELRAN — The township council was expected to approve a resolution Tuesday that would make expanding parking at township parks the focus of a grant application to the county.
Council President Gary Catrambone said it’s important for the council to address the lack of parking, a problem that has only increased with the success of Jake’s Place, an all-access playground that opened on Borton Mill Road on July 10.
“With any of the events it’s always full before we start,” Catrambone said at a Sept. 10 council work session. The plan “will probably (add) a significant amount of parking" if the township is to secure a county municipal park development grant.
The township’s plan to build parking perpendicular to the access road between the existing parking and a roundabout leaves room for additional projects in the future, according to Catrambone. The plan also could include additions or improvements to sidewalks and pedestrian walkways, according to Jim Winckowski, township engineer.
The council was expected to approve a specific plan Tuesday night.
Previously, Delran used the county’s park grant for sports-field lighting and the construction of Jake’s Place.
The Board of Freeholders established the program to aid municipalities in park development and improvement by offering grants of up to $250,000 to build or improve municipal parks and to help preserve open space and farmland.
Applications for the latest round of available funding are due Oct. 1.
The council’s decision to focus on parking was part of a larger discussion about how to improve safety on Delran’s roads near properties used by kids, like Tenby Chase Drive, which runs past Tenby Chase Playground.
Officials said that since a recent paving project, drivers have started treating the neighborhood road as a “speedway.”
One possible solution could be the addition of road chicanes, design features that make a road appear to have curves, visually encouraging drivers to slow down.
Other changes, such as adding stop signs or speed bumps, could present additional complications, such as state regulation or additional noise in the residential area.
The council said it would continue to discuss changes to the road in the future.
Delran park to return to farm use
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/news/20191025/delran-park-to-return-to-farm-useBy David Levinsky
Posted: Oct 25, 2019
An agreement between the Burlington County Board of Freeholders and the New Jersey Agricultural Society calls for the nonprofit group to use the former farm building and two acres of the 120-acres of land for its Farmers Against Hunger and Learning Through Gardening programs.
MOUNT HOLLY — The land at Laurel Run Park, the Delran peach farm-turned-county park on Creek Road, will once again serve an agricultural purpose.
An agreement between the Burlington County Board of Freeholders and the New Jersey Agricultural Society calls for the nonprofit group to use the former farm building and two acres of the 120-acres of land for its Farmers Against Hunger and Learning Through Gardening programs.
As part of the agreement, the society plans to develop teaching gardens at the park, including several designed to attract bees, butterflies and other pollinators. It will also cultivate other parts of the park for vegetable production for its food donation program.
Founded in 1996, Farmers Against Hunger typically collects surplus produce from farms and farmers markets, and then distributes it to food banks, soup kitchens and pantries. Last year, the group collected over 1 million pounds of produce, helping to feed thousands of New Jersey families.
For years, the group has worked with the county to collect unsold fruits and vegetables following the farmers markets at the Burlington County Agriculture Center. But the agreement to use Laurel Run Park offers the group the opportunity to expand its activities, officials said.
"We’ve been looking for a place to call home for a long time," said Brian Strumfels, program director for the Farmers Against Hunger program. "This opportunity will put us in great position to glean and store more produce from local farmers, invite more volunteers to engage with us and allow us to deliver this nutritious food to our communities in need."
"In addition, we will be able to expand public programming on topics related to land stewardship and agricultural sustainability," Strumfels added.
Along the banks of the Rancocas Creek, Laurel Run was farmed by the Anderson family for over a century before the county purchased it in 2001 for $5 million under the state’s Green Acres. Even after the purchase, the Andersons continued to grow peaches there for years before the county finally developed it into a public park in 2015.
The park provides space for passive recreation like hiking and wildlife observation. It also has a picnic pavilion, grills and parking area. The former farm building on the site also has a working food chiller, which the society intends to use for produce storage.
Freeholder Balvir Singh, the board’s deputy director and its liaison to the Department of Resource Conservation, said the agreement builds on the county’s "proud tradition of farming" while also helping to better serve those in need.
"We’re thrilled to expand on our current relationship," Singh said. "We are really ensuring we’re providing healthy options."
Singh cited a Wednesday morning event of the Burlington Township Food Pantry’s home on Route 130. While attending, he said he saw dozens of people lining up to receive donated food.
"I didn’t think there was that much need," Singh said Wednesday during the freeholders meeting. "I’m really amazed you guys are taking the initiative. We’re just providing the space and endorsing it, but it’s really the work you do and the farming communities does to help our communities, so thank you for doing it."
Delran considers 240-unit housing complex
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/news/20200128/delran-considers-240-unit-housing-complexBy Lisa Broadt
Posted: Jan 28, 2020
The Delran Planing Board will consider the apartment complex project which would include market-rate and affordable housing.
DELRAN — Next week the planning board will consider a project that would bring hundreds of new housing units to the township.
Delran Associates LLC has proposed developing 14.7 acres of vacant land on Route 130 into an apartment complex.
The proposed project would have 24 units in each of 10 buildings, of which 20% would be set aside for affordable housing, site plans show. The buildings would have a maximum height of 50 feet, or three stories, according to Delran Associates’ final site plan.
The apartment complex would be adjacent to Home Depot and bordered, approximately, by Route 130 to the south, Bridgeboro Street to the east, Harper Boulevard/Cranberry Lane to the north and South Fairview Street to the west. This year the land was assessed at $1.6 million, according to public records.
Current plans show: 49 one-bedroom units, market rate; 134 two-bedroom units, market rate; 9 three-bedroom units, market rate; 9 one-bedroom/efficiency units, affordable; 29 two-bedroom units, affordable and 10 three-bedroom units, affordable.
Affordable housing apartments would range in size from a 465-square-foot efficiency to a 1,395-square-foot three-bedroom, two-bath.
Market rate would range from 726 square feet for a one-bedroom, one-bath to 1,336 square feet for a three-bedroom, two-bath, according to Delran Associates.
Plans also indicate there would be a clubhouse and pool as well as 480 parking spaces.
Delran Associates’ site plan stated there are no wetlands or environmentally sensitive areas within 200 feet of the land.
The planning board will hold its public hearing on the project at 7 p.m., Feb. 6 at 900 Chester Ave., Delran.
$5.2 million in Burlington County parks grants highest ever
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/story/news/local/2020/08/14/5-2-million-burlington-county-parks-grants-highest-ever-municipal-parks-recreation/5584220002/By Lisa Broadt
Posted: Aug. 14, 2020
MOUNT HOLLY — Burlington County will award $5.2 million in parks grants to 38 municipalities this year.
The funding — a record-high — is intended to help municipalities improve parks and recreational facilities. Projects proposed this year range from boat-ramp upgrades to the construction of bike paths to the installation of a new theater.
Every town that applied to the Municipal Park Development Grants program received funding; Beverly and Woodland did not submit applications, according to the county.
Delran, Edgewater Park, Maple Shade, Pemberton Township, Riverside, Westampton and Willingboro each received $250,000, the largest award allowed, the county said.
The grant program was first created in 2010 to assist towns with developing or improving their parks. No grants were awarded in 2018, but the freeholders restored funding for the program last year.
The funding comes from the county’s open space and farmland preservation tax and can be used to construct or improve parks facilities or to purchase open space or farmland for future parks.
Freeholder Linda Hynes, the board’s liaison to the Department of Resource Conservation and Parks, on Thursday said the park grants allow the county to distribute open space tax dollars fairly.
“By awarding these grants, we ensure that residents from all our towns benefit ... not just those who live in the farm belt or in areas with substantial open space,” Hynes said.
2020 Municipal Park Development Grants
Burlington County, Farmers Against Hunger partner for new land stewardship center
Source: https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/story/news/2021/04/26/farmers-against-hunger-run-land-stewardship-center-burlco-delran-conservation-south-jersey/7386819002/By George Woolston
Posted: Apr. 26, 2021
DELRAN — For more than a century, the 120 acres of land now known as Laurel Run Park was home to one of the largest peach orchards in New Jersey.
And 15 years after agricultural operations ceased on this stretch of land off Creek Road, farming will make a comeback to help fight food insecurity and educate the public.
The nonprofit New Jersey Farmers Against Hunger will soon be operating its first ever land stewardship center on three acres at the farm-turned-park thanks to a new partnership between Burlington County, New Jersey Farmers Against Hunger and the New Jersey Agricultural Society.
“This particular building and this particular property are going to do so much to help us extend our efforts to help the citizens of New Jersey,” said Al Murray, executive director of the New Jersey Agricultural Society.
Farmers Against Hunger is a program of the New Jersey Agricultural Society that collects surplus produce from farms and farmers markets to donate to local and regional food banks, soup kitchens and food pantries.
Last year, it collected and recovered more than 2 million pounds of produce amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This checks off so many boxes of our mission. We're going to be feeding the hungry through the Farmers Against Hunger program. Those fields are going to have some crops someday, and some public programming that helps us educate the public about the importance of agriculture,” Murray said.
The new center will allow for the nonprofit to expand its operations with volunteers and staff farming and harvesting three acres at the park for donations to food-insecure families across the region.
Access to the existing refrigerator and packing shed at the former farmer’s market building on the property will provide for the most storage space it has ever had.
It will also use the center and working crops to help promote land stewardship and sustainability.
“For over a century this land was farmed and we’re excited to see part of it will again be used to grow nutritious food for our most vulnerable residents,” Burlington County Commissioner Dan O’Connell said.
O’Connell recalled becoming friends with the Anderson family, who operated the former Peach Farm, shortly after moving to Delran.
"I fondly remember Mrs. Anderson introducing me to white peaches. It was like eating candy,” O’Connell said. “We’re proud to be giving Farmers Against Hunger a home and in return add to our county’s incredible agricultural heritage.”
Farmers Against Hunger Director of Operations Brian Strumfels said initial priorities this season will be using the refrigerator and packing shed, and planting around 20 raised garden beds at the site.
Eventually, the nonprofit will plant and harvest all one to two acres of the land.
“In line with the land stewardship center, we want to educate the public about land stewardship. Good farmers do this every year — take really good care of their land. We want to explain just how that process works through having educational signage around explaining how farming can help the environment,” Strumfels said.
The nonprofit is no stranger to Burlington County. It has previously collected unsold fruits and vegetables following the farmers markets at the Burlington County Agricultural Center in Moorestown, where it also holds cooking demonstrations.
In 2001, Burlington County purchased and preserved the 120-acre peach farm. In 2015, it developed it into Laurel Run Park with the aid of New Jersey Green Acres funding.
George Woolston is a reporter for the Burlington County Times, Courier-Post and Vineland Daily Journal. Help support local journalism with a subscription.
Email: gwoolston@thebct.com
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