9/14/2017 - Note: This post was originally posted directly on Facebook on 8/24/17. For posterity, I have decided to copy to this blog.
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This is my attempt to summarize the Evesham Town Council meeting of 8/22/17. I will try to write this as un-biased and factual as a I can, but the fact is that all of us are biased to some extent. While I do have opinions on whether certain things are good or bad for the town, they will not be contained within this summary. If I have gotten anything wrong, please let me know. I am not a journalist and I certainly make mistakes - any mistakes contained below are not done out of malice but due to my own incompetence.
This was my first Town Council meeting. I had viewed a few of them in their entirety either via the livestream or the official Town recording, but this one the first I was able to attend. Below are my impressions. Not all of these will be earth shattering and some are more amusing than important, but these are what I took away.
Route 73 Construction:
The meeting began with a presentation by the NJ Department of Transportation regarding a study of traffic along Route 73 south of the old Marlton Circle. It was stressed by both the DOT and the mayor that this is VERY early on in the process and that actual construction is probably 5 YEARS AWAY.
The DOT was presenting the ‘Preliminary Preferred Alternative’. This was subject to change following public input, research, engineering reports, etc. And it was pointed out by the mayor that the final version of the elimination of the Marlton Circle ended up looking very different from the ‘Preliminary Preferred Alternative.’
The major change is widening 73 one additional lane in each direction from the Route 70 intersection to Ardsley Drive (where Target is located). There would be 2 thru lanes in each direction with a designated left turn lane at certain intersections. The northbound left turn lane at Marlton Parkway will be removed and the left at Commonwealth Drive will be closed. Improvements will also be needed to both Brick and Evesham Rd.
The testing the DOT analyzed did include an increase in vehicle traffic of 20%, as the hope is that there will be MORE cars using the road after construction, as people stop using back roads to try to get places. This will alleviate traffic on other roads.
By 2040, there is also a prediction of an additional 20% in traffic.
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The police department was given a grant of $5,500 for the ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ campaign.
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There were a lot of public comments both about current traffic issues at a few locations around town, along with the concern that additional apartments would bring additional traffic. Both the mayor and (I believe) Tom C noted that every new apartment complex had a traffic assessment done prior to being given approval. The public speakers and the mayor were both respectful in these exchanges. One of the funnier lines I heard (to me anyway) was Mayor Brown stating that he was ‘not elected as the mayor of traffic’, but to bring economic development and revenue to the town.
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Royal Farms is awaiting DOT approval for left turn lanes into their parking lot. I think I heard it said they may not move in if they cannot get that. If someone reviews the tape, please add it to the comments below.
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The new apartments on Main St and the ones on Maple (along with Gateway) have no low income housing units. They are all considered ‘luxury’ apartments, and a Rutgers study was cited that stated luxury apartments bring very few children to a school district.
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Renaissance Project
The police department was given a grant of $5,500 for the ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ campaign.
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There were a lot of public comments both about current traffic issues at a few locations around town, along with the concern that additional apartments would bring additional traffic. Both the mayor and (I believe) Tom C noted that every new apartment complex had a traffic assessment done prior to being given approval. The public speakers and the mayor were both respectful in these exchanges. One of the funnier lines I heard (to me anyway) was Mayor Brown stating that he was ‘not elected as the mayor of traffic’, but to bring economic development and revenue to the town.
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Royal Farms is awaiting DOT approval for left turn lanes into their parking lot. I think I heard it said they may not move in if they cannot get that. If someone reviews the tape, please add it to the comments below.
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The new apartments on Main St and the ones on Maple (along with Gateway) have no low income housing units. They are all considered ‘luxury’ apartments, and a Rutgers study was cited that stated luxury apartments bring very few children to a school district.
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Renaissance Project
As per Mayor Brown: 10% of the units will be low to moderate income units. 10% of those will be low income units. So if there are 300 units, 30 would be low to moderate units. 3 would be low income.
The “H” building will be the first residential building to be built. The developer cannot build another residential building until that one is 75% occupied. After that, they cannot build another until THAT building is 75% occupied. The mayor stated his belief that “they will never build 300 apartments at TriTowne.” Instead, they will build retail as it brings in more money. (See attached photo for 'H' building location, circled in purple.)
At the end of the meeting, Mr Gillespie asked for a motion to begin proceeding with ‘condemnation of the leasehold agreement’. He used the word condemn on its own a few times, but I believe that means something different than what the average person thinks of when they hear a building being 'condemned'. There is 4 years left on the lease of the Burger King Building and the town and developer have been unable to reach an agreement with the leaseholder. They are continuing with the plan to relocate, but also wish to simultaneously proceed with the path to ‘extinguish’ the lease. These are legal issues and I don’t wish to speculate further as to what they mean, as I don’t know.
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Main Street
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Main Street
It was repeatedly stressed that the redevelopment areas that the Town Council grants on Main Street allow property owners to redevelopment the property. The town does not (and cannot) dictate what gets put there. That is all market driven.
Marlton Tavern is staying up and expanding.
The Mayor stated he spoke to Pastor Bill at the Marlton Baptist Church who has no plans to move at this time.
The mayor stated that there was no eminent domain of any property on Main Street.
The Harvest House would be moved forward, and the mayor stated apartments would be put up behind them.
When a member of the public asked about parking for Main Street events, the mayor said there would be 500 parking places ‘over there’. I believe that referred to the TriTowne plaza. (See attached photo for parking.)
