Applebee’s is the latest township restaurant to secure permission from the township to create a permanent patio for outdoor dining.

On Wednesday night (May 24, 2023), the board of supervisors voted unanimously to approve plans by the eatery to build an 800 square foot patio extension at the West Road eatery.

“This proposes no increase to the building’s square footage, to its off street parking count nor to the existing seat count,” design engineer Chris Lang told the supervisors.*

Two variances were granted for the project by the zoning hearing board for impervious coverage and for front yard setback.

As part of the approval, Applebee’s agreed to use native plants to landscape the patio area. A number of street trees will also be added to enhance the buffering between the patio and the Newtown Bypass.

Since COVID-19, requests from patrons have spiked for outdoor dining options. And municipalities around the county are considering similar requests for amended development plans.

The Capital Grille, an upscale fine dining restaurant and steakhouse, is proposing to open a restaurant at the Village at Newtown shopping center on Eagle Road.

According to a conditional use application submitted to Newtown Township, The Capital Grille is looking to locate a 236-table restaurant inside an 8,000 [actually 8,500] square foot space formerly occupied by Pier One Imports on the east side of Eagle Road..

In addition to seeking conditional use approval, The Capital Grille will be asking the township to approve a liquor license transfer from a business in Warrington to the township.

The liquor license transfer and ongoing parking concerns at the center are expected to be key sticking points during the upcoming conditional use hearing expected to be held in June before the board of supervisors.

Parking in the village has gotten more challenging, especially on Friday evenings at the McCaffrey’s side of the shopping center. Even before that residents have complained about traffic and parking inside the redeveloped center.

Brixmor, the company that owns and manages the shopping center, is allowed to have up to 45 percent of its space devoted to restaurant use, under a redevelopment agreement with the township. The new restaurant would bring the percentage up to 35.7 percent.

The more challenging obstacle for The Capital Grille will be securing approval by the supervisors of a liquor license transfer. In the past the supervisors have been reluctant to approve any additional liquor licenses in the township.

The quota for liquor licenses for Newtown Township is around seven, said supervisor John Mack. The township currently has double that number, he said.

Last year when the Blue Point Grill originally presented plans for a seafood restaurant at the former Corner Bakery Cafe at the Newtown Shopping Center, the supervisors initially denied a request for a liquor license transfer from outside the township.

"The supervisors voted to deny that primarily because, at least I thought, because we have enough liquor licenses in Newtown. We don't want to become the next Pottersville," he said, referring to a fictional town in the movie, "It's A Wonderful Life." [Read 

BPG, however, was able to secure an existing license in the township from the Friends Bar and Grill, which had closed in early 2022. It eventually won conditional use approval from the township and is now preparing for a July opening.

[Image: Truck parked on Lower Dolington Road in Newtown Twp is a concern of residents.]

Across America, Cristos and other truckers are in high demand, yet these drivers are often cash-strapped and have few places to legally stop for a spell. Laws require truckers to stop at specific times. If too far from a legal parking space, you'll find them parked outside a shopping center, a residential street, or highway off-ramp.

Located at the confluence of the Pennsylvania Turnpike and U.S. Route 1, Bensalem is also trying to keep hundreds of truckers off local roads, which aren't designed for such heavy loads, DiGirolamo said.

Nearly every day someone is calling about a massive truck parked outside a home on an otherwise quiet residential street, the mayor said.*

The salad restaurant chain will open its2910 South Eagle Road location on Thursday, offering items from its “Destination California” menu.

Combining seasonal ingredients with authentic flavors from around the world, the fast-casual restaurant company is excited to open its latest location in Bucks County.

The Newtown location will offer food options from its popular 'Destination California' limited-time offerings, which feature California-inspired dishes such as the Spicy Sonoma Caesar Salad, Umami Noodle Bowl, and Verde Pork Pozole Bowl.

To celebrate the opening of its latest location, the new restaurant will host a 'Chopt Gives Day' on Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.to 7:30 p.m. 100% of sales during these times will be donated to Neighborhood Outreach Foundation. 

UPDATE: On August 10, 2022, the Newtown Supervisors approved the proposed patio plus the expansion. Read "#Newtown Supervisors Approve Piccolo Trattoria Expansion at the Newtown Shopping Center".

UPDATE: On April 7, 2022, the Newtown Zoning Hearing Board (ZHB) approved Piccolo's application with the condition that it must remain "outdoor seating." In other words, the outdoor area cannot morph into de facto permanent seating. The trees (bradford pears) will be removed and replaced with other native trees. The renderings look good. ZHB members did not think that parking is an issue on that side of the lot.

Piccolo Trattoria will be seeking zoning relief in early April to expand its Italian sit down and takeout restaurant at the Newtown Shopping Center on West Road.

The restaurant is proposing to expand into the former Dogs and Cats Rule space next door and to construct a 2,212 square foot covered outdoor dining area with 112 seats at the far western end of the shopping center.

In order to remain viable in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, owner Fahmi Elabed said restaurants require an outdoor seating component/option for its customers. In order to do that, he said Piccolo Trattoria will need variance relief for impervious coverage and parking.

NOTE:  Note: Piccolo Trattoria, along with 10 other local restaurants, received $40,000 in #COVID19 Hospitality Industry Recovery Program Relief Funds; https://sco.lt/5Q1KdM

According to Piccolo’s zoning application, a variance is required to permit 59.87 percent impervious coverage ratio, which represents a .22 percent increase over what is presently permitted.

A variance is also required to permit Piccolo Trattoria to continue to maintain 953 parking spaces, of which 169 would remain “held in reserve.” The patio addition would require the construction of an additional 15 parking spaces.

At its March 23 meeting, the board of supervisors voted not to oppose zoning relief for Piccolo. The planned expansion and outdoor dining area will also require conditional use approval by the board of supervisors.

A conditional use hearing has not yet been scheduled by the township, however parking is expected to be an issue during those discussions.

“They are going to expand their restaurant so there will be additional seating. And with the outdoor seating area there could be 200 additional people,” said Supervisor John Mack. “That’s a lot of additional parking.”

At the May 18, 2021, Newtown Planning Commission (PC) Zoom meeting, Joseph M. Blackburn, Partner with Wisler Pearlstine, presented an overview of a "conditional" use application by the Chop't Creative Salad Company, LLC. The application is for a 2,500 sf Chop't restaurant to be located at 2910 S. Eagle Road in the Village at Newtown Shopping Center.

This use would bring the percent of square footage allocated for restaurant use in the shopping center to about 31%. The total allowable percentage for such use is - believe it or not - 45%! So, there is still significantly more restaurant use allowable.

The focus of the discussion was on the outdoor eating area. 

Listen to the discussion and view the plans...

The Village at Newtown "Shopping" Center is currently in the final phase of a 35 million dollar makeover that Brixmor Property Group - the owner - hopes will revitalize the center. The plan (shown above) was approved 5-0 by the Newtown Zoning Hearing Board on October 16, 2016. In attendance and voting were: Chairman Timothy Potero, Vice Chairman Michael Iapalucci, Secretary Robert Whartenby and members Shawn Ward and Brandon Wind. 

Yes, parking and traffic in the Center has been a mess for some time. Will things improve once construction is complete or will parking and traffic remain problems after all is said and done?

I don’t know if there is a DEFINITIVE answer to that question, but I do believe there are signs that all will be well in the Center eventually.

At least that seems to be the opinion of Allen Fidler, Chair of the Newtown Planning Commission although he acknowledges that not everyone will be happy in the end.

In response to a resident’s comments at the May 8, 2019, Board of Supervisors (BOS) meeting, Mr. Fidler recounted the history of this project and explained the ultimate goal of Brixmor.

Listen to this podcast.