Woodcrest Development? "Over My Dead Body," Freeholder Says

Months after the drama surrounding Woodcrest Country Club appeared over with its sale to a Marlton developer, the club was suddenly thrust back into the spotlight this week, as a Cherry Hill-based housing advocacy group filed suit, challenging a state ruling excluding the 178-acre property from sewer service.

Representatives from the Fair Share Housing Center said they’re just trying to press the township to follow through on the affordable housing it owes under the Mount Laurel doctrine, but county officials blasted the suit for bringing even the idea of residential development at the golf course.

Freeholder Jeffrey Nash, who stood beside township officials through the spring as the county and Cherry Hill moved to try to buy the property at auction, reiterated his opposition to any development at the 84-year-old club, which he called one of the few pristine properties left in the area.

“Over my dead body will this precious property be destroyed in favor of high-density development,” Nash said in a statement released Thursday. “I’m appalled and offended that the sale of the Woodcrest Country Club would be viewed as an opportunity to build high-density housing on a historic Camden County green space.”

Fair Share Housing Center representatives said they’re just working to ensure the township fulfills the nearly 2,000 affordable housing units it has to provide under state law; township officials said after the recent affordable housing ruling at the state Supreme Court that they have plans for around 800 of those units on the books right now.

"We want the township to live up to its obligations for affordable housing,"  associate director Kevin Walsh told Philly.com.

Nash was unflinching in his criticism of the suit, further hammering it for potentially creating a traffic nightmare at Evesham and Haddonfield-Berlin roads, and questioning whether the suit is a Trojan horse for development by First Montgomery Group.

“This appeal goes to show that Fair Share Housing Center has absolutely no connection with the residents of Camden County or the value of open space in a town and region that is primarily built out with only a few open parcels free of development,” he said. “ I would be remiss if I didn’t point out an obvious question which is prompted by the filing of this suit, which is who is the beneficiary?...There may be more than meets the eyes to this warrantless legal action.”

First Montgomery Group already runs seven apartment complexes, including three in South Jersey, and also manages several commercial properties.

The Haydingers haven’t commented much on their plans for the property and couldn’t be reached for comment on this lawsuit, but Matthew Haydinger, one of the company’s principals, previously said their intent was to keep Woodcrest—now dubbed The Village at Woodcrest—as a golf course.

“Our long-term vision for the property includes maintaining a premier golf club with amenities and services customary with the most prestigious of courses,” he said just days after the club’s auction.