Laurel Capital Group is one step closer to being able to develop a vacant parcel of land between Beaver Avenue and I-295 in Mt. Laurel, but local residents believe there are still questions to be answered.
Council unanimously adopted a revised Fellowship area redevelopment plan at last Monday’s council meeting, allowing landowner Laurel Capital Group to apply for development on the site with the planning board.
Laurel Capital Group is the owner of a parcel of vacant land between Beaver Avenue and I-295 identified as the RA-3 zone of the Fellowship area redevelopment. The group approached council earlier in 2015 about a revised plan for RA-3 after iFly, an indoor skydiving company, expressed interest in developing on the property. The revised redevelopment plan sets standards for iFly and other businesses to potentially develop in the future.
The redevelopment plan had several changes from when it was first presented to council, including adjustment to parking regulations, a revised minimum lot area and new regulations regarding signs.
Councilman Jim Keenan asked for one additional revision to require lights to be shut off a half-hour after closing or midnight at the latest for signs on taller buildings. He said the signs could disturb local residents, and trees would be unable to block the signs view because they could be as high as 60 feet.
The topic most residents wanted to talk about wasn’t signs, but rather traffic. David Jimenez, a resident of nearby Oregon Avenue, said council should look at making changes in the area to make the roads safer and to reduce traffic.
“We need more street signs,” he said. “Maybe the speed limit needs to be changed.”
Jimenez is mainly concerned about a Walmart under construction nearby along Fellowship Road. He is worried traffic will become overwhelming in the area once the store opens. The township is installing speed bumps along Beaver Avenue to slow traffic.
Resident Charles Simon expressed support in the past of vacating Beaver Avenue entirely from Route 73 and said additional regulations won’t keep traffic from traveling through the residential areas. He asked council if the police could patrol the area more often.
“We can take care of it by simply enforcing what is there,” Simon said. “Three-quarters of the traffic will stop.”
Oregon Avenue resident Patricia Speas was alarmed about the discussion of closing Beaver Avenue from Route 73. She feels the idea will make traffic even worse for some residents.
“Everyone comes home that way to get to Oregon Avenue,” she said.
At a March council meeting, Keenan said vacating Beaver Avenue could be an option to reduce traffic. However, the revised redevelopment plan does not set any specific regulations in regard to traffic flow. Those regulations could be addressed during the site plan process.
Speas was one of a few residents who also expressed displeasure about the commercialization of the area. A Walmart and Lifetime Fitness are already under construction in the RA-1 and RA-2 zones of the Fellowship redevelopment area.
Speas said she was against any sort of development and suggested the landowners turn the property into a park. Council emphasized at the meeting they can’t prevent a landowner from developing on their property as long as it meets site standards.
Council reminded residents no businesses have been approved to build on the property yet. Development can’t occur until the planning board approves a site plan for the property.
“All of this is to give permitted use only,” Councilman Richard Van Noord said.
Council encouraged residents to voice their opinion at future planning board meetings, where site plans for iFly and other development on the property could be deliberated.
