Zoning Board: Raceway Variance Approved, Lutheran Project Tabled

After more than from Lutheran Social Ministries officials and other entities involved in the , the use variance vote they were seeking to get was tabled until the January meeting.

Kimco Realty, the group behind Speed Raceway, the proposed use for the Vanity Fair building, received a unanimous "yes" vote from zoning board members for their variance. Township ordinance prohibits the use of amusement facilities. Now that the use has been granted, Kimco can go ahead with proposing site plans for the . 

The nearly six-hour meeting netted a full house, with residents voicing their concerns over traffic problems, stormwater issues and more.

Lutheran’s application for the use variance called for the allowance of 54 full-sized senior apartments with amenity spaces. The reason for the variance is because, according to Cinnaminson Township ordinance, a senior citizen facility is not a permitted use.

Some board members felt as if the information brought to them during testimony was too much to vote on Thursday evening, even though members are not supposed to take into account site plans, just the use variance. 

However, in the use variance application, it does call for 54 units. Zoning Board Chairman Charles O' Malley said that he doesn't feel the board can vote with that site plan feature in place.

“We haven’t had enough time to go over this,” said Zoning Board member John Bednarek.

About a dozen residents voiced their concerns during the public portion of Lutheran's testimony. Stormwater/sewer concerns and traffic topped the list. Some residents on Wedgewood Drive—including Fran and Joe Kenney—said backyard and basement water has been an issue in recent years and feel it could only be worse.

Testimony from Lutheran said stormwater management issues have been addressed, and if the use variance is approved and the site plan goes before the planning board, those issues would be ironed out in more specific detail at the appropriate time.

Lutheran will have to wait at least until at least the January meeting to continue with their hearing.

Officials from Kimco presented their case around 11:30 p.m. Thursday evening, and even though more than half of the audience members had left, some Sweetwater residents—who live in the 55+ condo community on Route 130 near the proposed location—had their own concerns.

Rocco Stefano, a longtime Sweetwater resident, said if he had known a raceway would have come into that center back when he bought his unit, he would have had second thoughts.

"When I hear the words 'arcade' and 'raceway,' it scares me," said Stefano.

Two Sweetwater residents said they were worried about traffic concerns, but admitted the raceway would be a good thing for the township.

Kimco's next move is to present site plans before the board.

Stay with Patch for more information Thursday.