Pine Barrens Tribune April 29, 2023-May 5, 2023

Zoning to Entice Development of Lot Near Vincentown Diner Passed by Southampton Boards as Developer Weighs Warehouse

CIRCLING BACK TO ‘CONVENIENCE’

Redevelopment

By Douglas D. M elegari

Staff Writer

SOUTHAMPTON—A change to a redevelopment plan for the Red Lion Circle that would allow for the addition of an access road for a proposed new development where the Red Lion Diner currently stands, having the proposed

street go from Route 70 to Allentown Road in some fashion (it may not be a straight throughway based on a very preliminary rendering), as well as a Southampton Township committeeman’s brief references to the street being put in for ingress and egress to what he maintained is a future Super Wawa that will be part of the project,

led to a large crowd expressing concern about current and potentially future traffic inconveniences on Allentown Road during an April 18 Southampton Township Committee meeting.

Some residents, in referring to the area as a “slice of heaven” and “God’s country,”

See CIRCLING Page 5

Justification for Redevelopment

By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer

SOUTHAMPTON—A property

designated as a redevelopment area in Southampton Township, a parcel that has been described to the Pine Barrens Tribune as one that encompasses an area that is both behind the Vincentown Diner and a relatively-new shopping plaza that includes a Dunkin Donuts and JB Liquors, has been reportedly recently rezoned to “make all the land be part of the same zone” so that it “can encourage redevelopment” there, according to Township Committeeman Ron Heston, who is also a township Planning Board member.

The planning board’s reported April 6 decision came into focus after a couple references by the Southampton Township Committee during both March 21 and April 18 governing body meetings that a developer is interested in potentially building a warehouse on the property.

Warehouses have become a hot button issue in Burlington County and points to the north, with Southampton Township Mayor Michael Mikulski, in recognizing a large crowd at the April 18 township committee meeting concerned about various plans for redevelopment in town, addressing what he views as a need to bring “ratables” to the municipality “to help keep taxes low” through “smart development,” or what he

See ZONING/ Page 9

Plan for Red Lion Circle Area Amended for Third Time in Three Years, Allowing for Reportedly Required ‘Access Road’ for Possible, Future Convenience Store, with Change Creating Concern It May Pose Traffic Inconveniences to Nearby Residents

Photo By Andrew King

The Route 70 west points of entry and exit at the Red Lion Circle with the Red Lion Diner in the background.

Carns Sibling Says He Has Decided Against Opening Farm Stand Due to Officials Making It ‘Impossible to Earn Living Off Our Land’

‘Updated’ Application Process Surfaces Amid Carns Family’s Battle with Town with Co-proprietor Suggesting Retribution; Solicitor Calls Charge ‘Unfounded’

By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer

MEDFORD—Brianna’s Farm Stand at the Carns Family Farm “will not be opening this year,” co-proprietor Brian Carns announced in an April 20 Facebook posting, with him giving “special thanks to the Medford Council for making it impossible to earn a living off our land!”

That pronouncement from Brian Carns represents the latest chapter in a major, ongoing controversy between the Carns family and the township.

And it quickly led to another round of outrage in the community aimed at the town fathers, with very strong comments being made online by various locals such as “the mind set of this council is not conducive for our people that our town needs,” “I will be voting against them,” “they should be run out of town,” “I’m flabbergasted at Medford,” “what a disgrace,” “how do we get the mayor out,” “how much longer until we vote this crooked council out,” “shame on them,” “what’s the purpose of a farm if you can’t have a stand to sell from – are they really that dumb,” “they sure do want to make your lives hell,” “I’m 34 years old and never voted for anything or anyone, but this silliness makes me want to – people should be able to do what they want with their land,” “I am sickened about what has happened in Medford the past few years – the powers that be apparently don’t like the residents they’re supposed to represent and serve,” “the residents of Medford need to get a handle on this fast, before you become Mount Liberal....I mean Laurel,” and “apparently this council needs to be reminded they live in the GARDEN STATE – America the land of opportunity!”

“The whole council should be ashamed of themselves,” one man added. “They are a total disgrace and are the reason people feel the way they do about politicians,” while another woman went even further, declaring, “And when they get done trying to ruin your farm and family, they’ll go after someone else.”

“These are not kind people,” she continued. “Time to vote this rotten, vindictive bunch out.”

The decision to close Brianna’s, Brian Carns later told this newspaper, boils down to the township recently adding an “extra page” to the application that one is required to return annually to receive a permit to operate a farm stand in town, as well as multiple rounds of follow-up questions that were reportedly asked of him upon making a filing.

“For the last two years that I got the permit, the paperwork was just like a construction permit,” said Brian Carns of a process that mainly required basic details and a fee

payment. “I can understand just straightening it out to gear it towards farm stands, but what they do is add all of these specific questions.”

As this newspaper previously reported, the Carnses spent nearly all of last year vigorously defending the family matriarch against a pair of summonses issued to her for having allowed her twin sons’ commercial tree service to be operated at the farm, as well for allowing the storage of commercial tree trucks on the nearly 30-acre parcel, which culminated in a $10,000 fine (a penalty that has upset a lot of locals who have expressed their beliefs that it is punitive).

That defense of their mother has included multiple instances of the family publicly taking Medford officials to task for their handling of the matter.

The family has also gotten into public spats with officials, including GOP Mayor Charles “Chuck” Watson, over firewood and farm stands.

The Carnses, as controversy erupted, got into a tiff with the then local-zoning official last year over a $50 annual farm stand permit fee they claimed to have sent to the township, with the then-township zoning officer, when the Carnses went to check on the status of their permit, claiming there was no record of payment.

That particular incident ended when the twin brothers showed up to town hall, with one filming as Brian Carns handed the thenzoning officer a check for the fee (the incident followed an allegation levied by Brian’s twin brother, David, that Watson did not make timely payment for a firewood transaction).

For this year’s permitting process, Brian Carns, in claiming Brianna’s has been the township’s only remaining farm stand, said the third page of the application, which “wasn’t there last year and wasn’t there the year before” left him with the impression “they are going to jam me up” amid the feuding, representing one of the reasons he decided not to open the farm stand.

“If you are reading it up, it smells like Chuck (the mayor), Tim Prime (the township solicitor) and (Township Manager) Kathy (Burger) are behind it and all that,” Brian Carns charged. Making him particularly feel uneasy about the motives behind the extra page, he explained, are purported new requests on it for this year, asking the applicant to submit items such as “a copy of your NJ Sales Tax Certificate and proof of payment of NJ sales tax.” Brian Carns told this newspaper he is “still not sure” about needing to collect sales tax, asserting, “I can tell you farms where I buy from, including one in Salem County, which has to be like a $10 million farm – they

Photo Provided

Brianna’s Farm Stand at the Carns Family Farm.

Mistakes in Vote-by-Mail Ballots Affect Medford, 7 Other Communities, Obliging County to Mail Out Replacements After Errors Belatedly Found GOP Leader, Citing Previous Instances, Calls Misprints ‘Unacceptable,’ But County Information Official Downplays Their Overall Significance

By Bill B onvie Staff Writer

MOUNT HOLLY—Once again, mistakes appearing in printed Burlington County ballots, in this case vote-by-mail ballots sent to residents of eight municipalities, including Medford Township, have made it necessary for corrected ones to be sent out to residents of the affected communities.

Josh Zoppina, executive director of the Burlington County Republican Committee, claimed in an April 25 email to the Pine Barrens Tribune that he had first became aware that errors had been made in Primary Election ballots at 5 p.m., on the previous evening, and that the mistakes were subsequently confirmed in a call he received two hours later from Deputy County Clerk Heather Cheeseman, whom he had notified about them.

The mistake in the Medford ballot, he said, listed two council candidates as Democrats when they should have been identified as members of the Burlington County Regular Republican Organization. The ballots had already been mailed out two days before and started to be distributed when the misprints came to his attention.

Other municipalities whose ballots had to be corrected, he said, included Hainesport, Lumberton, Mansfield, New Hanover, Riverside, Westampton and Wrightstown townships. In the Riverside ballots, he noted, Senate and Assembly candidates listed were actually from an adjoining district. In all, he estimated that some 2,000 ballots had to be replaced. But while new mail-in ballots

were reportedly subsequently sent out to affected voters, Zoppina maintained a letter from the clerk explaining the mistake was not included with the new ballots as it should have been, making for further possible confusion.

When asked by this newspaper about the mistakes, Burlington County Public Information Office David Levinsky acknowledged that they had been made, but downplayed their significance in the overall scheme of things.

“Errors were identified on some Primary Election ballots sent to registered voters on the permanent vote-by-mail list,” Levinsky said, noting that “none of the impacted towns have contested primary races.”

“However, in the interest of being thorough, the county is mailing corrected ballots to these voters,” the county spokesman asserted. “These ballots are clearly marked ‘corrected ballot’ to make it easy for the Burlington County Board of Elections to identify when returned.”

Levinsky added that “the corrected ballots amount to less than five percent of the more than 48,000 vote-by-mail ballots and primary election notices sent to voters before this primary election.”

Zoppina, however, took issue with that assessment of the situation, which he called “unacceptable.”

“Even if one ballot is misprinted, it disenfranchises voters, no matter if it’s a contested election or not, and causes confusion,” he declared.

See BALLOTS / Page

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Death of Motorcycle Operator During Pursuit by Pemberton Twp. Officer Being Investigated by N.J. Attorney General’s Office, as Required by Law

PEMBERTON—The office of New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin is investigating a fatal motorcycle crash that occurred during a pursuit by a member of the Pemberton Township Police Department.

The crash at issue occurred on April 20 after the officer attempted to stop the motorcycle in connection with a criminal investigation. According to a press release from the AG’s office, the motorcycle being pursued struck an unrelated civilian vehicle, resulting in the death of motorcycle operator and serious injuries to a passenger on the bike.

The identities of the motorcycle’s occupants had not yet been released by this newspaper’s deadline time. There was no reference to the occupant(s) in the car being injured.

According to the preliminary investigation, the crash occurred on County Route 687 West near the intersection of Davis Street in Pemberton shortly after 5:16 p.m. (That particular intersection is in the Borough of Pemberton, just past the township line, per Google maps.)

A 2019 law requires the Attorney General’s Office to conduct an investigation of any death that occurs during an encounter with a law enforcement officer acting in his or her official capacity or while the deceased individual is in custody.

It also requires that all such investigations be presented to a grand jury to determine if the evidence supports the return of an indictment against the officer or officers involved.

Asbestos Reportedly Discovered in Pemberton Township’s Jail Cells

By D ouglas D. M elegari Staff Writer

PEMBERTON—Asbestos has been reportedly discovered in the Pemberton Township Police Department’s jail cells, according to Business Administrator and Police Director Daniel Hornickel.

“Apparently, one of the tiles got disturbed and then somebody thought it was a good idea to test it, which they should because of the age, and it turned out to be asbestos,” Hornickel reported.

Following the confirmation, Hornickel described that “airborne testing” was conducted “to make sure it didn’t spread.”

“It didn’t, fortunately,” Hornickel said. “It is just in that area of the jail cells. So,

we are going to have to do the remediation on that.”

Hornickel advised council that an “emergency contract” would be awarded for the anticipated remediation work and if the price exceeds a certain threshold, the administration will come to council for approval.

As of an April 19 Pemberton Township Council meeting, Hornickel said the township’s jail cells were temporarily “inoperative” and that the township was making use of the neighboring Pemberton Borough Police Department’s jail cells.

“We are going to try to get contracts awarded pronto to get that (the township’s jail cells) remediated, and returned to service,” Hornickel said.

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Medford Lakes Police Launch ‘Active investigation’ of Incident Involving Large Firecracker Being Lit in Front of Family’s Home Probe Follows Facebook Post Claiming Explosion Was Work of Juveniles Engaged In ‘Racially Motivated Harassment’ of Resident, Children of Indian Ethnicity

prior to that one, including another reported episode involving the setting off of fireworks on the family’s porch a couple days earlier.

Medford Lakes Mayor Dr. Gary Miller, however, was far less guarded in a Medford Lakes Borough Facebook posting on the evening of April 26, just prior to this newspaper’s deadline.

“Medford Lakes recently suffered a most disturbing act of violence, perpetrated against one of our fine families,” Miller contended. “It could well be that there was an element of racial bigotry that played a part in this.”

He added that “should this report reveal that a violent crime has, indeed, been committed and that there is an element of racial motivation to it, serious consideration should be given to referring the matter to the County Prosecutor’s Office for investigation of a possible hate crime.”

“I realize that this may seem harsh given the ages of the alleged perpetrators, but this was a severe act of violent behavior; behavior that appears to have been escalating,” the mayor declared, asserting that “the seriousness of the situation calls for swift and decisive action.”

He also asked, “How many times have we seen where this type of behavior was ignored, and it escalated to tragedy?

“That must not happen here,” he asserted.

A communique issued by the MLPD on April 26, stated that “the Medford Lakes Police Department is aware of a Facebook post on one of the local community pages regarding fireworks and possibly derogatory comments being made to a borough resident on Hiawatha Trail. This is an ACTIVE investigation and does involve multiple juvenile suspects.”

The department also asked residents to “please refrain from posting any names or allegations on any social media websites” and urged anyone who may be a witness, have video evidence or any pertinent information regarding this investigation to either contact the department at (609) 654-2156 or email Detective Ryan Collins at rcollins@medfordlakepolice.org .

By Bill B onvie

Staff Writer MEDFORD LAKES—The way Andrea Neale characterizes the harassment she claims her family – meaning her, her fiancé and his three children – has experienced over the last six months or so at their home in the scenic and usually tranquil Borough of Medford Lakes might well give the impression that it was the result of bias against a particular ethnic group – in this case, individuals of Indian descent.

But the Medford Lakes Police Department (MLPD) wasn’t yet ready to go that far when its chief, Robert Dugan, was contacted by the Pine Barrens Tribune

on the afternoon of April 25, a day after announcing that it had launched an investigation into the matter. The only thing Dugan could say with any degree of certainty was that a device that might have been an M-80 sztyle firecracker was lit in the street in front of the family’s home on Hiawatha Trail on the evening of April 23, and that the incident involved juveniles.

Beyond that, no concrete conclusions had been formulated so “we’re not going to call it a hate crime at this time,” he said in response to a question from this newspaper, adding, “It would be too judgmental to say that.” He also noted that he wasn’t at liberty to say whether or not there had been any incidents

The announcement of the probe followed a recent description of such alleged incidents that Neale posted on a community Facebook page, which elicited dozens of expressions of support from residents of this 1.27- squaremile enclave.

In her original Facebook posting, Neale alleged that she and her family have been “experiencing extremely violent and racially motivated harassment from young 8th grade boys in Medford Lakes culminating … with a series (of) fireworks being launched directly at our log home.” Their neighbors, she maintained, “have called MLPD several times due to their racial slurs and expletives they’ve screamed at us telling us to ‘go back to India’ leading up to this attack.”

The post was also originally accompanied by

a video of the alleged incident, which she said she had subsequently taken down.

She also noted in her Facebook post that the family recognized the youngster who lit the fuse and urged other residents to “please reach out” if they are experiencing similar harassment, as “the more people providing evidence to the MLPD against these kids, the faster our community will be protected.”

While Neale is not of Indian descent, her fiancé, Victor Singh, was born to parents who immigrated here from India, she said. Singh has three children, the oldest being a son who is now in high school, and thus is not a classmate of the middle school students she alleges are involved in the harassment, and the other two being girls aged 12 and 14, one of whom attends school in another community.

In a subsequent phone interview, Neale said the couple has been unable to fathom why their family has suddenly been targeted in this manner, especially given that her fiancé “has been an active and an involved member of the Medford Lakes community for 23 years” and they have had no issues with their neighbors.

“We don’t know how or why this started, and don’t understand what caused us to become a target,” she contended.

But her anger at this and other alleged incidents is somewhat tempered by relief that none of her family members were injured and no serious property damage had occurred, she indicated. So rather than responding in a vindictive manner to the episode, she said she would like to see it turned into a “learning opportunity” for the youngster who set off the device, as well as the rest of those involved, which might also be of benefit to “the entire community.”

“He made a huge mistake that could have had tragic consequences, but it shouldn’t ruin the rest of his life,” Neale contended. Such an outcome, she noted, is now more likely than in past years due to reforms instituted by the state in 2020 under a program known as the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative, which according to a directive issued by then-Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal, was intended “to rehabilitate youth and help them enter adulthood less likely to break the law” by diverting them “away from formal court proceedings and towards social or familial support.”

But Neale, who said she had been asked not to go into further details due to the ongoing investigation, did note that support for the family in response to her Facebook posting has been “overwhelmingly positive” and “we are incredibly grateful.”

“Now it’s time to let the MLPD do their job” she declared.

Typical of the responses to her posting was one that contained the sentiment, “Perhaps if charges were brought against the parents and made public, less of this would be going

Photos from Facebook

Still photos of the moments in which a large firecracker exploded, excerpted from a video that accompanied a community Facebook posting from Andrea Neale about the harassment campaign she said her family has been experiencing.

CIRCLING

(Continued from Page 1)

also expressed their reservations “to see something like this come through” their neighborhood.

As for any potential that a Super Wawa might actually be erected at the Red Lion Circle, while Mayor Michael Mikulski at one point on April 18 said the “developer” of the Red Lion Diner area is known to work with the convenience store, he emphasized on a number of occasions that he isn’t aware of any contract having been signed so far with the establishment, and no site plans have yet been provided to the township.

“There is a developer who is in talks with the property owner, having plans for a gas station, convenience store,” Mikulski acknowledged, however, in response to both online scuttlebutt and later remarks made by Township Committeeman James F. Young, Sr. about a prospective Super Wawa. “Although, let me be very clear: there has been no site plan submitted to the Planning Board.”

That being said, Mikulski recognized that “certainly the owner and developer are having a conversation,” and then in adding a “but” to that statement, again reiterated “nothing has been submitted to the planning board.”

It was a couple days prior to a March 21 Southampton Township Committee meeting when someone criticized the now ongoing construction of a Dollar General on Route 206, which is outside of, but close to the redevelopment area at the circle. That was followed by a person who posted that it was said that a Super Wawa is going to be built at the circle.

The mention of these two establishments, however, revived prior debate about keeping Southampton rural and mentions from some locals that they moved to the area to be either as far away as possible or get away from development, with some individuals remaking that their fears were now coming to fruition that by the township allowing the Dollar General to be built, it was opening the flood gates for more development in town.

However, some claiming to be in the know threw cold water on the idea of a Super Wawa coming to the circle. Then, during the March 21 township committee meeting, an ordinance was introduced for first reading, titled, “An Ordinance Amending Red Lion Circle Redevelopment Plan Standards.”

It led to a somewhat raucous exchange between Young and Mikulski, with the current mayor even telling the former Southampton mayor of 25 years (who has mostly opposed change in the town over his committee tenure, arguing Southampton is one of the state’s best kept secrets, and having previously asked his current set of colleagues, “What do you want to overpopulate it for?”) at one point to “let him finish!”

“I believe when someone owns a piece of property, they have the right to develop it, as long as it does not impact other people,” declared Young on March 21. “And what this

ordinance is doing here – there is going to be a Wawa where the Red Lion Diner is at, and they want to put a road out to Allentown Road.”

Young continued that “what this is going to do” is lead to “trucks and cars” on Allentown Road, despite previous governing body efforts to mitigate traffic on the road, because “Wawa is open 24 hours of the day.”

“You are going to ruin these people’s lives!” Young asserted. “Really, you are going to ruin them. And you are going to make their property values go down in value.”

Mikulski responded, “I don’t know that it is going to be a Wawa,” but that “I know the developer has said they are talking to Wawa.” The current mayor also recounted that there had been a purported conversation at one point with Royal Farms.

“Our job is to look at the Master Plan,” Mikulski continued. “The Master Plan has been around for 30 years. It identifies this area as an area in need of redevelopment. There are not a lot of areas in Southampton that can be redeveloped. And there are some areas that we don’t want to have developed. But 30 years ago, this township committee, way before me, said this is an area we want to have redeveloped. Our job, in my opinion, is to find areas that need to be redeveloped, and find a developer who has a plan.”

It is the planning board, Mikulski maintained, that is in charge of “finalizing the plan” and is tasked to “identify the very specifics of the plan.” That process with the planning board is when residents “get noticed” to “come out and voice their opinions about it (the site plan), specifically.”

“Whether or not this gets adopted does not put this plan in action, as you know,” said Mikulski, to which Young responded, “The idea is the developer can come before the planning board and say this is the recommendation of the township committee.”

“I know I wouldn’t want to live on a road with trucks going up and down it 24 hours a day,” declared Young, with Mikulski retorting the measure before the governing body would simply “foster economic development.” However, as the back-and-forth continued to unfold, the current mayor acknowledged the access road, which would be designated a public street, is needed (and the redevelopment plan is being amended to account for it) because the “state wants to close off the entrance to the diner at the circle.”

Southampton Deputy Mayor Bill Raftery, as the two continued their exchange, asked if Township Administrator and Clerk Kathleen D. Hoffman had a “ballpark estimate” of “the increase in tax revenue if this project goes through,” to which she responded “not on this one because the tax assessor wasn’t in.”

Township Solicitor George Morris, however, in “jumping in on that,” responded that a “typical Wawa with gasoline usually has an assessed value of over $2 million.”

Young appeared to be unphased by that figure, however, continuing to express concern

Photo By Andrew King

The intersection of Route 206 and Allentown Road in Southampton Township.

MEDFORD—A Medford Township man is facing charges of child endangerment after purportedly following school buses and yelling at juveniles.

According to a press release from the Medford Township Police Department, Kevin Daub, 44, of Hampton Circle Drive, was reported to authorities to be following school buses in the area of Headwater Drive and “yelling at juveniles” on the afternoon

of April 26.

While the specifics as to the comments allegedly made weren’t immediately available as of press time, police said their nature “caused the juveniles to become alarmed and concerned for their safety.”

A resulting police investigation led authorities to charge Daub with child endangerment, two counts of disorderly conduct and five counts of harassment.

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don’t accept anything but cash” and are a “real cash business.”

“If I buy something, do I need to then collect sales tax on that and submit it to the state?” he asked. “We looked into it. It sounds like you don’t have to, but you just never know.”

According to Brian Carns, after inquiring about the purpose behind the request for sales tax information, “we then got into ‘I can’t sell signs.’” Then, he claims, it was pointed out to him that the farm stand also can’t bring in flowers for resale.

Brian Carns noted that Brianna’s typically sold decorative signage, alongside its produce, for the season, including Halloween and Christmas (such signage is typically widely available for sale at agricultural venues as those buying plantings have an intent to decorate their home and backyards, as well as the offerings add atmosphere and appeal to such venues).

The “fact that I can’t sell flowers and plants,” as well as signs, Brian Carns maintained, “like the last couple of years when I was bringing them in,” is a losing proposition to the point “I would just be basically driving down the street and throwing money out the window.”

“To be honest, that is where you are making the money,” he declared. “You are not really making anything off the produce. And, not only that, but I still haven’t gotten my permits. I paid the fee, we answered some of the questions, but it just kept going backand-forth.”

He described a situation with the new process in which he was answering “‘not applicable’ and things like that” to some of the new requests, and current Zoning Officer Ann Bell “would then come back and ask more questions,” and then following offering a response, “take a week” to respond,

“dragging her feet.”

“So, I am just not comfortable doing it,” he said of his decision. “A.) I wasn’t making any money. B.) They were going to use this and hold it over my head. There is no doubt about it. And I imagine they would mess with me any way that they can. That is why I am pretty much not opening – not that I didn’t get the permit from (Zoning Officer) Ann (Bell) anyway, but there is no way I can make any money.”

Farm stands had actually been illegal in Medford, though for decades, many became established in the community and were reportedly tolerated without issue. Then, within the last decade, there had been reports that the township sought approvals for farm stands to continue to operate or to open in town. That is when the issue of farm stands reportedly came before Medford Council.

When the all-Republican Medford Council crafted the farm stand ordinance in 2020, Watson had made a point of wanting to “allow farm stands,” but only “if they sell at least 75 or 80 percent of New Jersey-grown produce,” and pointed out that “someone wanted to sell jewelry in their front yard.” He was opposed having items for sale “unrelated to agriculture,” declaring “we are trying to stop having someone come up with a whole stand of jewelry.”

An ordinance was then passed in 2020 allowing “farm stands” that “sell produce, vegetables, or any item grown on the property,” but it required “100 percent of all goods sold at a farm stand” must come from the farm management unit, or from the parcel they sit on.

In 2021, after that stipulation was described as having become a “burden” on farm stands, the law was amended to “expand” what can be sold at one to “products from New Jersey and any surrounding state.”

“One hundred percent of all goods sold at a farm stand shall consist of products from

the farm management unit; however, fruit, vegetables and produce may be sold, provided they are grown in the State of New Jersey or any state that borders the State of New Jersey,” is how the law reads currently.

Brian Carns, when asked if he had been aware of the limitations with respect to the signage and bringing in items other than produce, acknowledged that “I am in the wrong, apparently, to sell a sign out there for Christmas, Halloween and Easter stuff because it is not produce,” but called it “nitpicking” and emphasized that this issue only recently came about “even though I have been doing it the last two years.”

He then went on to describe that Bell has “really been hammering away at this,” and charged “they can’t wait to write me another ticket.”

“They are gunning for us,” he asserted, in pointing to the ongoing feuding, and having recently “yelled” at the mayor during a council meeting. “They really are.”

In regard to the regulation that, as he put it, only allows him “to buy my produce in Southern New Jersey to right at the edge of Philly,” in adding “one other thing” that caused him to become uncomfortable with the process and to question the motives behind it, Brian Carns alleged that local officials this year were “actually asking for the names of places where we were purchasing it at.”

He maintained it was even “implied” to him that if he purchased produce at a wholesaler in South Jersey, local officials wanted to make sure that wholesaler’s produce was “grown right here” and was not imported from the southern states (where produce sold at farm stands is traditionally originates from until in season in New Jersey).

“Absolutely, 100 percent,” responded Brian Carns when he asked to clarify if he believed local officials updated the permitting process as a form of reprisal, with him again claiming Brianna’s is the township’s only farm stand and

pointing to a 2020 moment in which Watson had visited the farm stand during a bid for re-election knowing the law had been changed to benefit the stand. “… They are not slowing down; they are gearing up.”

Brian Carns said in light of the request for tax information, he fears “friends” of the current administration will be “sent over to buy something and then put complaint in” to the state, declaring, “that is exactly what they are going to do.” He added that he knows that brick and mortar businesses in town don’t have to go through such great lengths to stay open, simply being subject to an annual fire inspection.

Prime, when contacted for this story, acknowledged the application was “updated.” He maintained he “knows they wanted to update the application so that it matched the ordinance that allowed the farm stands.” When asked who “‘they’” represents, he replied “the administrative people” at town hall.

The township solicitor, when provided with a brief summary of some of the concerns of the Carnses, called them “unfounded.”

“The ordinance that permitted farm stands has the standards in it,” he added. “They are no harsher or less harsh than they were when the ordinance was adopted. The application, as I understand it, just follows the ordinance. It has information in it that is required by the ordinance.”

He maintained, otherwise, the application process “is handled by the manager’s office” and he “doesn’t know” the status of Brian Carns’ application, or how many permits may have been issued over the last couple years and to whom, adding, “I am not sure what the issue is – it is just an application for a permit.”

Prime asked for one not to “hold him to it,” but said that he believed the impetus behind updating the application was over an “issue” as to whether a “formal survey would be required” to be submitted with

See FARM/ Page 11

that should any access route come out to Allentown Road, motorists would seek to make a right-hand turn, taking them to Old Red Lion Road, or through a residential area, so that they could catch a traffic light at Route 70 and Old Red Lion Road, versus making a left-hand turn from any access road and having to make a turn at Route 206 and Allentown Road, where there is no traffic signal. Hoffman, in response to a question, noted there are seven homes on Allentown Road altogether.

When Raftery mentioned that one could put a “no right turn” sign at the proposed intersection of Allentown Road and the access road, Young maintained people “won’t be able to get out” because of a lack of a traffic signal at Route 206 and Allentown Road, and reiterated people will instead seek out the intersection that has a traffic light. Raftery responded that a traffic study will have to be performed.

The measure was introduced by a 4-1 vote, with Young casting the lone vote in opposition to amending the redevelopment plan.

Following the March 21 township committee meeting, a flyer was apparently circulated throughout the Allentown Road and nearby Old Red Lion Road area, claiming that the governing body “voted 4 to 1 to approve a Super Wawa and a strip mall where the Red Lion Diner now stands.”

“This should be of concern to all of us because the current plan is to have all the traffic exiting the Super Wawa and the strip mall onto Allentown Road and further onto Old Red Lion Road,” the flyer stated. “The Super Wawa will be open 24/7 and all cars and 18 wheelers will utilize our roads all day and night. Our roads would need to become two-lane roads by means of using our front yards to expand the roadway. We need to consider the traffic, crime and litter that this development will create. In addition, we should all be concerned for the safety of our children and grandchildren.

“I spoke with our former mayor, Jim Young, who was the only ‘no’ vote from the council. He advised that two of the four ‘yes’ votes could become ‘no’ votes if we can get enough people to attend the meeting and voice our disapproval. I hope you join me and your neighbors and stop this development from moving forward.”

So many people attended the April 18 township committee meeting that Mikulski made the unusual move to go row-by-row during public comment.

Mikulski, after declaring that he “heard some bad information was going around,” pointed out to the audience that the redevelopment

entice redevelopment at the Red Lion Circle) had actually already been twice-approved, initially in May 2021, and again in 2022.

“The State of New Jersey has told us they want to close the entrance (to the diner) on the circle, basically either way,” said Mikulski on April 18 of the actual ordinance before the governing body for adoption, amending the Red Lion Circle redevelopment plan standards to account for the prospective access road. “… Anyone who has ever driven the circle, coming from Route 70 knows it is dangerous to get off the circle and into the diner property. So, what they have said is that after this redevelopment plan was approved a second time, the state is going to require a municipal road from Route 70 to Allentown Road. It is not a direct-angle road being proposed, but it would be a turn from Route 70, approximately near where the (future) Dunkin Donuts will be, into the center, and then out to Allentown Road.”

Mikulski further explained that “the project itself has already been approved in terms of it being a redevelopment plan,” but that “no specific project has been approved because no specific project has been submitted.” He also pointed out to the crowd that a sign currently advertising available lots for the project mentions that only a handful of site pads are available, and what is planned is “not a strip mall, nor is it going to be seven or eight stores lined up, etc.”

However, in light of the concerns expressed prior to April 18, the current mayor said he reached out to the developer, as well as to the township planner to discuss “how can we minimize traffic onto Allentown Road,” and maintained the developer is amenable to prohibiting truck traffic from traversing Allentown Road, as well as has agreed to a no right-hand turn at Allentown Road.

The ordinance was then put on the floor for second reading and public hearing with a “modification” “that does not allow truck traffic and no right turns.”

“Whereas to minimize the traffic on Allentown Road, any future developer of the site will be required to ensure an exit on Allentown Road is designated as a left-only exit, and shall further prohibit trucks from entering Allentown Road from that site,” said Mikulski in reading the modification language from the ordinance.

Still, several Allentown and Old Red Lion Road residents told the township committee their beliefs that motorists will disregard any no right turn signage, with multiple area residents testifying that an existing no rightturn sign at a second intersection of Old Red Lion Road and Route 70 is continually being disregarded as it is, having turned Allentown and Old Red Lion roads into a “cut through” for people wanting to avoid the circle to get to Route 206.

“That sign out there,” said Allentown Road resident Glenn Cutts to the township

Resident David Young, also of Allentown Road, who recounted that the no rightturn sign had been installed at the second intersection of Old Red Lion Road and Route 70 sometime around 2010, agreed, maintaining, “after 3 p.m. (when the prohibition goes into effect, up until 7 p.m. each day) you must have 200 cars go through.”

“If you put in this access road, you are going to force more people to go out Allentown Road,” David Young maintained. “Adding a Super Wawa to the site is adding more traffic. You already have a Super Wawa in the township at Routes 38 and 206, and the one in Medford on Route 70. Do we really need this?”

In response, Mikulski declared, “In an ideal world, a lot of things that got built, I would have preferred to have something else, but I would prefer somebody coming in who takes care of their property, and adds to the tax base.”

“Some people are unhappy about the Dollar General,” Mikulski recognized. “But the Dollar General is going to be a good cooperate citizen to us.”

Resident Kathleen Devone, who lives in another section of Southampton, said that with respect to the “Wawa superstore,” her “concern” is that it is “almost impossible” right now to “navigate” the area of Routes 70 and 206 “without that kind of development” existing in the area.

“It doesn’t seem like it is going to assist the current traffic issues,” she said. “It is just going to add on top of traffic issues. How is this going to affect locals?”

Mikulski again clarified he wants to be “real clear” that a Super Wawa is not an absolute certainty.

“Nothing has been …. I know it has been said ‘Wawa,’ generically, to some extent, and I do believe this developer works with Wawa, but we have had no communications to or from Wawa,” the current mayor maintained.

Allentown Road resident Brian Shapiro, however, declared at the start of the public hearing that he “opposes the road coming out to Allentown Road,” and that “the only

thing I would feel comfortable accepting is if you blocked off the road” at that point, either turning Allentown Road into a “no outlet” street or having it be a one-way street “that way it would not be impacted by the traffic” that he says would be incurred from the possible store.

“The easiest way to put it, is it will destroy the quality of life of the people there,” he said of the access route proposal as it stands currently.

Mikulski responded that he “doesn’t know if that is doable,” or closing off the street, because of ambulances and fire engines needing to “get down the road” in the event of an emergency, but, “I hear you.”

“This would be something that the planning board would look at through traffic studies,” he added.

At one point during the contentious April 18 township committee meeting, residents shouted Allentown Road is already “like a highway.”

Resident Mindi Hall, who claimed her residence is “most affected by this access road from the new redevelopment,” pointed out that “nobody listens to that sign,” at the one intersection already, and “I am afraid unless there is a cop sitting at that (new proposed) sign saying you can only make left turn, people are still going to be speeding up and down that road.”

“I don’t like the redevelopment at all,” she declared. “This is not ideal for me.”

Mikulski responded “we appreciate that there are people more impacted than others,” and that “one of the most difficult problems that we have as a township committee is balancing that any time there is any development, or anything is built, something is built next to somebody.”

“A lot of us moved out to open land we hoped would never be developed,” he added. “And there are farms out here in Southampton that are probably going to be developed, that are probably going to be built on – and everybody who moved next to the farm is going to be really unhappy. … It is a very difficult balance, and we don’t take it lightly.”

See CIRCLING/ Page 15

Photo By Andrew King

An entrance for the Red Lion Diner at the Red Lion Circle that the state is said to want eliminated.

says is building in “places that impact the fewest people.”

“Look at what Lumberton is doing on our border, with acres and acres being developed,” the Southampton mayor told the crowd at one point. “Look at the new warehouses in Eastampton. The reason is, they are looking to raise revenue. Is it better to build 100 homes or one warehouse? One warehouse will be paying more taxes to a municipality than 100 homes. Plus, there are no children added to the schools, or requirements for trash pickup. The streets don’t have to be paved (by the township).”

However, he added that “I am not saying these decisions are right for us, but I am saying why they are doing it.”

“One of my frustrations as development is happening on both sides of us, is we are getting all the traffic and none of the revenue,” Mikulski declared.

Appearing on the April 6 planning board meeting agenda was “Consistency Review Development Plan – Dermody Warehouse.” Preceding that session, and following it, was an ordinance appearing for township committee consideration, “Adopting a Redevelopment Plan for Block 403, Lots 12.01, 12.03, 12.04 & 12.05; Familiarly Known as a Portion of the South Pemberton Road Development Area.”

“This was sent to the planning board, which passed the proposal as well,” Mikulski told residents on April 18 during a Southampton committee second reading and public hearing for the ordinance. “No site plan has been sent to the planning board for a specific project. It is anticipated there is a developer who is looking to put in a warehouse.”

The mayor described the potential warehouse as “smaller than those that are surrounding us, but a warehouse, nonetheless.”

Prior to the April 18 Southampton committee meeting, this newspaper conducted interviews with both Mikulski, who made some comments before referring this newspaper to Heston. Heston explained that prior to the actions being taken, for the parcel in question, “there were two zones there” and by having one portion of the lot designated a certain zone, it would have necessitated any redeveloper to come before the planning board “to get it rezoned in order to build.”

“So, as part of the redevelopment plan, by making all the land the same zone, it can encourage redevelopment, which is what we were looking to do,” Heston declared.

While the planning board member told this newspaper that a “developer

has talked about the potential for a warehouse” at the site in question, currently, he maintained, “there are no real plans, there is just talk.”

“Nothing has been submitted to the township or planning board to review or ask our judgement on,” Heston said.

He emphasized that, so far, the only action that has been taken by the planning board “is on a redevelopment zone” and “there was a public hearing to make that change – to make it developer friendly,” and that “the planning board approved it” on April 6.

The change in zoning, Heston indicated to this newspaper, could even allow for more than a warehouse to be built on the parcel in question.

“So, it could be a Target, since we have a Walmart down in Lumberton,” Heston said. “There is no talk of a Target, but, as an example, a big commercial store could go in there, in addition to a warehouse, and even a manufacturing plant. It is all the same zone.”

The lot in question, as described by Heston to this newspaper, abuts Route 38 (along a stretch of the highway also known as South Pemberton Road) in Southampton between a solar field and school bus facility and “then it goes back behind the (Vincentown) diner and solar fields and comes back out onto Route 206, but also goes back a little further behind the shopping center with the Dunkin Donuts and liquor store.”

“Essentially, this action will make it easier to redevelop it,” summarized Heston of what has occurred so far in the process.

The prospective warehouse, if built, would be in addition to five others proposed in the Birmingham neighborhood of Pemberton Township, with those warehouses, while falling within Pemberton Township and financially benefitting that town, proposed to be right up against the Southampton Township-line, according to site plans provided to this newspaper.

One large warehouse was already built in Pemberton, on the Southampton line, at the intersection of Birmingham Road and County Route 530, the latter also known as South Pemberton Road.

Mikulski pointed out to the large crowd gathered for the April 18 governing body session that “in terms of taxes in Southampton, we keep less than 15 cents of every tax dollar.”

“So, if you pay $5,000 in taxes, less than 15 percent of that stays in Southampton,” he said. “Most people don’t know that and assume we keep a large portion of that (money raised through taxes). Some 87 percent of that goes to the schools, county, etc.”

The Southampton mayor then detailed “some issues the last couple of years with Blue Acres funding,” revealing that 11 homes

Environmental Site Analysis to Be Performed After Underground Fuel Tank on Pemberton Property ‘Nobody Knew Existed’ Was Found to Have Leaked Business Administrator Says Discovery Made When Crane Inadvertently Punctured It During Maintenance on Well #6, But That There is ‘No Indication That Well is Foul’

By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer

PEMBERTON—An underground fuel tank “nobody knew existed,” near Pemberton Township Well #6 at 94 Ridge Road in the Browns Mills section of the municipality, was reportedly discovered upon it being inadvertently punctured last fall, according to Business Administrator Daniel Hornickel.

It was then determined to have “leaked” in the preceding years, which has prompted the need for environmental site remediation analysis work, including “soil sampling,” which Pemberton Township Council approved during an April 5 meeting at a cost not to exceed $40,000.

“We do not have any indication that the well is foul,” Hornickel emphasized about township Well #6 during the meeting. “So, despite the condition of the tank, it is not in the reservoir. That we are confident in.”

The cost involved in this matter, however, “could go higher” when any actual remediation work (if required) is performed, Hornickel recognized, declaring, “that tank that has been sitting in the ground for decades has been rusted out and is leaking fluids – it is going to cost money.”

Hornickel told this newspaper that the tank’s discovery came about on Oct. 11 of last year when a “contractor was setting up some heavy

in Southampton have been demolished so far along the Rancocas Creek through the state flooding buyout program, with predictions that number will potentially go as high as 25 in the near future.

“Well the rules with that, with the state, are interesting,” continued Mikulski , describing that with respect to the land that the homes once sat on, “we are not allowed to use that land for anything that is tax productive” and “we have to basically let it grow back to its natural state.”

“So, that property tax that the former homeowner paid now falls on all of us,” he said. “And we were hit the second hardest of any municipality in Burlington County with Blue Acres sales.”

Additionally, according to the Southampton mayor, the municipality has “a large number of veterans who are disabled” and “they get 100 percent property-tax relief from the state,” with the rest of us ending up having to pay that as well.”

Mikulski went on to describe that the

equipment to perform maintenance” at the site of Well #6.

“A leg from a crane punctured an unknown underground fuel storage tank,” he said. “The tank was still holding fuel, which was promptly pumped before the tank was removed days later.”

In a preceding report to township council, the business administrator advised “the tank we discovered nobody knew existed, leaked, so we have to do soil borings, and depending on how deeply it went, we may have to remove soils and install monitoring wells.”

Hornickel told this newspaper that the township’s LSRP (Licensed Site Remediation Professional) will be conducting testing to determine the extent of soil contamination in the vicinity of the extracted tank and to determine whether any contamination has reached any potable wells.

“There are three potable wells about 500 feet away, but preliminary evaluation hasn’t revealed any contamination of such,” Hornickel reported. Following the completion of soil samplings, according to the business administrator, the LSRP will have to “create a plan for submission to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) about cleaning the site out.”

In response to a question from Councilman Paul Detrick, Hornickel confirmed the fuel tank “is on our property.”

township recently assisted the Hampton Lakes Volunteer Fire Company with the purchase of a new fire truck that was “15 years overdue,” costing over $850,000, and “we are at the point now where we are probably two fire engines short of replacement on the schedule that we should be replacing.”

Additionally, he said Southampton is “trying to do 10 roads every couple of years,” with road conditions “probably the largest complaint we get from township residents” beside reports of speeding, and at this point, “we have to borrow money to do them because we are looking at a cost of $4 million, which is half of what we regularly spend here in Southampton.”

About 20 roads, he recognized, “are on our to-do-list.”

“We are faced with some large budget issues,” said Mikulski of why the township is pursuing ratables and “smart development,” with additional comments in that regard featured in a separate, front cover story of the Pine Barrens Tribune

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MAY

May 1

Events and special promotions happening locally this month!

Last Line of Defense: The Lumberton Nike Base Location: Vincentown (Southampton Township)

Details: The Southampton Historical Society is presenting a program titled “Last Line of Defense: The Lumberton Nike Base PH-23/25” on Mon., May 1, at Old Town Hall, 25 Plum St., Vincentown, at 7:30 p.m. For nearly two decades during the Cold War, radar-controlled missiles were housed in Lumberton on one of the Nike bases protecting Philadelphia against Russian bombers. Had they ever been fired, they would have passed over Southampton. Presenter James Alexander will explain how the Nike missile system worked, including its nuclear warheads, as well as takes a look at what is left of the former base, including a visit to an underground missile storage magazine there and remaining features above ground.

May 1

Train Rides Through the Woods of New Gretna

Location: Bass River Township

Details: The Woods of New Gretna Park and the New Jersey Shore Live Steam Organization provide train rides for all each Saturday and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The small steam locomotives, and other trains, wind their way through the beautiful park. The rides are provided by a group of dedicated volunteers who have revitalized the park and laid out the railroad track, based on the historical Tuckerton Railroad. The volunteers maintain the railroad and walking trails, and are constantly expanding them. Riding the trains is free, but donations are very much appreciated. The train rides are outdoors.

May 13

5th Annual Train, Toy & Collectible Show

Location: Lumberton Township

Details: The 5th Annual Train, Toy & Collectible Show will be held Sat., May 13, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Air Victory Museum, 68 Stacy Haines Rd., Lumberton. There will be trains, toys, collectibles, railroadiana, as well as operating train layouts and door prizes! General admission is $4; children under 10 are free. Six-foot vendor tables are still available for $15, but call to reserve soon as they are going fast! For tables and information, please call 609-367-2913, or 609-388-5111. Visit: facebook.com/train. toy.show. Email: train.toy.show@gmail.com.

May 13

A Country Day at Kirby’s Mill

Location: Medford Township

Details: The Medford Historical Society is hosting “A Country Day at Kirby’s Mill” on Sat., May 13, from 12 noon to 4 p.m. The mill is located at Church and Fostertown roads in Medford. The historic mill will be grinding cornmeal by water power. The Blacksmith Shop will be in operation and all the museum buildings will be open to visitors. An afternoon of historic craft demonstrations, working antique machinery, and a Civil War encampment will be featured at the Mill complex. Admission is free. Space is available for crafters to display and sell their wares. For information, call 609-531-1825.

To promote your June event on this page contact Jayne Cabrilla at 609-801-2392 or email news@pinebarrenstribune.com

May 16

Trip to Bally’s Casino

Location: Lumberton/Tabernacle (Pick-up Locations)

Details: The Pinelands Young at Heart Senior Club is The Pinelands Young at Heart Senior Club is sponsoring monthly casino trips to Atlantic City Resorts on the third Tuesday of each month. The price is $35, with $20 back to play at the casinos. The first pick-up is at 8:30 a.m., at the Lumberton Plaza, TD Bank parking lot. The second pick-up is at 9 a.m., at the Old Squad Building on Hawkins Rd. in Tabernacle. Enjoy drawings and Bingo games on the trip. Snacks and water are included. For more information, call JoAnn at 609-268-8951.

May 20

Geranium and Bake Sale

Location: Vincentown (Southampton Township)

Details: The Southampton Historical Society is hosting a Geranium and Bake Sale on Sat., May 20, Hedge Hall (formerly Vincentown Grange Hall), 115 Main St., Vincentown, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. There will be red, white, salmon and lavender-blue geraniums for $3.75 each. To place your order, please call 609-859-0524 or 609-351-6193 by May 7. Limited quantities will be available on the day of the sale.

BALLOTS

(Continued from Page 3)

In addition, he charged that such mistakes have become “a reoccurring issue” at the Burlington County Clerk’s office, which listed the wrong early voting location on the sample ballots for last year’s General Election, as this newspaper reported at the time.

“This stuff has to be proofread multiple times, because there is mistake after mistake, year after year,” Zoppina contended. Also weighing in was Bass River Township’s

FIRECRACKER

(Continued from Page 4)

on in the world” and another that asserted, “The police will do their thing, but the rest of us need to be vigilant. Be aware, stop language like this any time you hear it. … Talk to your family members and your kids about how this kind of behavior should not and will not be tolerated.”

When contacted by this newspaper in regard to whether any similar incidents might have occurred at the Neeta School, the middle school in Medford Lakes that goes through grade 8, the district superintendent, Dr. Anthony Dent, responded that he had “never had any incidents regarding that family – this would be a first for me.” He added that the police have not contacted the school in regard to any investigation of students involved in any such racially motivated issues.

Dent added that whenever parents or

FARM

(Continued from Page 7)

any application, but it was determined “the ordinance only requires a plot plan.”

The newly-added page, as provided to this newspaper by David Carns asks an applicant to submit with their application “one copy of a plan or copy of a survey marked with the exact location shown of the farm management unit …, in addition to “a copy of your NJ Sales Tax Certificate and proof of payment of NJ sales tax.”

While the added page to the application mirrors, to some extent, section A of the farm stand ordinance, which pertains to the application and outlines what information is required of the applicant, both of these particular requested items (a survey/plan, tax certificates) are not mentioned in the ordinance. However, it is stipulated in section

Republican Mayor Deborah Buzby-Cope, a current candidate for the county clerk’s job, who contended that “mistakes like this happen every year under (Democratic County Clerk Joanne) Schwartz’s watch, and we can’t allow it to continue.”

“Elections are too important to be mismanaged, and she has proven time and again not to be up to the job,” Buzby-Cope declared.

Buzby-Cope further maintained that if elected to the post, she would “ensure we don’t make costly mistakes that waste taxpayer resources and erode faith in the election process.”

students “have submitted concerns about comments made,” which seemed to have any substance, “we’ve handled that through meetings or interventions,” and that if it ever came down to pressing charges for “anything racially motivated that happened in the district,” he is the one who would be responsible for doing that.

Miller, noting in his Facebook posting that “the police and the courts can do just so much,” called on residents “to be ever vigilant in our efforts to safeguard both one another and our community,” emphasizing that “heightened awareness is essential,” as is maintaining “zero tolerance for hateful actions.”

“My heart goes out to the Singh family,” he added. “I urge them to stay strong, knowing that their community supports them completely. They didn’t deserve this, nobody does.”

Miller concluded his message by declaring ‘that this horrible incident, in no way, defines our wonderful community.”

A that while the section of the ordinance “sets forth” what should be on an application to be provided by the zoning officer, it is “not limited to” what is listed in the law.

This newspaper did not receive a response to its Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request for documents related to this matter as of press time, and Burger could not be immediately reached for comment on this story.

“Every surrounding town has farm stands that sell a huge variety of items,” wrote one woman online in response to the closure announcement. “They are treated and respected as a treasured family-run local businesses by their townships. Medford had the one on Stokes that is now replaced by housing and now Brianna’s is gone. It is sad that the once booming farm community of Medford has lost that piece that reminded all of its history. As a little kid going from North Philly to LBI with my grandparents, a stop at a Medford area farm stand was a must.”

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The concerns, he said, would be taken to the planning board by the township committee’s two representatives that sit on it, Raftery and Committeeman Ron Heston.

“It is upsetting,” Hall retorted. “We worked really hard, and our two acres of a slice of heaven is being overrun by commercial properties. It is very upsetting.”

As residents continued to sound off on the plan for nearly an hour-and-a-half, maintaining “trucks are not going to want to go onto Route 206” from Allentown Road, the road is “a hazard and you are adding to it,” the “road is already so tight,” pedestrians of the road “have to climb on people’s properties” as it is now to avoid being hit, the “plan is not improving anything, but only making more of a burden to people,” and “what you are dumping on our road is something that it can’t take,” Mikulski, on a number of occasions reiterated “this is not even close to a final design” and what is being put out is merely a “concept.”

“Do you know how absurd that is?” asked one woman of the Southampton committee voting to approve something without having the final plan in front of it for review. “We are all affected, and if you pass it, it could then be totally different.”

Mikulski again replied a final plan would go to the planning board “at some point in the future,” and “since we have a redevelopment plan, this modifies the plan to have this road come off Route 70 and come out to Allentown Road,” but acknowledged that the no right turn and truck traffic modifications being added to the ordinance are subject to state approval.

“How can you approve something when you don’t have a plan?” the woman asked, to which Mikulski contended the proposed access road is again the demand of the state.

“I don’t want to hear about New Jersey!” the woman quipped. “I want to hear about Southampton! How can you approve something when you don’t know what is going on?”

Mikulski ultimately replied, in part, that the Southampton committee “doesn’t vote on Wawa, Dunkin Donuts or Dollar General,” but rather such approvals are given by the planning board. However, he would soon be reminded by LeisureTowne resident and former trustee of the retirement community, Thomas Haluszczak, an attorney, that the township committee is the public body that set the redevelopment plan in motion.

“Can we amend the redevelopment plan?” asked Haluszczak twice of Mikulski, also an attorney, to which the mayor seemingly grudgingly acknowledged, “Any decision can be revisited if a township committeeperson seconds a motion, and it gets three votes.”

“So, we are not bound, or shackled to a redevelopment plan if don’t want it,” asserted Haluszczak in response, pointing out there

might be a “backdoor solution” to the matter, to which the mayor replied, “that is a whole different discussion.”

LeisureTowne political activist Evelyn “Evie” Doherty also weighed in on the situation, declaring, “personally I think this is very unfair to the people,” adding “we do not need three gas stations in such a short distance.”

She then proposed what she maintained is a “good name for the road,” or “No Trespassing Here,” which the mayor notably used on a couple of occasions to refer to it throughout the rest of the proceedings.

Cutts, meanwhile, put a question to the township committee: “What happened to getting rid of the circle?”

“How would that change this whole project, if they said, ‘Let’s get rid of the circle, now?’” he asked in a second question.

After Mikulski replied that he has “no idea,” Cutts retorted, “Well, that is something that has to be found out, because if the state takes out the circle after this thing (the access road) is built, how is that going to change all the roads?”

“Entrances to and from that Wawa then may change, and you may not need access onto Allentown Road,” Cutts said.

Mikulski replied that he “doesn’t think the state is planning to, or is ready to remove the circle yet,” and that the “State of New Jersey is going to make those engineering decisions based upon whatever exists at the time they make those decisions.”

Heston then recounted an encounter he had with a New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) official around 1964, who he claimed had a “set of blueprints on the hood of his car” that showed Route 206 “at ground level,” while Route 70 “was going to be an overpass” at the circle. The plan, according to Heston, was going to remove the circle and replace it with “cloverleaves.”

Years later, Heston recounted, when he was appointed to the Route 206 Steering Committee, he maintained a state engineer told him “‘the trouble with the Red Lion Circle is it is too big’” and one needs to “make it small so you can just barely turn your wheel on the circle.”

“I had a bird at that meeting!” Heston quipped. “I said, ‘Has anybody ever been to Medford (where a small circle once existed at the intersection of County Route 541 and Route 70)?’ That was a small circle and it was ten times worse than this one.”

The Southampton committeeman maintained the state decided against taking out the Red Lion Circle because putting in the necessary underpass and overpass would “take up too much ground,” potentially as much as 4 acres.

“There are a lot of issues involved with the circle and what they can do about it,” Heston declared.

Prior to Heston taking a look back, however, Mikulski said he would presume that if the Red Lion Circle is removed one day, it would be replaced by a traffic light.

Once the public hearing was closed, Young

declared, “I feel this is not our problem!”

“I feel the developer should work it out with the state,” Young asserted. “We should not get involved in this. Because if you look at Allentown Road and Route 206, you can’t get out there now. It is just going to be a nightmare.

If the township committee approves this here, it goes to the planning board, and if the planning board rejects it – the road – then the developer’s attorney is going to sue township for approval. Then their attorney will say the township committee gave approval and the judge is going to say, ‘the township committee approved it.’”

Mikulski and Young then got into another heated exchange with the mayor stating, “the planning board absolutely has autonomy on approving the project” and “it is their job to ask specific questions when a plan is presented,” pointing out that all but one of the board’s appointees were also appointed/ reappointed by Young.

“And if we don’t have a planning board that we trust, we should abolish the planning board altogether!” Mikulski declared.

The exchange turned particularly lively when Young retorted, “All the ratables in the world – it is not worth it to inconvenience the residents,” to which the current mayor hit back, “Any project we have done in this township has inconvenienced a resident!”

“I am talking about this one,” clarified Young, to which Mikulski responded, “That is not what you said.”

The latest amendment to the redevelopment plan passed on second reading, 4-1, with Young casting the lone opposing vote.

Just before the roll call vote, Heston, who offered that he “came to this meeting very open minded,” stated that he believed “if the number of people who are in the room wrote letters to the NJDOT, and stated their case that this (adding an access road) is the wrong decision to make, it will carry more weight than this committee does.” An outstanding question that needs to be answered, Heston noted, is whether the state will allow a second current entrance to the diner to remain

open, and if that would be actually a “better option.”

Also to come out of the meeting, based on attendees concerns, is a “commitment” from the current mayor to investigate whether speed bumps would be feasible (per resident requests) on Allentown and Old Red Lion roads, as well as lowering the speed limit from 35 mph to 25 mph, the latter something Heston “suggested” be done. Heston also recommended that the governing body look into making Allentown Road a one-way street.

Mikulski opened the April 18 meeting by stating “when we are looking at things like the Dollar General store, or the Dunkin Donuts going in, or what we call ratables, we are doing so because we are trying to keep property taxes low,” and that the township is trying offset heavy expenses such as a recent purchase of a fire engine and two more that are needed, as well as recent losses of houses (that had generated revenue for the town) due to a state flooding buy-out (Blue Acres) program.

“I assure you everybody on this township committee enjoys our rural community,” Mikulski declared. “Nobody is trying to turn this into anything else. But there has been a plan in place for decades trying to find ‘smart development.’ And smart development, meaning places that impact the fewest people possible. And I know everyone in this room is impacted, or you wouldn’t be here. …”

Paul Tsiknakis, owner of the Red Lion Diner, who previously told this newspaper that the redevelopment plan would make better use of the ‘oversized,’ 20-Acre restaurant parcel, creating a ‘centerpiece’ of Southampton, and allow for a “new, stateof-the-art restaurant to be built,” and that the redevelopment plan presents “basically the only opportunity we had where we were able to continue the greatness of the Red Lion Diner,” did not return a message seeking comment on this story as of press time. Tsiknakis had made a point previously that the new center would provide for added convenience to township residents.

A provided map of the Red Lion redevelopment area.