This is my personal summary of the 19 March 2024 Newtown Planning Commission Meeting. This is NOT a complete nor is it an official summary.
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Newtown News of Interest
These Scoops are excerpts from articles published in local newspapers and other sources that may be of interest to Newtown area residents. Please click on the "From" link to access the full original article. Any opinions and "insights" appended to these article summaries are solely those of John Mack and do not represent the opinions of any other person or entity. Curated by johnmacknewtown |
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johnmacknewtown
June 6, 10:12 AM
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This is my personal summary of the 19 March 2024 Newtown Planning Commission Meeting. This is NOT a complete nor is it an official summary.
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johnmacknewtown
April 26, 9:15 AM
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At the April 24, 2024, #NewtownPA BOS meeting, Peggy Driscoll, Chair of the Planning Commission, expressed surprise that a potential historic structure - the Twining farmhouse - was demolished without input or approval by the Joint Historic Commission an the supervisors. The farmhouse was located on property owned by Toll Brothers, which plans to build a housing development at that location at the intersection of Twining Bridge Rd and Durham Rd.
Supervisor Mack informed her that the demolition was sanctioned by the BOS within the settlement agreement that allowed Toll to development the property.
Specifically, the settlement agreement specified that “Prior to offering the Township dedication of the Open Space Parcel, the Developer shall demolish the existing house on the Open Space Parcel, remove it from the Property, and grade the Property to the satisfaction of the Township Engineer.”
For more details, read "A “Major” Historic Resource Re-Discovered!"; https://johnmacknewtown.info/blog/?viewDetailed=202212161011
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johnmacknewtown
April 17, 8:13 AM
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BREAKING NEWS (5/10/2024; 9:04 AM): The Twp Mgr just notified supervisors: "The Township has been granted an indefinite extension for the Chick Fil A zoning hearing application. The application will not be scheduled for review unless the applicant notifies the Township of its intent to proceed with the application."
Just 3 hours before the April 16, 2024, Planning Commission meeting, lawyers representing Newtown Equities LLC/Chick-fil-A, CANCELED their planned presentation before the Commission. I think they were not prepared to be confronted by the angry residents expected to show up.
When the meeting ended, I spoke to about 6 residents who were still in the parking lot wondering what the next step was. I suggested that they contact their representatives on the Board of Supervisors.
In case you wish to do the same, here’s the names and official email addresses of Supervisors: https://johnmacknewtown.info/contactnt.html
I'm quoted in Phillyburbs.com article:
“There’s a line already to get onto the bypass in the morning from Newtown-Yardley Road. That intersection is going to be quite busy and it’s an important intersection. And obviously I guess it’s going to be developed more like an urban type of intersection,” Mack said.
“I think a lot of people are concerned about the urbanization of Newtown, how it’s changing from when they first came here when it was more of rural atmosphere. Those are some of the comments I’ve been getting.”
Related Content:
“#NewtownPA Resident Launches Petition Opposing New Chick-Fil-A Off The Bypass”; https://sco.lt/8EZWJE
“Proposed Chick-Fil-A on Newtown bypass now in limbo. Here's why”; https://rebrand.ly/ChickfilAplan-on-hold
“#NewtownPA Twp Chick-fil-A Plan Withdrawn, For Now”; https://sco.lt/8kFNLM
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johnmacknewtown
April 13, 1:53 PM
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BREAKING NEWS (5/10/2024; 9:04 AM): The Twp Mgr just notified supervisors: "The Township has been granted an indefinite extension for the Chick Fil A zoning hearing application. The application will not be scheduled for review unless the applicant notifies the Township of its intent to proceed with the application."
Have you seen this somewhat vague item on the agenda for the 16 April 2024 Newtown Township Planning Commission (PC) meeting?: “Newtown Equities, LLC., 98 Upper Silver Lake Road” (Variance Request #1213-24) under Zoning Hearing Board applications for review by the Commission.
When I saw that, I like many others shrugged, thinking it was just another citizen wanting to build a swimming pool. The "LLC," however, should have tipped me off to the fact that LLC's are usually created by developers to hide exactly who they represent.
So who is "Newtown Equities, LLC" and who do they represent?
It’s a New Jersey Domestic Limited-Liability Company created on June 22, 2021. That tells me nothing, but luckily the Variance Request Document that was distributed to all Commission members revealed that Newtown Equities, LLC is seeking variances for a proposed 6,110sq.ft. drive thru Chick-fil-A restaurant.
Related Content:
“Proposed Chick-Fil-A on Newtown bypass now in limbo. Here's why”; https://rebrand.ly/ChickfilAplan-on-hold
“#NewtownPA Twp Chick-fil-A Plan Withdrawn, For Now”; https://sco.lt/8kFNLM
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johnmacknewtown
March 23, 10:01 AM
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This is my personal summary of the 19 March 2024 Newtown Planning Commission Meeting. This is NOT a complete nor is it an official summary.
The Agenda included the following:
Note that the BOS expressed concerns about previous plans for this parcel.
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johnmacknewtown
March 9, 8:12 AM
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The "final draft" of the Newtown Area Joint Comprehensive Plan has been circulated to the managers of the Jointure townships, which includes Newtown Township, Wrightstown, and Upper Makefield.
The Comprehensive Plan must be reviewed by the Township’s Planning Commission at a public meeting and each Planning Commission must recommend it to their respective governing body.
The Newtown Planning Commission reviewed the plan at its March 19, 2024, public meeting.
Once the Comprehensive Plan has been recommended to the governing bodies of all 3 municipalities, a public hearing will need to be scheduled before each Board of Supervisors to consider any comments received from the Planning Commission, the County Planning Commission, contiguous municipalities and the School District.
From this point forward, any changes that are proposed to be made to the Comprehensive Plan, except spelling, punctuation correction or similar minor change, will trigger the restart of the review process and may require additional public hearings.
Perhaps the "Smart Growth" section needs an update...
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johnmacknewtown
February 13, 8:06 AM
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Density, building size and traffic continue to be major sticking points with a proposal to redevelop the Corners at Newtown Place at South Sycamore Street and Richboro Road with a 120-unit Parking Core Apartment Building.
The new apartment building, which would be marketed to young professionals and empty nesters, would extend for 300 feet along Sycamore Street [see image above] and would include a vehicle access point to the interior garage.
Representatives from BET Investments, a real estate management and development company owned by Bruce Toll, attended the February planning commission meeting seeking input on architectural renderings for the building, but instead found themselves in a discussion over density and traffic.
Planning chair Peggy Driscoll continued to voice concerns at the meeting about the density of the project, traffic impact, the size of the proposed structure and the challenge the developer will face in securing approvals from all three townships for its ordinance.
“160 was unreal. 120 is still too much,” said Driscoll. “I think 60 apartments would work. It can be a beautiful thing. You can build something nice. It’s just too big. It’s just too much what you want to do.”
[UPDATE (3 June 2024): The plan has been modified. It now is for 100 apartments.]
“We feel the property has the size to support this without looking overburdened,” Markman told the planners. “Right now the site is full of single story buildings that are spread out and antiquated. They are very hard to lease. They are not the kind of property people want to rent today.”
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johnmacknewtown
February 8, 11:09 AM
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This is my personal summary of the 6 February 2024 #NewtownPA Planning Commission Meeting. This is NOT a complete nor is it an official summary.
The Agenda included the following:
Amending Signage Ordinance
I informed the Commission that I attended the 1 February 2024 JZC meeting where I initiated an open discussion on the Sign Provisions of the JMZO and I recommended that the PC be involved in recommending changes to problematic sections such as those that refer to neon signs. The PC does not draft amendments to the JMZO. Therefore, the next step would be for the Board of Supervisors to discuss this and authorize the Solicitor to draft an amendment hopefully after discussions with Board members and the public.
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johnmacknewtown
October 19, 2023 10:51 AM
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At the 17 October 2023 meeting of the #NewtownPA Planning Commission (PC), members failed to agree unanimously to recommend approval of certain aspects of Capital Grille's signage plan.
Specifically, some members had problems with the huge 13-4" by 6' 80 sqft sign that Capital Grille proposes to affix to the rear facade of the building that faces Silo Drive. The rationale for such a big sign in an unusual location is to make it easier for people driving North on South Eagle Rd in the shopping center to find the restaurant.
Edward Murphy, Esq., Wisler Pearlstine, representing Capital Grille, said the dimensions of the sign should be measured based on the size of the lettering and that the black background should not figure into the calculation to determine if it is up to code.
PC Member Terry Christensen, however, said "changing the way the square footage of signage is calculated by only counting the letters...that's an argument that I don't think we are competent to work on" versus the wording of the ordinance.
Listen to the audio recording of the discussion...
As per Newtown zoning ordinance, a total of 3 individual establishment signs totaling 60 sqft are allowed. Capital Grille is asking for variances to allow 5 signs totaling 452.28 sqft - a 392.28 sqft difference!
At the Oct 25, 2023, BOS meeting, the supervisors voted unanimously to send its solicitor to the Zoning Hearing Board (ZHB) to oppose the variance to allow the huge sign. This case is scheduled to be heard on December 7, 2023,
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johnmacknewtown
September 16, 2023 12:51 PM
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At the September 13, 2023, Newtown Board of Supervisors (BOS) meeting, Peggy Driscoll, Chair of the Planning Commission, presented her synopsis of the Commission's concerns regarding the Corners at Newtown Redevelopment plan.
The plan includes a large apartment building with 120 apartments and amenities surrounding a parking garage. The building would be 45 feet in height and over 200 feet in length.
The Commission had some concerns about the proposed density in such close proximity to the Borough’s apartment complex called Steeple View and the impact on traffic and stormwater management.
Supervisor Mack asked about the possibility of obtaining an engineering analysis of the parking garage to determine if the ground can support the weight.
"These developers [are] coming in and what they're proposing is just ridiculous," said Ms. Driscoll at the end of her presentation.
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johnmacknewtown
September 1, 2023 9:01 AM
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Developer to #Newtown: Amend Your Zoning Law to Allow a High Density Apartment Building; Billboards Allowed Only in Newtown?; more... https://preview.mailerlite.com/m0k8o2g9n8
Contents:
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johnmacknewtown
August 22, 2023 10:56 AM
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On August 15, 2023, representatives of BET Investments, Inc. presented their plan to redevelop the Corners at Newtown Place shopping center located at the intersection of Buck Road (Route 532) and Newtown-Richboro Road (Route 332).
Specifically, the plan is to build a 3 story, 120 unit multi-family apartment building with related amenities on the approximately 3.909 acre parcel (Tax Parcel No. 29-011-243) .
The Applicant is proposing a new B-11 use TEXT AMENDMENT to the JMZO, which states in part:
Parking Core Apartment Building. A building where individual apartments surround a central parking garage to feature a walkable oriented streetscape in keeping with a traditional village. Each apartment unit has direct access to the outside or to a common hall and each unit is designed for and occupied by a single family.
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johnmacknewtown
June 22, 2023 7:23 AM
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A developer is challenging Newtown Township zoning law as one step in its bid to build a four-story, 245-unit apartment building at 42 University Drive, right off Lower Silver Lake Road in the township.
In a "substantive validity challenge" and request for curative amendment filed [on 15 May 2023] with the township through its local attorney on the project Ed Murphy, Bridgewater, N.J.-based KRE Upper Macungie Associates, LLP asserts that the joint municipal zoning ordinance makes no provision for a stand-alone apartment use. The JMZO governs zoning for Newtown, Upper Makefield and Wrightstown townships.
Relief requested in the document is “Determination that the Newtown Area Joint Municipal Zoning Ordinance is unconstitutionally exclusionary with respect to the legitimate and protected apartment use, for which use provision must be made in all Pennsylvania municipalities, and corresponding adoption of proposed curative amendment to cure such defect.”
Murphy asserted in the challenge, which is 95 pages including supporting documents, that the JMZO had provision for a B-11, mid-rise apartment use from 1984 until 2005 “but no use of this kind ever developed.”
It goes on to state that if a request for a curative amendment is found to have merit, a municipality must either accept an applicant’s proposed curative amendment or prepare and adopt one of its own. A curative amendment prepared and approved by municipal officials in September of 2020 was part of the process that led to the Newtown Township supervisors recently approving a settlement agreement that will result in construction of a Wawa with gas pumps at the corner of the Newtown Bypass and Lower Silver Lake Road, roughly a mile away from the proposed apartment building.
So, in this case Newtown Township will have no other option* but to accept KRE’s proposed curative amendment, the zoning challenge claimed. That is because municipalities are prohibited by law from adopting their own curative amendments within 36 months of the last time that happened, it continued.
*NOTE: According to the challenge "a municipality is foreclosed from attempting to prepare and enact a municipal curative amendment within 36-months following the date of enactment of a separately adopted municipal curative amendment or reaffirmation of the validity of its zoning ordinance."
The Newtown Board of Supervisors (BOS) approved by a 3-2 vote to adopt the E-30 (Wawa) so-called “curative amendment” on September 23, 2020.
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johnmacknewtown
June 21, 2023 11:21 AM
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Lawyers representing KRE present the details of KRE's zoning "Validity Challenge" (https://bit.ly/KRE_ValidityChallenge) before the #NewtownPA Planning Commission at its June 20, 2023, public meeting.
[Seated at left is Edward Murphy, Esq., Wisler Pearlstine; Tom Comitta, a City Planner is seated in the middle; and Joseph Blackburn, Esq., Wisler Pearlstine, LLP, is seated on right.]
Background: On May 15, 2023, Wisler Pearlstine, LLP, attorneys representing Kushner Real Estate (aka KRE Upper Macungie Associates, LP), submitted a “Substantive Validity Challenge with Curative Amendment” to #NewtownPA Township.
The developer seeks to amend the Joint Municipal Zoning Ordinance to allow a 245-unit multi-story apartment complex to be built on Lower Silver Lake Road, a few hundred feet south of the proposed Wawa. This type of development is not currently permitted in the OR (Office/Research) zone, where it is proposed. [LINK: “Developer Challenges #NewtownPA Zoning to Allow 245 Unit Apartment Building in OR District, But Sh*t May Happen”]
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johnmacknewtown
May 1, 2023 10:22 AM
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“We are looking for ways to revitalize the Newtown Business Commons, to both preserve the business office district and address the recent changes in the business environment, where workers are increasingly working from home,” said Peggy Driscoll, Chair of the Newtown Planning Commission NTPC, at the April 26, 2023, Board of Supervisors (BOS) meeting.
The most recent proposal by Bucks County Planning Commission (BCPC) laid out the details for “Mixed Use” newly constructed apartment buildings in the OLI/LI Overlay Zones; e.g., in the Business Commons area, like the ones shown here in this video (source: BCPC).
“We are optimistic that we will be able to add some residential uses to the Commons to help us attract and retain younger residents to the area,” said Ms. Driscoll.
The problem, however, is that the NTPC and BCPC seem to be at odds about how to implement “mixed-use” residential/retail in the business commons.
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johnmacknewtown
December 23, 2022 2:52 PM
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Two major topics were discussed at the December 20, 2022, NTPC meeting:
This was quite a session! This was "Wawa deja vu!" Like Provco/Wawa, the Kushner Real Estate (KRE) wants the Jointure to amend the JMZO to suit its needs to build an "Apartment Complex" in the OR District along the Newtown Bypass!
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johnmacknewtown
December 2, 2022 10:33 AM
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At the December 1, 2022, Joint Zoning Council meeting, it was agreed that Jointure members could add an appendix to the Comprehensive Plan that listed possible/recommended projects for their township.
The Newtown Planning Commission met on December 6, 2022, and continued to discuss the Comprehensive Plan. Most of the discussion was a review of an appendix to the plan. For the Newtown Twp appendix, here are a few projects that I would like to see on the list:
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johnmacknewtown
November 7, 2022 9:01 AM
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At its November 1, 2022, public meeting, the Newtown Township Planning Commission (NTPC) members reviewed the proposed Strategies & Actions of Principles 1 through 8 of the 2022 Draft of the Newtown Area Comprehensive Plan (CompPlan), which was prepared by the Bucks County Planning Commission (BCPC).
Each Commission member was assigned to focus on one Guiding Principle. Learn more about the Plan and its Guiding Principles.
This is my personal summary of the discussions at this meeting. The NTPC will create an official summary and continue its discussion of the CompPlan at its next meeting scheduled for November 15, 2022.
See the Minutes of this meeting for more details. Also access the NTPC CompPlan Review Folder for more comments from individual NTPC members on various Principles.
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johnmacknewtown
October 14, 2022 10:04 AM
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News of Interest, aka NOI, is a monthly collection of summaries of articles curated from various news and other sources focused on a range of topics of interest to local residents. News of Interest is available via email to subscribers... Subscribe: https://bit.ly/SubscribeNOI
Also See:
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johnmacknewtown
August 3, 2022 12:07 PM
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anti single-useThe applicant is seeking conditional use approval to open a seafood restaurant (Blue Point Grill aka BPG) at 3 West Road in the Newtown Shopping Center. This is the former location of the Corner Bakery, which is no longer in business at that location. The hours of operation will be 4 PM to 11 PM on weekdays and 11 AM to 10 PM on Saturday and Sunday.
Jack Morrison, the owner of BPG, confirmed that he is seeking approval for 145 indoor seats. Also, there are an additional 36 seats in an existing outdoor seating area, which will be used on a seasonal basis. Some PC members were concerned about the parking and traffic problems this number of seats would cause.
There was also crosswalk safety concerns as many patrons would have to cross West Road to get to and from their cars parked in Gap/ACME lot. It was agreed that these crossings would be made safer by repainting the bars to make the crossings more visible to motorists.
Liquor License
The floor plan includes an “Raw Bar” that seats 6 people and a regular "Bar" that seats 9 people. Recall that the Board of Supervisors (BOS) denied BPG’s application to transfer a liquor license from an East Rockhill Township tavern primarily because supervisors felt the Newtown was already over quota for liquor licenses (read “Blue Point Grill's Liquor License Transfer Not Approved”). Mr. Morrison informed the NTPC that BPG signed a contract to obtain a Newtown liquor license from Dolce Carini (Friends Bar & Grill), which has gone out of business.
Potential Environmental Impact
Recall that Newtown recently passed an anti-single use plastics resolution that urges the business community and residents to consider alternatives to single-use plastics (read “Newtown Township Anti Single-Use Plastic Resolution Makes Local News”). I asked in Mr. Morrison if BPG would comply with that resolution when packaging “doggie bags” for patrons to take home. He said he would have no problem with that.
Although some members were concerned about parking, the PC agreed that it will advise the NT Board of Supervisors to approve this conditional use application.
More details...
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johnmacknewtown
May 4, 2022 1:21 PM
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.Newtown, Wrightstown & Upper Makefield (the "Jointure") are working on amending the existing wireless communication section of the Joint Municipal Zoning Ordinance (JMZO), to include measures to ensure wireless infrastructure doesn’t become what Wrightstown Supervisor Chairman Chester Pogonowski has described as an “eyesore.”
Is it really necessary to allow these antennas in the first place? Paul McGavin,Founder, S4WT: Scientists for Wired Tech, doesn't think so. "This whole thing about oh we're going to get sued by the wireless industry is a boogeyman," says McGavin.
Several residents attending the PC meeting believe the powerful 5g radiation from these wireless antennas cause serious medical problems. "I know that if a small cell went outside of my house I would have to move," said Mr. McGavin who is prone to an "environmentally induced illness" from these devices. "There's just way too much microwave radiation that comes out of these things," said Mr. McGavin.
Nevertheless, at a May 3, 2022, public meeting, the Newtown Township Planning Commission voted 6-1 to recommend that the Board of Supervisors (BOS) approve the ordinance as written BUT also to send to the supervisors a list of questions and suggested revisions to the ordinance prepared by Michele Fountain - the Township Planner.
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johnmacknewtown
April 23, 2022 7:14 AM
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In this audio snippet from the April 19, 2022, Newtown Township Planning Commission (PC) meeting, Township Planner, Michele Fountain, reviews the 5G Wireless Facilities Ordinance developed by the Newtown Area Jointure (Newtown, Wrightstown, and Upper Makefield).
Specifically, Ms. Fountain focuses on measures to ensure wireless infrastructure – i.e., Small Wireless Communications Facility (pole) - doesn’t become what Wrightstown Supervisor Chairman Chester Pogonowski has described as an “eyesore.”
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johnmacknewtown
April 17, 2022 8:27 AM
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At the April 13, 2022, Newtown Board of Supervisors (BOS) meeting, Planning Commission (PC) Chair Peggy Driscoll presented the Commission's de facto decision to recommend that the BOS NOT approved Wawa's latest Land Development Plan to build a Wawa on the Newtown Bypass.
Ms. Driscoll then went on to present evidence that Wawa's plan - which was reviewed by the PC on April 5, 2022 - violated the township's E30 ordinance, which was crafted to allow Wawa to build a Superstore (combination gas station & convenience store) in Newtown.
She also mentioned several recommendations of the Bucks County Planning Commission for changes to the plan that Wawa discounted and refused to address.
Meanwhile, Supervisor Calabro Chastised Driscoll!
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johnmacknewtown
April 8, 2022 7:46 AM
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[Photo shows Eastbound and Gray attorney Attorney Julie Von Spreckelson representing Wawa at the podium, Michael Cooley (Provco), and Jason Korczak (Bohler Engineering) seated. The sign in the background was supplied by local area residents.]
At it's April 5, 2022, public meeting, the Newtown Township Planning Commission (NTPC) reviewed Wawa's latest Land Development Plan for a Super Store on the Bypass.
Recall that Wawa was already granted a request by the Zoning Hearing Board (ZHB) for a special exception to allow this use, but was denied variance requests regarding the number of fueling stations and signs (read “Newtown Township Zoning Hearing Board Issues Official Provco (Wawa) Decision”).
When all was said and done, the NTPC failed to achieve a consensus to recommend that the Board of Supervisors approve Wawa's plan.
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johnmacknewtown
February 23, 2022 8:42 AM
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A [plan for a] Wawa convenience store with fueling stations on the Newtown Bypass at Lower Silver Lake Road is expected to [be reviewed by] the township Planning Commission on March 1.
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NOTE: At the request of Wawa, this review is rescheduled for April 5, 2022, Planning Commission meeting. In the meantime, the Township will have its consultants review the revised plans and issue review letter.
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The project is planned for the southwest corner of the intersection, and calls for a 5,585- square-foot store with an additional canopied area having six fueling stations with a total of 12 pumps, according to information on the project provided by township Supervisor John Mack. The 4.9 acre site is not big enough to offer more fuel stations, as stipulated by the township code.
Pedestrian Safety a Concern
The Bucks County Planning Commission reviewed the proposal and sent a letter of recommendations in January to the Newtown supervisors who will ultimately decide on the project. Chief among their consideration is pedestrian safety for those walking to the convenience store along or across the busy, high-speed Newtown Bypass.
“Facilities meant to provide safer pedestrian connections, such as pedestrian refuge islands, timed traffic signals for pedestrians, and crosswalks with flashing beacons, should all be considered. Additionally, a complete sidewalk network along Newtown Yardley Road, from Upper Silver Lake Road to the bypass, should be considered," the county planners wrote to the supervisors. The sidewalks also would provide "a pedestrian connection between the proposed convenience store and the Newtown to Delaware and Lehigh Trail that is currently under study."
"We're thrilled to have this project moving forward," said Michael Cooley, Provco vice president. "This project has been very well received." [Although not by everyone. Read
“Newtown Planning Commission Versus Wawa”; “Wawa's Request for Zoning Variances Denied!”; “Wawa Survey Results”]
He hopes construction will start in late summer. When it opens, the store and fueling station will have about 50 full and part-time employees.
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