Residents waiting for an ordinance on zoning changes for Route 70 to come up for first reading at a council meeting will have to wait a little longer.
The Medford Township Planning Board’s subcommittee on the Route 70 zoning corridor is going to take another look at a draft ordinance before referring it back to council for first reading.
Township planner Michelle Taylor suggested at last week’s council meeting the subcommittee meet again to review some of the recommendations made in the planning board’s Route 70 study the draft ordinance doesn’t address.
A couple concerns regarding buffer requirements also arose at the meeting. Councilman Jeff Beenstock was concerned buildings may be too close to the roadway if the state Department of Transportation ever elected to expand Route 70. The draft ordinance would reduce the buffer between the end of the right of way and buildings to 15 feet.
Taylor said with the right of way being 200 to 400 feet wide, an expansion of the highway would still leave plenty of space between the road and buildings.
“If they were to put in four lanes, a bike path and a median center, you’re looking at 180 feet tops for an improvement,” Taylor said.
Resident Chuck Deal also expressed concern about the buffer requirements. He used the Promenade Shopping Center in Marlton as an example, saying it is away from the road, but still manages to entice shoppers to visit.
“You go there and you start exploring to see what is in there exactly,” he said.
Deal, who has spoken at meetings with concerns on the buffer requirements in the past, is worried some changes will cause the look of the Route 70 corridor to be negatively impacted.
Councilman Chris Buoni eased Deal’s concerns, saying the township will not allow Route 70 to become as developed as it is in towns such as Cherry Hill.
The final passage of a Route 70 ordinance still has a long way to go. The Route 70 subcommittee will have a meeting to review the ordinance and refer it back to council at an upcoming meeting. After council passes an ordinance on first reading, it will be sent back to the planning board for a public hearing and vote. The ordinance would then return to council for second reading and adoption.
Moody’s upgrades township’s financial outlook
Medford Township received good news last week as Moody’s has removed the negative outlook in the township’s bond rating because of the township’s stabilized financial position.
“We’ve gotten ourselves under control,” Mayor Chuck Watson said. “It’s really looking good.”
Buoni credited the township’s residents for making an extra effort and volunteering their services in a number of areas where the township had to make cuts three years ago.
“With the level of volunteerism, private groups doing things, we’ve been able to maintain the culture of our town,” he said.
Budget Update
Interim township manager Katherine Burger plans to transmit the initial version of the budget to council at its next meeting on Feb. 17. After the presentation, council will discuss the budget in more detail during a work session meeting on Saturday, Feb. 28 at 9 a.m. at the Public Safety Building.
