Borough commissioners approved a resolution at their meeting last week that calls for the reinvestigation of the Bancroft site as redevelopment areas. The investigation could reaffirm the two parcels making up the Bancroft site are indeed areas in need of redevelopment and possibly change the designation of the parcels as R2 residential housing areas.
The Bancroft site was named an area in need of redevelopment 10 years ago and designated as a R2 residential housing area.
Through the resolution, commissioners are directing the Planning Board to undertake an investigation of the Bancroft site and provide its recommendations.
“This was done 10 years ago in 2005. We are just updating it and reasserting that it will be a redevelopment area and look forward to sending this to the planning board for their input. Then we’ll follow up shortly with the redevelopment plan,” Mayor Jeff Kasko said.
After the investigation, the Planning Board will conduct a public hearing to get the public’s input.
From there, the Planning Board will make a recommendation to the borough as to whether the borough should reaffirm the designation. If the commissioners determine the parcels should be designated areas in need of redevelopment, the borough will be authorized to use all of those powers provided under the redevelopment law for use in a redevelopment area, including the power of eminent domain.
“I think this is a smart thing. I think this protects the borough’s interest in the long run and the interests of the residents here, and allows us to make the first step for us to have some control over what happens at that property. So it is a necessary step. I think we are all supportive of it,” Kasko said.
According to Kasko, a replacement of the zoning designations might also be possible. Instead of having an R2 residential designation, there could be some kind of mixed use of private and public, with the possibility open to some public use for schools or fields.
“I do envision some mixed public and private use, including some housing and some borough, school or field use in the actual plan, and that is what will be approved to be developed there,” Kasko said.
The resolution will be discussed at Tuesday, Oct. 6 Planning Board meeting.
According to Kasko, this resolution doesn’t directly affect Recovery Centers of America’s agreement and pending sale with Bancroft. However, it will allow the borough to look at the zoning that is going to be put in place there for the future.
“We feel this strengthens our ability to have some control of what goes there. So we think it is in the best interest of the borough and residents to have that control and do something so we can have some say in what gets developed there,” Kasko said.
Kasko said the borough and RCA are still in talks.
In other news:
• Commissioners introduced an ordinance on first reading that would amend the code of the borough on streets and sidewalks. This is an update of an existing ordinance, dealing with the issues the borough has had with utility companies punching holes in new roads or doing a poor job of repaving, according to Commissioner John Moscatelli. The ordinance tightens repaving procedures and how utility companies have to do repairs on other roads when they open those. The second reading and public hearing will be at the next meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 22 at 7:30 p.m.
• Commissioners passed an ordinance on second reading that repeals chapter 98 entitled “Driveways” from the code of the borough. The chapter was made in 1960 and conflicts with the current land use/zoning laws.
• Commissioners unanimously approved an ordinance amending the borough’s code on parking.
The ordinance calls for a parking time limit of three hours on Linden Avenue on the west side from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday from West Kings Highway to Trueman Avenue; parking restrictions on the north side of East Park Avenue from Chestnut Street to Centre Street from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday; parking restrictions on the south side of Belmont Avenue from Potter Street to Roberts Avenue from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday; and one handicap parking spot on Centre Street on the east side, 250 feet from Ellis Street.
• Haddonfield recognized Sept. 18 as POW/MIA Recognition Day. Commissioners asked residents join them in honoring former American POWs and those Americans still unaccounted for as a result of their service.
• Approval was given for Girls Night Out to be held in downtown Haddonfield on Thursday, Oct. 1 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
