Your India Temple Association Board of Trustees (ITA BOT) has been considering the various issues facing us to accommodate the current needs of our community. In 2011, ITA BOT formed an Ad-hoc Committee for the study of Temple Expansion (TES) to study the issue. One subcommittee studied expanding existing facility while another subcommittee studied relocation of our mandir. The expansion subcommittee had proposed a project which includes purchase of the adjacent house and develop parking and other necessary renovations at the cost of approximately $800,000 plus $300,000 to buy the adjacent properties, a total of $1.1 million.

This March, an exciting opportunity has presented itself. A parcel of land next to India Cultural Center (ICC) located on 820 Rte 73S, Marlton is available for purchase. This 4.13 parcel of land of which 3.1 acres is buildable, is priced at $850,000, much below the estimated market value of $1.1 million dollars. This parcel is currently zoned for a 78 room hotel with 65 parking spaces.

Per our constitution, we need 2/3 of the member votes, in order to purchase this land. Secondly, upon your approval, we will apply for a zoning variance and only upon this approval, we will purchase this land. Currently, the political climate is in our favor and we have our former ITA BOT, who is on the Evesham Township Board to shepherd the process.

Our temple treasury has approximately $1.1 million of which $850,000 will be used to purchase the land. It will leave us with $250,000 in our treasury. We have no major renovations or projects planned this year or for the next several years. We have reason to anticipate substantial donations from interested members of the community if we follow through with this proposal.

The BOT recommends a YES vote on this issue. We are seeking your vote at this time before we complete the purchase of this parcel of land. We are planning to make an offer for this land contingent on the approval of the Zoning Board and the approval of two-thirds of our membership.