Under the resolution, Boxwood Arts Group has one year to get the proper authorizations from borough, county and state boards.
At the Tuesday, June 27, commissioners’ meeting, a resolution allowing the Boxwood Arts Theatre and Cultural Center to present its development plans to the appropriate borough, county and state boards passed unanimously. For one half of the attendees in borough hall’s auditorium, this meant one step closer to bringing a theater to Haddonfield, but for those sitting in the other half of the room opposed to the project, the resolution meant another fight ahead.
Mayor Neal Rochford said he wanted the meaning of the resolution to be quite clear to those in attendance.
“It’s not an endorsement on our part,” Rochford said. “It’s just for them to go and see if they have the merits to go ahead with this project.”
Under the resolution, Boxwood Arts Group has one year to get the proper authorizations from both local and state boards. As proposed, the Boxwood Arts Theatre and Cultural Center would transform Boxwood Hall into a facility that’s host to a 365-seat theater, 4,000 square foot ballroom and catering facilities.
Public comments turned emotional for both those in support and those opposed to the project.
Attorney and Haddonfield resident Rich Hluchan said one year is a long and unnecessary period of time to allot the group and suggested the group be required to file its applications within the next 30 to 60 days.
“As commissioners, I believe that it’s your responsibility to fairly and consistently administer, execute and enforce our local ordinances, and in this instance, the action you’re about to take I believe is irresponsible and is directly contrary to the ordinances you’re supposed to administer and enforce.”
The area is zoned for residential and office use, and a theater, ballroom, art gallery and catering facilities are prohibited under Haddonfield ordinances, Hluchan said.
Matthew Doherty took the microphone from its stand and turned his back to the commissioners to speak directly to those gathered in the auditorium. He said his family’s home sits on the Boxwood Hall property, and what concerns him most is his place of refuge is being taken away.
“I know that nobody sits before you in a council and votes on where you’re going to live with your children and such,” Doherty said.
He said as Boxwood Hall sits now, it is quiet and harmonious with the town, and he doesn’t understand why that should be interrupted by building a theater facility.
Kristen Poliafico said she came before the commissioners to give further consideration to the impact a theater would have on residents. She said since purchasing the property in 2014, the borough has given the Boxwood Arts group time to fundraise, perform traffic studies and do its due diligence by assessing the impact of the theater on residents, but she has seen very little due diligence done.
She said David Stavetski, chair of the Boxwood Arts executive committee, sat with her and her husband and promised to keep residents in the loop regarding the group’s plan for the hall and has failed to do so. Poliafico asked where the sound studies, traffic studies and financial plans for the project are, as none had been disclosed to the neighbors.
Poliafico said a theater would make the already overcrowded parking in the area an even bigger problem and questioned how noise from the facility would impact the neighbors. She asked the commissioners to consider an alternative use for the property that would have less impact on the neighbors.
Stavetski said the group has been working on the project for two years, and he apologized for not doing a better job of keeping neighbors in the loop. However, he said without the go-ahead to proceed, the group is unable to conduct the financial studies residents are asking for.
“We’ve been told there is zero chance that this project will succeed hence there’s zero risk, so why not just let us proceed?” Stavetski asked.
President of Dance Haddonfield Philip Zoebisch said Boxwood Hall has been “violated” over the years with historically inaccurate updates. He said the Arts Theatre and Cultural Center is the only proposal to take Boxwood Hall back to its historical accuracy.
“It would renew the old ceilings, take out the walls that were added,” Zoebisch said. “It would restore its glory.”
Commissioner John Moscatelli said he is also interested in hearing how Boxwood Arts plans to handle parking, stormwater and other concerns, but those are issues to be decided in front of the appropriate planning, zoning and historic boards. He said he thinks the project has enough merit to let them proceed, but he anticipates the approval process being difficult for the group.
“I think there are a number of hurdles they are going to have to overcome,” Moscatelli said.
Commissioner Jeffrey Kasko thanked those at the meeting for being passionate and caring about what happens to their neighborhood. He said he shares in both groups’ concerns. He said he is a strong advocate for the importance of preserving historic architecture, but he also shares in neighbors’ concerns about traffic, parking and noise levels.
“I hear both sides, and I have concerns with the proposal and with the hurdles that are to come, but I want to give them the opportunity to further check these things out,” Kasko said.
Following the resolution’s passing, Rochford said the next step for Boxwood Arts is to file its applications and appear before the Historic Preservation Commission.
The next commissioners’ meeting will be July 18 at Borough Hall.
