Neighbors fed up with property

By Sean Patrick Murphy

Neighbors to 23 Holly Drive are fed up.

They are upset about the eyesore that property has become.

Coleen Roberts, who lives at 21 Holly Drive, said at a recent Medford Township Council meeting that the house on the property was condemned more than a year ago by the township health department.

She said the building is still there and that issues with feral cats and flies are still existing.

“It is a mess,” Roberts said.

She said she believes Bank of America is involved in proceedings with the present owner.

Roberts said she was ready to sell her home more than a year ago and was advised by her realtor not to list because of the house next door. However, it is now listed.

“And the first thing that people say when they come to look at it is what’s happening next door?” she said. “It’s costing me a lot of money.”

Roberts said she has lived at her current address since 1998 when she moved from California to be near her grandchildren. Her son was a pilot and was stationed at McGuire Air Force Base.

Roberts said she has met with the prior mayor in the past.

“And they said that they would do as much as they could,” she said, adding she hopes an ordinance passed unanimously that night will make it easier for the county health department and the township to take action on a property like 23 Holly Drive.

Roberts said previously the township would patrol themselves and opted out of being included in the Burlington County Health Department. She believes the county has the clout to deal with such properties.

“That’s one step that had to be taken in order for the township to take legal action,” Roberts said.

A member of the Holly Lake Homeowners’ Association, she was chairperson of the committee to improve the property at 23 Holly Drive.

Mayor Chris Myers said two years ago the township took action along with county health department on the property, which is now vacated.

“We’re going to see if we can help solve the issue working with the banks and the residents to try to get this solved as quickly as possible,” he said, noting the condition of the property is so bad that the county had to be involved. Myers said the township has taken every action allowed by law to remedy the situation.

“Now we understand it’s in the banks so we’re going to see whatever action we can help facilitate this problem and get it out of here as quickly as possible,” he said.

New Township Manager Christopher Schultz admitted he is unfamiliar with the situation.

“I’m going to review it and then see what we can do to resolve the outstanding issue,” Schultz said.

Contact information for the owner of 23 Holly Drive was not obtained.