The second floor of Borough Hall was so full of concerned residents that people were standing at the commissioners’ meeting on Tuesday, March 24.
Residents were not there for anything on the agenda that night; instead, they were there to talk about their concerns, get more information and ask questions about the pending sale of the Bancroft property.
Resident Chris Maynes expressed his views, also shared by many Haddonfield residents, in a speech on his concerns with the sale that town members supported with a lengthy round of applause.
On March 16, Recovery Centers of America, along with real estate developer J. Brian O’Neill, announced it is planning to purchase the site of the Bancroft School. RCA said it plans to continue to operate the licensed behavioral health facility and also provide drug and alcohol treatment services.
Commissioners had released a statement that same day stating what they understood from the sale, how it would need to go before the zoning board and that as three public officials, with the potential of the application going to them, they shall remain impartial and refrain from making public judgment on RCA’s plan or on the merits of an application for a use variance.
Mayor Jeff Kasko reiterated these facts at the meeting last week before public comment.
“I just wanted to make sure that people understand that the three of us don’t know a lot more than you all know about plans by RCA and Mr. O’Neill other than what has been publicly and officially stated. It is our position, from what we heard so far of these plans, is that what they’re proposing is not a permitted use on the site, and therefore, he needs to get borough approvals with zoning and use variance. We are advised that we need to be careful as elected officials to not be seen as pushing or influencing members of the zoning board, so we’re not going to be able to personally or publicly comment on the merits of the potential application,” Kasko said.
Maynes was the first to stand up at the podium to voice his concerns over the Bancroft property sale. He wanted to get some facts on the record about the property and start a discussion.
“We’re here tonight to get some background information on the record and start a discussion and through our mere presence here show how strongly we feel and how united we are in regard to this issue,” Maynes said.
He started by saying the town holds no discriminatory views against individuals seeking addiction treatments, but that the proposed use of the property is not permitted as the property is zoned as R-2 — residential, single-family detached homes — with a current, non-conforming use as an educational institution. Maynes said residents should be prepared for the developer to say it is a continuation of the pre-existing use, however he felt it is not so.
Maynes continued by talking about how RCA and O’Neill might say the zoning board should pass the proposed facility based on a rehab facility being beneficial to a community. Maynes voiced that though a facility might be beneficial, it must be placed appropriately, and the benefits must outweigh the negatives.
Maynes said there is a safety risk putting such a facility so close to Haddonfield Memorial High School and Tatem School, there could be traffic problems having a 24-hour car service for patients, and that property values will diminish.
According to Maynes, he believes the increased safety risk is due to the possibility of criminals being allowed into the facility, that they are free to leave whenever they wish and that this is the first time RCA will be running a rehabilitation facility. Maynes said he is not implying that all of those who will seek treatment with the RCA will be criminals, but that drug abuse is highly correlated with crime, and it is a certainty some will be criminal.
After Maynes spoke, many members of the audience voiced opinions, asked questions about the sale and the procedure RCA and O’Neill must go through, and where things will go from here.
According to Kasko, O’Neill has told the commissioners he would have public sessions as early as this month.
“I completely understand and agree with lots of folks with lots of questions and lots of anxiety and lots of information that we would like to see. We are residents, parents and taxpayers as well, and we share many of the same concerns that you do,” Kasko said.
Kasko admitted this will most likely be a long process. There has not been an official application or any plans presented as of now. However, when it does come along, Kasko said O’Neill will listen and try to answer any questions or comments residents have.
