Medford Township will receive $75,000 after agreeing to de-annex approximately 2.9 acres of a property on the westbound side of Route 70 near the Medford-Evesham border.
Council passed an agreement to de-annex the Medford portion of the property during last week’s meeting. According to Mayor Chris Buoni, the township reached an agreement with Fieldstone Associates LLP, the developer of the property, to have the portion of the property within Medford’s borders annexed by Evesham in exchange for $75,000.
Fieldstone Associates has proposed a development of 200-plus apartments and approximately 6,000 square feet of commercial space near the former Roland Aristone office building. When Fieldstone originally pitched the idea to Evesham Township Council, it was contingent on 2.9 acres of the property residing in Medford to be annexed.
All members of Medford council were in agreement with the de-annexation, saying it made sense for all of the parties involved.
“We felt it was in the best interest of the town,” Buoni said.
Buoni said the de-annexed portion of the property consists of wetlands, making any other sort of development on the property very unlikely.
“It doesn’t have potential for development,” he said.
Outside the $75,00 fee Fieldstone Associates is paying the township, Medford will also save money, as it will not have to provide basic services to the property. Councilman Frank Czekay noted the township would still need to provide water and sewer for the section of the complex residing within Medford’s borders, which was estimated to be about 28 apartments.
In addition, children who lived on the Medford side of the complex would go to Medford schools, while children living on the Evesham side would go to Evesham schools.
“Kids would live in the same building and go to school in different townships,” Deputy Mayor Chuck Watson said.
With the 2.9 acres de-annexed from Medford, Evesham Township will provide all municipal services to the site.
