Letter: Resident speaks out regarding zoning concerns
Short of asking for the resignations of the members of the Haddonfield Zoning Board of Adjustment, the residents of Beechwood/Bryn Mawr/Maple Avenues are asking for their apologies because of the disrespect and dismissive attitude exhibited by them at their April, May and June meetings.
Residents went to the June 18 board meeting to express their concerns regarding the variance process conducted on 645 Maple Avenue. The board refused to listen to these concerns, stating that their decisions are final, there is no appeal at the borough level and our only recourse is an appeal to the state or go to the press. One board member accused the residents of making “personal attacks” and another stated that the applicant was “one of the good guys.” When a resident attempted to speak, the chairman threatened to evict her and have her escorted from the meeting.
Residents’ concerns are: documents were not correctly signed; the 10-day notice to review new information was not provided; the application did not contain a certified site survey; there was no weighing of negative criteria versus benefits to the community; required numbers were not available to support the decision for granting the variance; borough shade tree issues were not part of the application; the legal letter from one of our attorneys was not given to the zoning board; the flooding issue was not addressed properly; the proposed plan is not in line with the character of the neighborhood as claimed and the burden of proof was not on the applicant as required by law.
Residents have tried numerous times to resolve these items locally and amicably but have constantly been rebuffed. Such isolation of a public board from its residents whom they volunteer to serve does not allow for improvement of the variance process nor advance the public good
Maryanne Shay
