An amended redevelopment plan in Evesham Township now officially includes the home of the township’s department of public works.
Evesham Township adopted an amended plan for the Aristone Tract redevelopment area at its meeting last Tuesday. Director of Community Development Nancy Jamanow said the plan was amended to add the Evesham Township Department of Public Works site, located at 501 Evesboro-Medford Road. The site is located next to Barclay Chase at Marlton, a residential complex constructed as part of the Aristone Tract redevelopment area.
Evesham Township is planning to move public works away from 501 Evesboro-Medford Road. In 2016, the township purchased the property at 100 Sharp Road across the street from the current DPW site with the intent of moving the department to the new property. According to a summary in the amended redevelopment plan, the DPW has been located at 501 Evesboro-Medford Road for about 25 years and has outgrown the current facility. Once the DPW is relocated, it is expected the township will sell the old site for redevelopment.
Jamanow added any development taking place at the old DPW site would have the same standards as the rest of the Aristone Tract area. The DPW site is also included in the township’s 2018 Fair Share Settlement Agreement as well as the 2018 Housing Element and Fair Share Plan as an inclusionary site.
One resident spoke at the public hearing about an issue near the redevelopment area. Jack Lynn, a resident of the nearby Legacy Oaks development located across Evesboro-Medford Road from Barclay Chase, has spoken publicly about the Aristone Tract development in the past and spoke at the first reading about the need for a traffic light at the intersection of Evesboro-Medford Road and Sharp Road
Lynn argued the new development in the area has made it extremely difficult to make a left turn onto Evesboro-Medford Road. Lynn added Legacy Oaks has more than 200 residents who are 75 years or older and believes not having a traffic light is a safety hazard.
“This is an absolute necessary part of the project,” Lynn said.
At the July 16 council meeting, township engineer Tim Staszewski said there are a number of requirements that must be met before Burlington County will consider placing a light at the site. He suggested a light might not be at the site right now since the redevelopment area has yet to be built out.
“We have to do this in a procedure where certain warrants are met and the traffic engineer has to show that it meets those warrants,” Staszewski said in July.
On July 16, Mayor Jaclyn Veasy added any development at the DPW site would have a traffic line up with Sharp Road to make it easier if a traffic light is installed in the future.
Last Tuesday, Veasy echoed some of the same comments township officials made the previous month, telling Lynn the township is continuing to keep an eye on the issue.
“If a light is warranted, which it would be looked at from our side as well as the county, it would be looked at being put in,” Veasy said. “We have to wait until we get to the right point to decide if there will be a light or not.”
The next Evesham Township Council meeting will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 17, at 7 p.m. at the municipal building.
