Delanco committee authorizes letter of intent with Lennar for 401 Creek Road redevelopment

The Delanco Township Committee on June 15 authorized execution of a letter of intent with US Home LLC doing business as Lennar for redevelopment of 401 Creek Road (block 2100, lot 11), naming the company as the township’s conditional redeveloper.

Lennar representatives presented a conceptual plan for the roughly 12-acre property adjacent to Pennington Park and the Rancocas Creek. Wayne Birchler, entitlements manager for Lennar, described a 64-unit market-rate “active adult” townhome community and emphasized buffers to existing residential areas, wetlands at the rear of the property and that the project is being designed to avoid impacts on local schools. Birchler said homes would be energy-efficient, include level-1 EV outlets in garages and be priced in the mid-$400,000 range, with a projected timeline of 24–30 months to secure approvals and about 20–24 months to complete construction once approvals are granted.

Residents raised questions during the agenda public comment about whether the township will recoup its purchase cost for the site and who would maintain roads built by the developer. Township staff said the negotiated price and ancillary community benefits (including potential conveyance of upland parkland to the county) were factors in the selection and confirmed that roads built to residential standards are typically dedicated to the municipality and accepted for maintenance.

The committee approved a resolution authorizing the LOI by roll call. Officials stressed the LOI is an early, nonbinding step that begins a longer redevelopment agreement process that will include planning-board and site-plan approvals and opportunities for public comment and review.