Rite Aid Fires Up Rite Aid Fires Up VoorheesVoorheesBruce DombrowskiBruce Dombrowski

Eric TranEric Tran

Township of VoorheesTownship of Voorhees

140-acre property 140-acre property 50% Farmland50% Farmland

Stafford Farm – Horse TrainingStafford Farm – Horse Training 50% Woods, walking trails, and 50% Woods, walking trails, and

open fieldsopen fields

Medi-Build Inc.Medi-Build Inc. Proposal to build Rite Aid and

shopping center next to the preserved land

Require several variances to be Require several variances to be approvedapproved BarrierBarrier Impervious Coverage Impervious Coverage Rezone from Residential to Rezone from Residential to

CommercialCommercial

OpponentsOpponents

Project would mar scenic viewProject would mar scenic view

Trash and noise would disturb Trash and noise would disturb horseshorses End of horse training on the farmEnd of horse training on the farm

Project ProponentsProject Proponents

Increase township’s tax baseIncrease township’s tax base

Public access to trailsPublic access to trails

Ethical QuestionEthical Question

Is it ethical for the zoning Is it ethical for the zoning board of Voorhees to board of Voorhees to permit the building of a permit the building of a Rite Aid and shopping Rite Aid and shopping center next to preserved center next to preserved farmland? farmland?

Ethical QuestionEthical Question Yes, it isYes, it is ethical for the zoning ethical for the zoning

board to permit the variancesboard to permit the variances Bruce DombrowskiBruce Dombrowski

No, it is not ethical to permit the No, it is not ethical to permit the variancesvariances Eric TranEric Tran

Harris et al. 85

Act UtilitarianismAct Utilitarianism

““Will this course of action Will this course of action produce more good than produce more good than any alternative course of any alternative course of action that I could take?”action that I could take?”

AudienceAudience

Stafford FarmStafford Farm Residents of VoorheesResidents of Voorhees Medi-Build Inc.Medi-Build Inc.

Option 1 : Deny All Option 1 : Deny All VariancesVariances

ConsCons Stagnant Stagnant

economyeconomy Tremendous Tremendous

financial lossfinancial loss

ProsPros Land maintains Land maintains

aesthetic appealaesthetic appeal

Option 2 : Grant Rezoning Option 2 : Grant Rezoning OnlyOnly

ProsPros Increased tax Increased tax

base, more base, more jobsjobs

ConsCons Decreased Decreased

profitabilityprofitability Additional cost Additional cost

of redesigning of redesigning sitesite

Option 3 : Grant All Option 3 : Grant All VariancesVariances

ConsCons Scenic view Scenic view

distorteddistorted Detrimental to Detrimental to

horse traininghorse training

ProsPros Access to trailsAccess to trails Greatest increase Greatest increase

in tax base, more in tax base, more jobsjobs

Maximum profitMaximum profit

Harris et al 85

Best Choice: Option 3Best Choice: Option 3

““Greatest good for the appropriate Greatest good for the appropriate audience taking into account harms audience taking into account harms

as well as benefits”as well as benefits”

Harris et al 90

Golden RuleGolden Rule

““Treat others as you would like them to Treat others as you would like them to treat you”treat you”

- Luke 6:31, New English Bible- Luke 6:31, New English Bible

Golden RuleGolden Rule

Medi-Build proponents must Medi-Build proponents must be willing to place themselves be willing to place themselves in the position of the farm in the position of the farm ownersowners

Harris et al 92

Self Defeating CriterionSelf Defeating Criterion

Determine whether the option, Determine whether the option, if universally adopted, is self if universally adopted, is self defeating. If it is, then the defeating. If it is, then the action is impermissible.action is impermissible.

Purpose of the ordinances:Purpose of the ordinances: Impervious Coverage – prevents Impervious Coverage – prevents

other properties from being floodedother properties from being flooded Barrier – prevents the obstruction of Barrier – prevents the obstruction of

nearby propertiesnearby properties

Self Defeating CriterionSelf Defeating Criterion

If all of the variances were If all of the variances were approved because they maximized approved because they maximized utility and this decision was utility and this decision was universally adopted. Would it be universally adopted. Would it be self defeating?self defeating?

ConclusionConclusion

CompromiseCompromise Permit the rezoning of the Permit the rezoning of the

propertyproperty Deny the other variancesDeny the other variances Utility is obtained from the Utility is obtained from the

landland Farmers maintain their rightsFarmers maintain their rights

Questions?Questions?