After contacting both the republican and democratic committees in the town of Voorhees and the County of Camden (NJ), Mayor Platt of Voorhees was the only politician to respond to our October 23 BLOG. He didn't want to comment on line - but hey - why go on the record when you can give it the personal touch.

So hat's off to Mayor Platt - a savvy mayor (a la' Presidential Candidate Dean?) who is beginning to interact with new media. We actually have a few Voorhees residents on staff - and the person who handled your call said you were very pleasant. Just so you know, we are not against you as a Mayor, but against spot planning on Route 73.

We appreciate your comments that the site was zoned commercial making it a by rights project - and that perhaps we don't understand zoning or have all the facts. Ha ha, that's a good one.

But alas, we do understand zoning. I think if your zoning board did not grant variances to the developer, it would have been a greatly different project. If you did not want this project, it would have had a changed look, not a typical big box center with zero sense of place. You da Mayor.

As far as the facts...the fact that a 120,000 square foot BJ's is being slapped down in an area that needs quality development, not 7+ acres of parking with a few shrubs to break up the sea of blacktop and runnoff- are all the facts I can handle at the moment.

Here is one fact I don't get, too. Perhaps, one of our 50,000 site users lives in Voorhees and can answer this -- how can the developer tap into a pump station in a community that does not want the development in the first place, and force an easement through association owned ground. What kind of town doesn't slap that down. Why not at least make them run the utility line to along the State Road Route 73 causing them to spend a few more bucks and do a public good in my opinion by bringing utilities to that part of Route 73.

In this instance, the Sturbridge Lake's community is going to the expense of trying to get a court ordered injunction to stop the developer from taping into the pump station in it's Sturbridge lakes community. I have to applaud that community association, standing up to a city and a better funded developer.

Most of the homeowners in that area, did not want the project in the first place. Mayor Platt, don't you think you misread how happy they are to have a BJ's at their doorstep? Saying your hands were tied, due to zoning, really isn't a leadership position.

But again, we disagree with your position - but are glad you are willing to be engaged. So thanks for calling in. We'll even get you some votes if ever hear you promise to try to do a little better planning in the future, and if you can at least admit this was not your best work. I guarantee you will find not 1 expert land planner, who is well regarded by their peers, who would say putting a big box BJs in a potentially high end commercial and environmentally sensitive corridor is good planning. None. No one. It's bad planning.