From The Press of Atlantic City — The 20-acre former junkyard directly south of the township’s government center lies dormant, and for months, so did the debate over what belongs there.

Battle lines have been hastily redrawn, now, after the land owner’s attorney talked privately with Mayor William Kennedy, trying to gauge whether the Township Committee would consider loosening land-use restrictions to allow development.

Kennedy’s response, amid his re-election bid, could tip the scales.

Attorney Frank Olivo said at Tuesday night’s committee meeting that the municipality is shortchanging itself by preserving an eyesore instead of allowing more density to facilitate a property-tax producer.

“No developer I know, in this economy, would buy that site and build 10 houses,” the current maximum density, Olivo said. Developers have shown interest in building senior housing or assisted living, the attorney said.

Norman Zlotnick, his counterpart for the committee, suggested the burden is on the land owner – Steve Waszen Jr., in this case – to propose something that would warrant an exception. Olivo responded that no developer will pay upfront costs to propose something if there’s no evident chance of success. The property was assessed at $182,700 last year.

Two Democratic committee members, Michael St. Amour and Bernard Graebener, utterly oppose a change to last year’s land-use ordinance. The two Republicans, Janet Forman and Kathy Chasey, strongly support developing the site, or at least listening to proposals.

That puts Kennedy in the familiar role of swing vote, and based on his comments Tuesday, the Democrat’s leaning toward reviving the aborted debate that colored last year’s political campaign.

“It doesn’t cost anything to listen,” Kennedy said.

The committee took no action, and it was unclear whether Olivo would be bringing a formal application to the Planning Board, which next meets Sept. 3.

Residents spoke vehemently for or against giving development a shot. Opponents emphasized the importance of preserving the township’s rural character, and thus, their home values. Supporters called attention to the dwindling subsidies from state government and said a bigger tax base is more important than ever.

Tom Carl, a school board member, pressed St. Amour, the committee’s finance director, on whether he had a business plan for the township.

“My business plan is to keep Mullica rural,” St. Amour said. “We don’t need to develop a new business plan, we need to live within our means,”

“And I think you are living within your means,” Carl replied, “but what happens when your needs grow?”

Jean Evans wondered whether a business like the grocer Trader Joe’s would be a possibility.

“Something like that would be preferable,” Chasey said, but because the township more sparsely populated than the chain’s other sites, “it’s just not realistic.”

“You don’t know that,” responded Tom Rizzo.

John Harrison said the Pinelands Commission’s restrictions on development were established for a reason: “We’re trying to figure out a way of getting around the fact that we are where we are.”

Ernest Aponte, like Kennedy, toed the line between the factions.

“I’m not crazy about development, but I dont think we can stick our head in the sand,” Aponte said. “As it stands, that’s an eyesore. Some development is going to have to happen.”

E-mail Eric Scott Campbell:

ECampbell@pressofac.com