Welcome to Meet Mack Monday (MMM).

I am John Mack, your host and a Newtown Township Supervisor.

Each month I host a Meet Mack Monday Zoom meeting to inform residents of items that are of interest to them and to get feedback and comments from them. This helps me keep better informed of residents’ concerns when voting on important issues at supervisor meetings.

This video was presented at the October 17, 2022, MMM meeting via Zoom. It included the following discussion Topics:

* 2023 Budget Highlights
* Newtown/Wrightstown Police Services Agreement
* NO TURN ON RED - Pedestrian Safety
* Old Business: Wawa Update, Toll Bros Update

Newtown Township, with the approval of PennDOT, has placed "NO TURN ON RED" signage at the intersection of Durham Road / Sycamore Street and Washington Crossing Road / Durham Road. 

According to the September 9, 2022, Engineer’s Report, RVE (township engineers) reviewed a request for additional signage at the above-mentioned intersection. Proposed improvements: Addition of two signs including: R1-5L/R 'Yield Here to Pedestrian with Left or Right Arrow' sign, 36" x 36" and R10-6AL/R 'Stop Here on Red with Left or Right Arrow' sign, 24" x 30".

The “No Turn on Red” sign – although prominent – is not stopping vehicles from making right turns on red. Perhaps a “No Right Turn on Red” sign would be better. Or perhaps it will just be a matter of issuing a few tickets and allowing more time to pass for drivers to pay attention.

Personally, I’m not sure if this is a good idea or not. The Board of Supervisors (BOS) did not have an opportunity to approve this. In the past, we've approved other pedestrian safety measures for N Sycamore St (see "Insights"). I’m sure we will be hearing from residents/drivers who regularly make this turn on red.

[from NTPD Weekly Activity Summary 06-03 thru 06-09 2022]

While on routine patrol at approximately 10:45 pm, an officer observed a tire tread in the middle of the roadway in the northbound lane of Durham Road in the area of Five Points. The officer removed the tire tread to prevent a road hazard and further observed scrape marks continuing up the highway.

During this time, Bucks County Dispatch received the report of a speeding, reckless driver in the area of Durham Road and Pine Lane. Dispatch relayed that the vehicle was traveling with no front tire, had no lights on, and was creating a public safety issue amidst traffic.

As a result of the investigation, the officer conducted a traffic stop on the operator on Durham Road in the area of Buckingham Winery (Buckingham Township). Upon contact with the operator, the officer detected the strong odor of an alcoholic beverage. The operator was unable to satisfactorily perform field sobriety tests and was placed under arrest by Newtown Township Police and Buckingham Township Police for suspicion of driving under the influence. Charges are pending blood evidence results.

At the November 13, 2019, Newtown Board of Supervisors (BOS) meeting, Durham Partners Group, LLC, submitted a Zoning Hearing Board (ZHB) application for twenty seven townhomes and associated dimensional variances on the property located at 413 Durham Road in the PS-2 (Professional Service) Zoning District. The BOS heard from the applicant’s professionals that the proposed townhouse use is much lower impact from a traffic and development standpoint than a permitted medical office building.

Strike One!

After extensive questioning by Supervisors, the BOS voted 4-1 to send the Township Solicitor to the December 5, 2019, ZHB meeting to oppose the developer’s request for 7 variances.

See video here.

Strike Two!

Heath Dumack, the engineer hired by the developer, appeared before the Newtown Planning Commission at its November 19, 2019, public meeting “as a courtesy.” PC member Paul Cohen said “I don’t want to be too impolite about it, but this is crazy! This is just a blatant effort to squeeze as much as possible out of this. To come in and propose - where there’s supposed to be one home - twenty-seven is... incredibly bold.”

Listen to the Q&A here.

Strike Three?

The next step for Durham Partners Group is to appear before the Zoning Hearing Board. Will the third time be the charm or will it be strike three and "yer out!"? With the Township Solicitor there to oppose awarding variances for this plan (see below), it is my hope that the ZHB denies the application.

“This is a classic example of overdevelopment,” said one resident.

At the November 13, 2019, Newtown Board of Supervisors (BOS) meeting, Durham Partners Group, LLC, submitted a Zoning Hearing Board (ZHB) application for twenty seven townhouses and associated dimensional variances on a 5-acre parcel of land located at 413 Durham Road in the PS-2 (Professional Service) Zoning District.

Township Solicitor Dave Sander laid out the options for the BOS to consider:

• Take no action and wish the applicant “good luck;”
• Authorize the solicitor to write a letter to the ZHB expressing the Board’s concerns with the proposed relief that is requested and perhaps include conditions on the approval of the application if the ZHB was of a mind to approve the application;
• Authorize the solicitor to attend the ZHB and oppose the application.

Supervisor Mack made a motion to go with option #3 and to send the Township Solicitor to the December 5, 2019, ZHB meeting to oppose the application. The motion passed 4-1. Voting in favor of opposing were Supervisors Mack, Fisher, Bobrin, and Calabro. Kyle Davis cast the sole “nay” vote.

More details…