Borough Clerk Deanna Bennett writes that the petition was short on signatures, failed a statutory test, and that the language submitted was inconsistent with what signers read.
By Matt Skoufalos | August 23, 2024
Lullworth Hall at the former Bancroft property in Haddonfield. Credit: Matt Skoufalos.
A group of Haddonfield residents who petitioned to add an open-space referendum for the Bancroft parcel to the November general election ballot have been rebuffed on statutory grounds.
In an August 20 letter to the petitioners, whose ranks include former Haddonfield Mayor Neal Rochford, Haddonfield Borough Clerk Deanna Bennett wrote that their proposal failed to meet a number of prerequisites necessary for the measure to proceed.
The first of these, according to state statute, is that the petition must be “signed by 10 percent or more of the voters registered and qualified to vote at the last general election” in the borough.
According to the Camden County Board of Elections, Haddonfield was home to 10,230 registered voters at the time of the 2023 general election, which would have required the petitioners to gather 1,023 signatures from among them.
The submitted petition contained 530 signatures, leaving a 493-signature deficit.
The second hurdle that the petition failed to clear is related to New Jersey Local Redevelopment and Housing Law (Title 40), which states that, “No zoning ordinance and no amendment or revision to any zoning ordinance shall be submitted to or adopted by initiative or referendum.”
“The presented proposed referendum’s subject matter falls directly within this prohibition as it proposes action to revise existing ordinances and resolutions passed by the present and preceding Board of Commissioners,” Bennett wrote, citing the 2005 designation that declared the parcel an area in need of redevelopment, which was further amended in April 2016.
“The referendum question sought by your committee is improper and is not permitted as it violates Local Redevelopment and Housing Law,” her letter continues.
The final count by which the petition was rejected relates to the apparent lack of uniformity in the documents submitted. Statutes require that “Initiative petition papers shall contain the full text of the proposed ordinance,” which the petitioners apparently failed to achieve.
Redevelopment proposals for the Bancroft parcel in Haddonfield. Credit: Matt Skoufalos.
“The cover letter submitted spells out what you, the committee, are proposing as the referendum question, which is entirely different from the petition description at the top of each signature page, which presumptively was read and agreed to by each signee,” Bennett wrote.
“Given this discrepancy, the eligible voters who signed the petition did not agree to the referendum question presented to the Borough Clerk, and as such, it cannot be confirmed that they were not provided with the actual referendum language as presented to the Borough Clerk.”
The letter concludes, “Given the multiple issues presented above, your petition is hereby rejected as deficient and not a legal permissible use of the referendum mechanism. The referendum request, as presented, is both inadequate and improper under New Jersey law.”
Reached this morning, Rochford said he hadn’t had the chance to review the letter from the clerk, and reserved comment.
His fellow petitioner, Lisa Quanci, said she too needed more time to review the details of Bennett’s response, but described feeling “a lot of disappointment and a lot of disillusionment in our governmental process.
“I find it kind of astounding,” Quanci said.
Haddonfield still faces a legal challenge over the Bancroft parcel from the citizen group Haddonfield Encouraging Responsible Development (HERD); updates on the status of that lawsuit were not immediately available.
UPDATE: August 26, 2024 – 5:15 p.m. — The petitioners issued a statement on the Borough ruling through Rochford’s social media account. It reads as follows:
Dear Friends and Supporters,It is with a heavy heart that we announce that our efforts to bring a referendum forward in November to support the open space question at Bancroft will not be able to move ahead. We hoped that by changing the referendum to a non-binding question, we could give the commissioners an opportunity to hear directly from the residents on this vital issue.Our interpretation of the number of signatures required was based on the number of voters that cast votes in the last general election. The borough interpretation is now different. As a grass roots effort we simply don’t have the resources to challenge it.The state of New Jersey laws on redevelopment does not favor giving local residents a say in redevelopment projects.We want to express our deepest gratitude to everyone who supported this initiative. Your commitment to preserving Haddonfield’s character and advocating for thoughtful development has been truly inspiring. Although this particular effort has reached its conclusion, please know that we remain dedicated to advocating for a better outcome for our borough. Our commitment to ensuring that the Bancroft site is used for community-use remains a priority and will not waiver. It is our hope that with a new commissioner coming on board in November that there may be a new commitment to finding a better outcome at Bancroft.A heartfelt thank you to our incredible committee and others who helped with the petition process. Your tireless efforts, passion, and dedication to this cause have been nothing short of remarkable. Together, we have raised awareness and brought attention to the importance of saving the last parcel of open space in Haddonfield.As we move forward, we strongly encourage the commissioners to consider the widespread support for preserving open space and to take action that reflects the community’s desires. We remain hopeful that they will recognize the value of this opportunity and make decisions that will benefit Haddonfield for generations to come.Thank you once again for your unwavering support.Sincerely,Neal Rochford, Jim Twitchell, Claudette Fonshell, Terry Sentman, Lisa Quanci
Stick with NJPEN for updates.
Please support NJ Pen with a subscription. Get e-mails, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
