All seven members of Cherry Hill Township Council on Monday night expressed surprise at a continuing battle between neighbors and Cherry Hill Dodge, vowing that the Township would investigate the issues.
The Route 70 car dealership in 2020 secured permission from the Planning Board for a parking expansion, including the demolition of two houses, in return for making several promises to improve its operations and its relationship with residents of the Locustwood neighborhood.
Among the agreed-upon changes were a halt to the practice of setting off car horns to locate vehicles in the parking lot and no more unloading on Township streets.
"To be honest, nothing has worked. Nothing has gotten better," Locustwood neighborhood resident Carlos Ruthner of Mercer Street told Council members. Added Kristen Affrime of Graham Avenue: "We are here to demand change. We are here to demand action."
Residents said car horns continue to go off, vehicles are test driven on residential streets and other annoyances cited at previous meetings continue.
Dawn Higgins, representing the 22 Cherry Hill neighborhoods in the Council of Cherry Hill Civic Associations, called for the Township to rescind any approvals the dealership received to expand parking.
"It seems that Cherry Hill Dodge will agree to anything because it's not their intention of complying with conditions," she told Council. "The whole situation has created an atmosphere that does not allow the residents the quiet enjoyment of their own homes and we're all entitled to that."
Colleen Sullivan, who lives across Wynwood Avenue from the two houses that would be torn down, told Council that siding was taken down from the structures and asbestos was removed. She said neighbors called the state Department of Environmental Protection to complain and an agent showed up and had the dealer's contractor tape off the property during the removal.
Neither Cherry Hill Dodge owner Charles "Charlie" Foulke III nor his representatives attended the Monday night meeting. In an email message, 70and73.com has asked Foulke to comment on the neighbors' issues and has not received a response.
When the dealer's expansion was before the Planning Board, Kevin D. Sheehan, of the Parker McCay law firm representing Cherry Hill Dodge, told board members that the issues raised by neighbors "are serious, they're valid concerns and they need to be addressed."
At the 2020 Planning Board meeting Foulke, and his lawyer Sheehan, presented a list of new policies for the dealership they promised would address the frustrations of the neighbors.
"I will do everything in my power to earn their trust," Foulke told the board at the time.
But neighbors said they met with the dealer only a few times and conditions have worsened.
"It's clearly at a breaking point," Council President David Fleisher told residents on Monday night.
"You've all been extremely articulate and passionate and there's no mistaking the frustration and the pain that's associated with the current situation," Fleisher said. "I think there are things that Council had assumed has been taking place which has not, which is not acceptable."
Monday's protest at Council was not the first time residents have asked for its help in the dispute.Â
Many of the same residents attended a Council meeting in April 2021, just months after Cherry Hill Dodge got its approvals, to air their grievances and call for rescinding the Planning Board decision.
At the meeting two years ago, Mayor Susan Shin Angulo said: "We're going to look into this and make sure that the rules are followed."
Mayor Shin Angulo did not comment on the neighbors' objections at Monday night's meeting.
But Council members made it clear they were alarmed.
"I was disgusted then as I'm disgusted now," said Councilwoman Michele Golkow, who was a member of the Planning Board when Cherry Hill Dodge's plan was approved. Golkow said board members "reluctantly and hesitantly" approved the dealership's application.
"I said it on the record at the time, despite Dodge's remarks about wanting to be a good neighbor that it sure sounded like they were being very bad neighbors," she said. "I am heartsick to hear that everything has broken down and fallen apart. And that's just not acceptable."
Councilwoman Carole Roskoph also sympathized with the residents.
"Human to human, I do want to say that I apologize that you have to live under these conditions," Roskoph said. "I guess we all assumed erroneously that Dodge was being a good neighbor and living up to their expectations. ...We should have taken better initiative and we should have known better."
Other Council members also had strong reactions:
- "It's really abhorrent what is going on," said Councilwoman Jennifer Apell. "Just thinking about those car alarms going off, I can't even take it." She called upon the Township solicitor and other officials to research what legally can be done for Cherry Hill Dodge's alleged non-compliance.
- "It does sound like a pretty bad situation," said Councilman William A. Carter III. Carter, who now serves as the Council's representative on the Planning Board, said he would get involved and find out what can be done.
- "We're really sorry, I wanted to say, for all you're going through," Councilwoman Sangeeta Doshi said. She suggested Council reach out to other dealerships in town to find out how they avoid the problems causing the feud between Cherry Hill Dodge and the neighbors.
- Â "I'm sorry that you have to be here tonight," Council Vice President Brian Bauerle told the group of residents who showed up at the meeting and who were watching on Zoom. "I'm sorry that you have to be here because you feel the Township has not provided what needed to be done. It is unacceptable."
