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Dear Neighbors,
I hope you are enjoying your summer.
There is a lot going on in Lumberton – a new liquor
license, redevelopment plans, road repairs, recreation improvements. So, let’s get started.
Liquor License: Lumberton Township will be issuing another liquor service license. In
2004, Lumberton's population crossed the 12,000 mark.
The state allows one liquor service license for every 3,000 residents.
The Township Committee is changing Lumberton's code
which currently limits the town to three service licenses for bars and restaurants and one
distribution license for package goods stores.
The changes will allow the township to issue as many licenses as the state will permit.
The Township plans to auction off the license for a minimum of $750,000 and stipulate that the recipient be a new restaurant.
The license is expected to go on auctioned in the next few
months once the Township Committee finishes
crafting the bid specifications.
Redevelopment
580 Main Street: On July 10th, the Township Committee voted 4-0 to approve a
redevelopment agreement between the township and David Ferrell Enterprises.
The developer will construct a four suite office building on Main Street on the vacant lot next to the
gazebo parking lot. As part of the redevelopment agreement, the developer will pave the
municipal parking lot, make improvements to the storm water run off,
refresh the landscaping and install new historic lighting.
The improvements are estimated at $75,000.
In exchange, the tenants will be permitted to use up to 19 of the 27 parking spots on the municipal lot but will not
be granted exclusive use of those spaces. Additionally, the developer's tenants will have
to pay the township an average of $3,000 per year over 30 years for the use of the parking
spots on the township's lot. Construction is expected to start this fall.
A-1 Pallet: On July 10th, the Township Committee hired a professional planner to
develop marketable plans to redevelop the former A-1 Pallet site on Main Street. The site
has been vacant for over a year. The owner of the property has agreed to work with the
township on redeveloping the property. The professional planner will survey the needs and
desires of the community and propose options for new development. The redevelopment plan is
expected by be completed in six months. Once a developer is selected for the work, the
developer will reimburse the township for the planning costs.
Recreation Improvements
New Recreation Fields: The truck loads of free fill dirt continue to arrive from
the Medford Lakes Colony to the land adjacent to the municipal complex on Municipal Drive.
The deliveries are about one third complete and are expected to be completed by the end of
November. After reading a recent Burlington County Times article, several residents
expressed concerns that the fill dirt is contaminated because the state Pinelands Commission
would not allow it to be place in the Pinelands. The environmental standards in the
Pinelands are the most stringent in the state and are primarily designed to prevent
development. The township's engineer has confirmed that the soil is not contaminated and
referenced the soil sample report done by the Medford Lakes Colony to get approval for the
project from state Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP). The Township also paid for a
second independent set of soil tests which confirmed that original test results which show
that the soil is well within DEP’s standards. The township has posted both soil test
results on the web site for residents to review if they have concerns.
New Playground: The Township will start construction on a new community playground
at the Municipal Center. The new playground will be in proximity to the new recreation
fields so that kids can play there while their siblings are playing on the nearby athletic
fields. The playground will have two sections, one for children under five years old and
another for children over five. The township is working to get the project complete in time
for Community Day on October 7th.
Awards
Middle School Receives State Award:
The Lumberton Middle School was recognized by the State Department of Education for its Best Practices Award. The Lumberton Middle School
was one of only 30 schools in the state to receive this award. This is the fourth time
since 2000 that a Lumberton school has been recognized by the Department of Education.
Open Space Award: In May, the Rancocas Conservancy awarded Lumberton Township an
award for its outstanding efforts in Open Space and Farmland Preservation.
To date, Lumberton has permanently preserved over 1,100 acres of farmland and over 200 acres open
space for active and passive recreation.
Community Calendar
Car Show & Family Fun Day: The Flying W is hosting the 7th Annual Car Show & Family
Fun Day on September 9th. Car Registration is from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM. Show and Fun Day
runs from 12:00 – 5:00 PM. The event is free to enter. There will be prizes for winning
cars, car games, pony rides, vendor’s row, clown, face painting, registration goody bags
with pool passes, show t-shirt, & much more! There will also be live music by New
Beginnings. For more information, visit www.flyingwairport.com or call Lynn at (609)
261-7880 for vendor Information.
Kid Day America: The Associated Chiropractors of Burlington County are sponsoring
Kid's Day America on Saturday, September 16th from 12:00 - 3:00 PM at their office at 698
Main Street located near the post office. The goals of the event are to promote health,
safety and environmental awareness for children and to provide free fingerprint photo ID
cards. There will also be free food, balloons, face painting, bike helmets and more.
McGruff the Crime Dog, Sparky the Fire Dog and Smokey the Bear will all be there. For more
information, visit www.childrenswellness.com or call Dr. Larry Sabel at 261-5321.
Lumberton Community Day: Community Day will be held on Saturday, October 7th from
1:00 – 4:00 PM at the Municipal Complex on Municipal Drive. The rain date will be Sunday,
October 8th. There will be games, inflatable rides and live demonstrations. There will also
be a full schedule of events, demonstrations, food, roaming characters, face painting and
much more. If you are interested in performing, setting up a table, sponsoring any
entertainment or volunteering, contact the Recreation Department at 267-3217.
GLBA Charity Dinner: The Greater Lumberton Business Association
(GLBA) will be hosting a
charity scholarship dinner on October 26th from 6:00-10:00 PM at Lamberti’s Milano Modo on
Route 38. The scholarships will benefit Rancocas Valley Regional High School students
looking to further their education after graduation. The business association will also be
presenting awards to businesses and members of the public for outstanding service to the
community. Tickets are limited and will go on sale around September 5th. Check the GLBA
web site – www.lumbertontwp.com/glba for more information.
Road Improvements
Kilby Street Re-Paving and Sidewalk Installation: The Township received a community
Development Block Grant to repave Kilby Street. The project also includes the installation
of curbs and sidewalks. The grant covers 90% of the cost. The work is scheduled to be
completed this fall.
Crispin Road Bridge: Burlington County will replace the bridge on Crispin Road
between Coventry Glen and Powell’s Mill. The new bridge will be wider and include bike
lanes. The county is completing the permitting process and expects to begin work this fall.
Pay Taxes Electronic:
The Township has implemented an electronic tax payment method.
Residents who do not pay their property tax as part of their mortgage
can now electronically pay their taxes via a wire from their personal bank account to the
township. There is a $15 fee for the service which is considerably cheaper than most
the late fee. For more details, you can contact the Township's tax collector at 267-3217.
Thanks again
for reading. I hope you enjoy the rest
of your summer. As always, if you have
any questions, please feel free to contact me.
Pat Delany
122 Kingsbridge
Drive
Lumberton, NJ
08048
(609) 560-8045
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