Residents hire their own lawyer to question Mount Laurel residential development before Planning Board.

An application to build a 13-house development off Elbo Lane in Mount Laurel by JP Orleans builders faces deep scrutiny from a homeowner next door who has hired a lawyer to be a part of the hearing before the Planning Board.

Two other neighbors told the board at the initial hearing on December 11 that they, too, will be represented by a lawyer who will take part when the hearing is expected to conclude before a board decision at the January 15 meeting.

Orleans Conservatory Group Partners LP of Conshohocken, Pennsylvania applied to build the houses on a new cul-de-sac on vacant land. The first step in the Township process is to get preliminary-only major subdivision approval.

Edward Kelbon and Regina Kelbon, who live on Godfrey Court next to the planned development showed up at the December meeting with their lawyer.

Residents usually testify against proposed developments or zoning variances during the public comment part of board hearings. However, in some cases when residents want to cross-examine the developer's engineers or planners, they will hire a lawyer to be a formal part of the process. The lawyer also can present testimony from other professionals hired by the opposing neighbors.

"The whole side of my property runs alongside the development. And I have a few specific issues that I've tried to discuss with Orleans before we got here today," Kelbon told the board.

The 330 Elbo Lane property is owned by Legal Acres Nursery & Farm LLC, according to the developer's application.

Previous 70and73.com coverage: Approval process for 13-house development in Mount Laurel begins with Planning Board.