Politics & Government

5 Things You Need to Know ... Gloucester Township Council

Gloucester Township Council will hold a public-action meeting Monday night—its first such meeting in three weeks.

Clarification: Council did not have to vote to approve the work to be performed by T&M Associates and Remington & Vernick, as noted in points No. 1 and 2 below, at a public-action meeting. As appointed engineers for the township, the work only needed approval by straw poll at Council's May 7 work session.

1. Council is expected to vote Monday night on a resolution that would authorize Moorestown-based planning and engineering firm T&M Associates to begin coming up with a redevelopment plan for the Blackwood Clementon Road corridor.

"We want a plan that we can implement, using some of the information that we gathered from the grayfields study and some of the other information we have now," Ken Lechner, township director of community development and planning, said during Council's May 7 work session.

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Grayfields is a term used to describe empty or mostly empty shopping centers.

Lechner's comment came after he mentioned Council Vice President Orlando Mercado's prior complaint about plans "sitting on a shelf."

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Business Administrator Tom Cardis indicated it will be about six to seven months before the plan is completed.

T&M was appointed the township's redevelopment planning consultant in January.

2. Council is expected to vote Monday to spend $30,000 to have Haddonfield-based planning and engineering firm Remington & Vernick prepare a redevelopment plan for the GEMS landfill site.

Township officials have been open in recent months about their desire to bring a private solar-panel farm to the property.

The Planning Board unanimously approved a resolution designating the Superfund site as one in need of redevelopment at its April 24 meeting.

3. The township has been awarded a $412,000 grant from the New Jersey Department of Transportation's trust fund for improvements to Garwood Road, in the township's Erial section. The project will result in the roadway being repaved and widened, as well as the installation of curbing and sidewalks.

John Cantwell, of Remington & Vernick, told Council at its May 7 work session that he expects the grant award, which exceeded his expectation by more than $200,000, will allow for about 2,000 feet of work. He suggested the project begin at Winfield Road and move west toward Patriot Court.

4. Council will likely vote Monday on a $920,000 bond ordinance on first reading that, if ultimately approved, would result in $687,900 in improvements to the building and complex and $232,100 in improvements to the Broadacres Drive Recreation Center.

The bond issuances would require a total $46,000 down payment.

The bonds would be paid off over 20 years, according to the ordinance.

5. Council approved on final reading at its April 23 meeting an ordinance that makes it illegal for motorists traveling west on Chews Landing Road to do anything but head north on the Black Horse Pike when they reach the state highway.

With the ordinance's adoption, motorists are no longer able to cross the Black Horse Pike (Route 168) to proceed onto East Front Street. Left turns were already prohibited at the intersection for Chews Landing Road traffic.


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