In 2018, council is looking to reinvigorate community interest.
In Moorestown, the focus for 2018 is all about maintaining the township’s quality of life, according to Mayor Manuel Delgado. He said council has worked well with each township committee, and building on this work in the new year will be critical to the advancement of the town.
Delgado said while some smaller initiatives will take place, the main push for 2018 will be examining the township’s master plan. The master plan provides policies and guidance regarding land use within the township’s borders, and the planning board is responsible for developing it. The state requires the master plan to be re-examined every six years to ensure policies remain current.
“The master plan incorporates almost everything we do that has any sort of land use,” Delgado said.
Of particular note within the master plan is the “Housing Element and Fair Share Plan,” which addresses the township’s affordable housing obligation. He said council’s job is to ensure it develops a plan that “works for the town.”
“[Council is] making sure that whatever the town commits to is feasible and works for the town overall,” Delgado said.
The township’s affordable housing obligation is a “difficult piece to talk about,” as the number of units Moorestown will be required to provide is in litigation.
Following the Council On Affordable Housing’s disbanding, towns have to petition the court for approval of their affordable housing plans.In 2005, Moorestown filed a declaratory judgment action with the superior court of Burlington County, and since then, Fair Share Housing Center became an intervenor, or a defendant in that case.
Delgado said the township is not at a stage where it is deciding what happens at any location. He said the litigation right now is “truly what the number is,” with council trying to negotiate and come to an agreement that takes into account responsible land use, residents’ concerns about inundating the schools as well as the finances involved in bringing new affordable housing units to town.
The township won’t know its requirement until it settles with Fair Share. He said if the township can come to a good deal, it will move forward and present it to the community, but if it’s not able to, council would fight for a better deal.
“Our response has always been to negotiate and get the best deal we can,” Delgado said.
Delgado said he anticipates the negotiations coming to an end “soon,” at which time there will be opportunities for community members to have input on locations and other components of the build.
An additional facet of examining the master plan, council and the planning board will be reviewing all open spaces to ensure Moorestown’s parks are an amenity to the community. Delgado said this includes Strawbridge Lake. He said the township will continue to work toward improving the lake’s water quality by catching and removing buildup as well as restoring fishing and small minnow ponds.
He said walking around Strawbridge Lake, it’s clear the lake has “great amenities,” but there is no designated walking path. As part of a $200,000 county grant, the township’s goal is to create a clear walking path and potentially add a fishing pier.
Delgado said work on Moorestown’s water will also continue in in 2018. He emphasized that Moorestown has “high quality water,” and the temporary treatments in place are continuing to effectively filter residents’ water. He said the Kings Highway Water Treatment Plant is expected to open within the coming weeks, and the township is moving forward with designs for the North Church Street Water Treatment Plant.
Another goal for 2018 is also to get to work on the Lenola area. In June, the township received a nearly $1 million federal grant to refurbish the Lenola Town Center’s Camden Avenue corridor, but he said it typically takes nine to 10 months to “get anything moving” when it comes to federal grants.
Delgado said he anticipates community meetings in the new year to get the ball rolling and reinvigorate community interest in the project. The township’s plan is to engage the community and have neighbors talk about design features.
In terms of the 2018 budget, Delgado said there has been no tax increase for the last two years, and while he can’t yet comment on what this year’s budget looks like, he said he anticipates taxes remaining “static.”
With the examination of the master plan underway in the new year, Moorestown Township is looking to have residents get involved, Delgado said. The township is seeking volunteers willing to serve on boards and committees, which is a great way for residents to lend their time and knowledge, he said.
“We have unbelievable expertise by residents,” Delgado said.
Those interested in serving on a board or committee are invited to complete a Citizen Leadership Form and forward it to the township clerk at phunt@moorestown.nj.us or 111 W. Second St.
