Bellmawr Council Meeting: Landfill Update

After missing the last few, I attended the Bellmawr Council meeting on January 24, 2008. The agenda included awarding of several checks to various town groups by a town business, Officer Appointments, commentary on recycling, the approval of the reassessment contract (yes, it is coming!) and a brief update on the landfill project... which I have a feeling has shifted from its original plan to be more commercial, less residential.

In the future...could more people visit Bellmawr per year than the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall?

A 90 second discussion about the landfill with the Mayor in the Council Meeting, and I somehow come up with pages of commentary below! I must be insane! :-)

I also realized that I need to attend the Caucus meetings, as many of these "resolution" items are discussed there prior to the council meeting.

Donations
The meeting opened up with long time industrial park tenant Weyerhauser Corp donating several checks to town organizations. The police and fire departments were both awarded checks (I didn't catch the amount), and the Bellmawr Hockey Organization was awarded a $5,000 check towards the cost of the newly paved rinks (total cost of $10,000).

Baseball
Council reminded residents that Baseball Registration is taking place.

Public Portion - Landfill Project
I spoke during the Public Portion, asking about the Landfill. The landfill project had just been approved as a Brownsfield development, and recent articles appeared in the Courier-Post and Gloucester County Times.
From the "Environment News Service"
"The DEP's Brownfield Development Area program provides the resources municipalities need to clear this hurdle and transform deteriorating factories and abandoned rail yards into catalysts for economic growth and healthier communities through urban renewal," Jackson said.

The mayor and I had a quick exchange about the project. I didn't push for too many details as I... well quite honestly I became slightly confused when someone mentioned the Courier article (that I hadn't seen) and I thought the details I was looking for were in the article. They weren't!

Anyway, the mayor did speak on the project... The landfill capping is moving quickly, the drainage project along Rt 42 will start soon. (drainage project info from last year is here, as it was presented last year in a public session about the Brownsfield application filing.)

As I started walking away from the front of the room (sheepishly thinking that all the details were in the Courier)... I asked the mayor "So last year you mentioned a building would start going up in 2008".

He then quickly stated (paraphrased)... "I want to go on the record that a Bass Pro Shops will be opened in 2009. There is a 20 screen movie theater with an IMAX interested, and 4 hotels are strongly interested in the project"

By then I was back at my seat, listening to the mayor's excited comments... and I wasn't really thinking about follow-up questions!

So with that brief discussion done, here are my thoughts!
Hotels: I don't know if he means "4 hotels will be built", or "One hotel will be built, and 4 are interested". One thing I am sure of is that I can understand the desire to put hotels on the Bellmawr property. Right now the Pennsylvania Convention Center is going through another expansion and rooms become very tight for large conventions. Their website states the expansion will bring 280,000 additional "room nights". Considering how easy it is to drive to Center City from Bellmawr, I can see the interest for wanting to build hotels in our town. Now if the Patco line comes through and a station is in Bellmawr, that literally puts Bellmawr blocks away from Center City making our town even more ideal for new hotels.

Imax: Just a short mention, that IMAX in December signed a deal with AMC to add IMAX theaters to select AMC movie locations. Cherry Hill is slated to receive an IMAX theater. Mentioning this as I don't know if that will impact plans for IMAX in Bellmawr as the locations will be somewhat close

Bass Pro Shops: I have never been to one of their stores, but they apparently have the same type of Tourist Attraction draw that Cabela's has.... millions of visitors a year. When a Cabela's or Bass Pro Shop moves into the region, it has the drawing power to transform the local economy.
Recent Articles:
This story about a new Bass Pro Shop in Virginia states it is expected to draw 3 million visitors a year. THREE MILLION PEOPLE A YEAR!!!!

A casino in the Altoona area sees Bass Pro Shops as such a draw for visitors, that they are committing $4,000,000 to help lure Bass Pro to their town!! Heck, they are willing to come to Bellmawr without any "lure"!?

The Bass Tour Shop store in Harrisburg PA boasts a large boat center, rock climbing, arcade gun ranges.... a whole day's worth of activities.

Reading information on the Internet, it seems that our Bellmawr location along the Big Timber Creek would be very attractive to Bass Pro Shops, as they like to integrate the store into the local area... fishing, boating, hiking. Imagine visitors participating in the indoor interactive displays and attractions, and then walking out the side door down to the river bank to rent or buy a boat in a new marina, or fish right off of the new waterfront walkway or pier!

An article from 2005, indicates that the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall attract just under 2 million visitors a year. With Bass Pro Shops ability to draw 2-3 million visitors, Bellmawr could become a (the) number one visitor destination in the Philadelphia Metro Region!?!?

So... A side thought that didn't sink in at first. But I just realized. Did a major shift in the project direction happen?? Take a look at this comment in the Environmental Article.
The municipality envisions for this area a large commercial project that will include a hotel and conference center, marina, and boat ramp as well as a greenway along the creek.

Did you notice it... ? Its not what is there... its what ISN'T there!
There is NO mention of residential units. With hotels, conference center, Bass Pro Shops (150,000 sq ft building)... is there even room for residential units?

I haven't talked to anyone in the town or the project about this... so this is 100% my personal speculation, but the original project plans were being touted as having 3,000 residences. Now, there is no mention. Did it change, or is the developer trying to change focus in the media?

So if residential is reduced or non-existent.
1) Minimal risk of school tax increases
2) Lower risk of water bills increasing if we go over quota (but I'm still not sure we are safe)

Potential New Issues
THREE MILLION PEOPLE a year!!! Lets be clear, in researching on the Internet I see there are different size Bass Pro stores, and we don't know what is planned for Bellmawr, but it does seem that all the articles on the more recent stores are about the mega-stores. Using the article for another store opening, and adding in information I've read about similar stores that competitor Cabela builds, isn't it safe to assume visitors in the millions?

Man... I avoid the Deptford mall area because the traffic can't move no matter what time of day or year! We can't let the traffic-jam happen in Bellmawr. It really needs to be planned out well!

So... How will our roads handle this number of visitors? How will traffic be kept off of Creek Rd and Bellmawr's other local roads?
Will the "Missing Moves" project be completed in time to help handle the traffic?
Will there be adequate on/off ramps at Rt 42? We don't want people driving on Creek Rd!

Modern Main Street Bellmawr element, gone?
Also... regarding the "look" of this project... what will happen to the original plans that showed a modern main street for Bellmawr? The original architech drawings presented a mixed use community (similar to Voorhees Town Center at Echelon) that had a main street feel... stores and restaurants on the first floors, residences on the top. With today's plans of Hotels, a Mega-Store, and a Movie Theater, does the rest of the property become a parking lot to handle all of the visitors?

Another benefit of Bass Pro Shops... Jersey Boy (North) and Nascar driver Martin Truex drives for Bass Pro shops!

Time for an Update?
Whether I got it right, wrong, or close... I think the project has progressed far enough, and things have changed enough, that we should get a status update from the developer and the mayor. We really need to have an opinion on what is planned, and it seems like there is enough decided to start talking more with the town. My apologies if I got some details wrong, or speculated incorrectly... but let me say that a big chunk of the details on these projects that is out there for the town of Bellmawr to read, I either wrote in my blogs, or... this is the first time I admit this... "tipped" to the Courier post for their two front page articles on the project that were printed the prior few years.

That being said, someone knew these details back in October 2007 so I am months behind! :-)
Scroll down half-way to see someone mentioning the Bellmawr Landfill project, Bass Pro, and Hotels.

So let's get some details! And not just on this project!!
There are 5 projects that are being treated separately, but are actually all completely intertwined.

What I'd like to hear:
Landfill Project. New plans. Residential Units?
Missing Moves: Timing of the missing moves project.
Patco: Status of line through Bellmawr, and station in Bellmawr
Rt 42/295/676 Construction: Does the road project assist traffic for the Bellmawr Landfill project?
Turnpike Exit on 42: A project not officially on the table, but it is clear the region would benefit from an exit connecting the Turnpike with Rt 42. Turnpike travelers would have a direct connection to Philadelphia, Atlantic City... and one would think... the Bellmawr Waterfront Development.

Maybe its time for me to reach out! In the discussions I've had with the mayor in past Council meetings, he has been very open about the projects so I think with a simple call I can get more details.

Ok... ok.. I know this reads like an "alarmist", but these are changes that in ten years could completely change Bellmawr and people's opinion of it.

To be clear: I am VERY excited by the possibilities. I just want to make sure its all done right, and for the good of the town!

Recycling
The Mayor spoke VERY STRONGLY about the need for residents to honor our very effective recycling program. They are "stickering" people's trash who do not participate by the rules. He stated they have made it as easy as possible by allowing us to mix our recyclables, that it saves the borough a lot of money in landfill costs when we recycle, and that there is no excuse for residents to not follow the law.

The mayor also commented that we have one of the best trash pick-up programs in the state, "We pick up everything", and we need to keep costs down with recycling programs to allow us to continue to receive these services.

Resolutions
Sewerage overpayments
Sewer charges were changed for Bellmawr Senior housing. The agenda handed out indicated that the billing types were reduced from a company with "Additional employees" to one with "Zero additional employees". Does anyone know what this means?

Special Appointments
Appointment of Class I Special Officer (Robert Fowler)
Appointment of Class I Special Officer (Brian Ertl)
Appointment of Class I Special Officer (Jason Higgins)
Appointment of Michael Draham as Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator

Animal Welfare
The Animal Welfare Society of Camden County was awarded contract for the holding facility.

Revaluation
Professional Property Appraisers of Delran was awarded the contract for the revaluation of Bellmawr. Total: $299,300.00
Yes the reval is happening. Not much was said about the reval, but I'll blog more about it at some later date.

Lease agreement signed for a cell provider... by looking at the address I believe this is for the water Tower at the girl's softball fields.

Ordinances
First reading of an ordinance to adjust hours of sale of Alcoholic Beverages. I was told after the meeting that this was to help local businesses who are experiencing competitive disadvantages from stores in neighboring towns.

First reading of an ordinance to purchase computer systems for a sewer system surveillance security system.... totalling $25,000

Next month... hopefully my schedule allows... I visit the Caucus meeting.