Kushner RE Sketch Plan, Pedestrian Safety, LDR Trail Update, Exempt Personnel Salaries, More…

This is my personal summary of the December 21, 2022, meeting of Newtown Township Board of Supervisors (BOS). This is not a complete nor an official summary.

Access the 2022 BOS Chronicle for detailed summaries of all 2022 BOS meetings plus the BOS voting record (UNOFFICIAL) for 2022.

Agenda Items:

• Planning Commission Report: Kushner Real Estate (KRE) Silverlake Development Sketch Plan
• Pedestrian Crosswalk Improvements at Newtown Walk
• N. Sycamore Street Pedestrian Safety
• Lower Dolington Road Trail Update
• Resolution Establishing the Tax Rate for 2023
• Resolution Establishing Exempt Personnel Pay for 2023 (includes salaries)
• Official Video

Details...

Contents:

• Underground Cable Work on LDR Begins
• Traffic Speed Study – Newtown-Yardley Road @ Tara Boulevard Crosswalk
• Was Green Parrot Owner Bullied by CR Teachers, Others Over Film Showing?
• Provco Appeals #NewtownPA Township's Denial Of Wawa Plan
• Pedestrian Bridge Over #NewtownPA Creek May Be Back On The Table
• Mack's Summary of the 7 December 2022 #NewtownPA Board of Supervisors Meeting
• Falls Township Proposes Earned Income Tax: What’s the Impact on #NewtownPA?

Read the entire issue…

Welcome to “The Year 2022 in Images."

There were many unique and interesting issues that I and other Newtown Township supervisors confronted in 2022. This is a selection of images and stories that document what I consider the most important news items and issues of interest to Newtown residents.

Images include the following with links to more information:

• It Took a Pedestrian Death
• No Gun Shows in Newtown!
• Newtown Says NO to Wawa
• Stand With Ukraine
• OLI/LI District Overlay Plan
• Did Anti-DEI Activists Drive Fraser Away from CRSD?
• 5G Antennas - Are They Safe?
• Shots Fired!
• NAS Asks for More AID
• It's Time For Solar Power!
• Bucks County Sewer Sale Stymied
• Lower Dolington Road Trail - The Longest DELAY!
• Women's Right To Choose
• Not On My BYpass!
• Movie Controversy
• "Historic" Resource Re-Discovered
• Why Did Charlie Feuer Cross the Road?

More...

2021 Audit Discrepancies, Human Relations Commission, Yet Another Lower Dolington Rd Trail Promise, N Sycamore St Grant, Pedestrian Safety, 2023 Budget Discussion, More…

This is my personal summary of the November 22, 2022, meeting of Newtown Township Board of Supervisors (BOS). This is not a complete nor an official summary.

Access the 2022 BOS Chronicle for a more detailed summary of this meeting plus an updated BOS voting record (UNOFFICIAL) for 2022.

Agenda Items

• 2021 Audit Presentation - Discrepancies Found
• Reports of Committees, Boards and Commissions
  • Planning Commission Update: Joint Comprehensive Plan
  • Mack's Report: Human Relations Commission vs K-12 Education Discrimination
• Engineer's Report
  • November 4, 2022, Engineer’s Report
  • Update: N. Sycamore Street Keystone Grant
  • Next Steps: Pedestrian Crosswalk Improvements at Newtown Walk
  • Lower Dolington Road Trail – Yet Another Promise!
• Old Business
  • 2023 Budget Discussion: Funds for NFA Retention and Recruitment
• Official Video

It’s been a long hot summer and much has happened while we were on vacation. The Newtown Board of Supervisors (BOS) has received many comments from residents this summer regarding several issues – especially pedestrian safety, Lower Dolington Road trail delays, and women’s reproductive rights (i.e., abortion). Residents joined me via Zoom to discuss these and other issues at the September 12, 2022, Meet Mack Monday meeting.

Some residents were concerned about the Women's Reproductive Rights Resolution. What does this resolution say? Whose opinion does it represent?

Find out by reading the summary here...

Image: Work has been halted on the Lower Dolington Rd Trail (LDRT) for so long that  weeds are growing out of the cones! Photos taken on 8/24/22.
 
In May 2022, the Township Engineer informed the Board of Supervisors that the LDRT project encountered some “unexpected utility conflicts” during construction, which impact the underground infiltration trenches designed as part of this project. This is predominately in the area between Stanford Place and Everett Drive. Lumen – the company that owns the utility cable in question – was scheduled to relocate their conduit last year, which became January, then April, and now possibly the beginning of October!

Considering that Lumen will need 2 weeks to complete its job, work on the trail is not likely to restart until November!

Read more...

UPDATE: As of December 21, 2022, the job of removing the cones and barrels, etc., has been completed! As of December 20, 2022, I see that cable is being laid underground on Lower Dolington Road north of Frost Lane. Hopefully this project, which began around December 5, 2022, is still on schedule to be completed within one mont

The News of Interest (NOI) e-newsletter features content curated from articles published in local newspapers and other sources. 

The July 2022 issue of NOI topics include: Tax Increase Referendum Approved for NAS, Further Delays for LDR Trail! CRSD Raises Tax, 5G Ordinance Moves Forward, More…

Access the complete issue...

Tax Increase Referendum Approved for NAS, Further Delays for LDR Trail! CRSD Raises Tax, 5G Ordinance Moves Forward, More… 

This is my personal summary of the July 13, 2022, meeting of Newtown Township Board of Supervisors (BOS). This is not a complete nor an official summary.

Agenda Items

• Request by Newtown Ambulance Squad to Raise EMS Tax
• Joint Zoning Council Meeting Report by John Mack
• Lower Dolington Road Multi-Use Trail Update
• Sycamore Street Pedestrian Safety
• Brixmor Traffic Study
• A/V System Upgrade
• June 2022 Police Report
• Snyder Proposes Pro Abortion Resolution
• Official Video
• Detailed Notes

Access the complete summary...

[Image: These photos were taken on July 13, 2022. They show how the construction materials obstruct access to Raintree/Windemere landscaping. 1 – Netting wraps around bush that is clearly on private property; 2 – Overgrown grass (access denied!); 3 – Netting obviously prevents access to plantings.]

At the July 13, 2022, Newtown Board of Supervisors (BOS) meeting, Supervisor Mack asked the township engineer to explain the delays in the construction of the Lower Dolington Road Trail (LDRT).

Mack noted that even further delays are ahead as the “utility conflict” is resolved. That is, underground cables must be relocated before construction of the trail can begin again. 

More that that, Mr. Mack also voiced his and residents' concerns about "abandoned" construction barriers at the intersection of LDR and Stanford Place/Road (see "Lower Dolington Road Trail Construction Barricades Are a Pedestrian Safety Concern!"; and "Lower Dolington Road Trail Trash Tour").

When the topic of accountability came up, Mr. Mack said "Six feet needed to be held to the fire. The construction company, Lumens (company responsible for moving the underground cable), and Newtown Artesian Water Company," which provided incorrect information that adversely impacted the project.

View the 11-minute video: https://youtu.be/LPyacZEBGFE

Items on the agenda included: Lower Dolington Road Trail Delay, Where's Wawa?, NT Yardley Rd/Bypass Intersection Safety, Newtown Ambulance Squad, Fire Services Agreement, More...

Lower Dolington Rd Trail. Questions answered:

* What’s holding up this project?

* How has the township responded to residents complaints about long abandoned construction barriers causing hazardous conditions, interfering with landscaping, etc.?

* When will these barriers be removed? Should the township pay the contractors to come back and up the mess they left months ago?

* When will this project be completed?

Where’s Wawa? It’s a long story…

Left Turn Signage at Newtown-Yardley Rd/Bypass Intersection. Questions answered:

* Is new, additional signage needed to prevent left turn accidents?

* What did PennDOT think of the idea?

* What did the Newtown traffic engineer have to say about it? You have to read my response…

Newtown Ambulance Squad (NAS) is asking for an additional 0.5 millage Newtown Township tax dedicated to NAS. How much $ is this for the average Newtown homeowner? More...

Newtown Township-Newtown Borough Fire Services Agreement. It’s FINAL! How much will Newtown Borough pay?? More...

Meet Mack This Monday, July 11, 2022,

7:00 - 8:30 PM via Zoom

REGISTER TO ATTEND

Items on the agenda include:

Lower Dolington Rd Trail Update. I will summarize the timeline for this project, which starts in March, 2018, and ends in June 2022. Why has it taken so long to finish this project? What’s holding up this project? How has the township responded to residents complaints about long abandoned construction barriers causing hazardous conditions, interfering with landscaping, etc.? When will these barriers be removed? Should the township pay the contractors to come back and up the mess they left months ago? What’s holding this project up? When will this project be completed? More information:

• Lower Dolington Road Trail Trash Tour (3-minute video)
•  Lower Dolington Road Trail Construction Barricades Present a Safety Hazard! (Blog Post)

Left Turn Signage at Newtown-Yardley Rd/Bypass Intersection. Is new, additional signage needed? An update on the effort to prevent left turn accidents, including a summary of my survey of residents including comments. What did PennDOT think of this idea? What did the Newtown traffic engineer have to say about it? More information:

• Left Turn Sign Needed at Intersection of Newtown-Yardley Road and Route 332

Preview of the July 13, 2022, Board of Supervisors Meeting: The Newtown Ambulance Squad (NAS) is expected to give a report (staff shortages, etc.). 2023 budget season is beginning. Is a tax increase possible? Will Newtown pass a resolution supporting a woman’s right to abortion? (e.g., as in: “Abortion Rights Ordinance in Radnor Township Stops Police From Investigating Abortion Cases”). More TBD...

Proposed Ordinances Reviewed: The Joint Zoning Council (JZC) will meet on Thursday, July 7, 2022, at 7:30 PM (guests may register here). The actions taken by the JZC on following items on the agenda will be summarized at this MMM Zoom meeting:

• Distributed Antenna System (DAS; i.e., small 5G antennas) Ordinance Revisions – Newtown BOS tabled the decision to approve this ordinance after learning about An Expert's Critique of the JMZO 5G Wireless Ordinance. What’s the next step? See highlights from the 2 June 2022 Joint Zoning Council Meeting.
• Electric Vehicle Charging Stations. Draft ordinance proposed. Summary of the discussion. For background, listen to this podcast: “PC Discusses Electric Vehicle Charging Stations.”
• Bill Board Use – JZC proposal. Draft Ordinance for review. See highlights from the 2 June 2022 Joint Zoning Council Meeting.

Comprehensive Plan: Draft Plan Review. What’s the status of corrections and video presentation for residents? What’s the target date for circulation of Plan and presentation? Background: “It’s Time for Newtown Township to Update Its Comprehensive Plan!” and “Comprehensive Plan Resident Survey Results.”

Other Topics Suggested by Attendees (TBD)

A resident of the Newtown Ridings Development complained to Supervisors regarding the Lower Dolington Road Trail construction trash at the intersection of Stanford Drive: "There is no reason for this trash to remain here. It’s ugly and dangerous, and it’s pretty much a lawsuit waiting to happen."

I decided to take a tour myself and record it.This stuff definitely should be outta here! Not shown is how I actually tripped over the netting on the ADA ramp!

UPDATE (6/30/22): The township has removed at least some of the garbage/litter and removed the netting laying on the ADA ramp. The barrels and netting have been removed from the sidewalk on the northeast corner at Stanford Dr to allow pedestrians to reach the intersection. Other barrels and netting have been moved to be less intrusive. There is still weed overgrowth as before and landscapers are blocked from properly mowing and attending the flowers and other plants. The site remains unsightly. It would cost the township $800-$1,000 to "redeploy" the contractor to come back to the site and do the job of removing these unneeded barrels and netting and debris (such as the cut cable, which remains but is blocked off by netting). In my opinion they should have done a cleanup BEFORE they left the site long ago.

A resident of the Ridings Development sent these photos and an email message to Newtown Supervisors regarding the LDR trail trash at the corner of Stanford Drive:

"Someone needs to come out and clean up the leftover materials. There’s a rusty piece of metal, 5 gallon buckets with standing water and garbage, and chunks of broken concrete sticking up in an overgrown patch of grass.

"There is no reason for this trash to remain here. It’s ugly and dangerous, and it’s pretty much a lawsuit waiting to happen."

UPDATE (6/30/22): The township has removed at least some of the garbage/litter and removed the netting laying on the ADA ramp. The barrels and netting have been removed from the sidewalk on the northeast corner at Stanford Dr to allow pedestrians to reach the intersection. Other barrels and netting have been moved to be less intrusive. There is still weed overgrowth as before and landscapers are blocked from properly mowing and attending the flowers and other plants. The site remains unsightly. It would cost the township $800-$1,000 to "redeploy" the contractor to come back to the site and do the job of removing these unneeded barrels and netting and debris (such as the cut cable, which remains but is blocked off by netting). In my opinion they should have done a cleanup BEFORE they left the site long ago.

CONTENT:

• Newtown Has Already Decided How It Will Spend Nearly Half of Its $2 Million ARPA Funds
• Newtown Township PD Incident Report: Reckless Driving Without Front Tire on Durham Road
• Newtown Supervisors Approve Chick-fil-A Settlement Agreement: Traffic Improvements On the Way!
• Solstice Is Second Restaurant In The Village At Newtown Shopping Center To Close Its Doors This Year
• Wawa Versus Newtown Township Timeline: 2017 through 2022
• Bucks County Residents Hold "Stop Wawa" Protest

Access the complete issue...

At the May 25, 2022, Board of Supervisors (BOS) meeting, the supervisors approved “Change Order No. 2” for the Lower Dolington Road Trail. This extended the date of completion for all authorized work to July 19, 2022.

Meanwhile, construction is NOT underway and hasn’t been underway since way for at least 2 months.

Barrels & Netting Hazard!

Meanwhile, several residents have raised a valid point regarding the barrels & netting construction barriers that are still standing (see image).

"With the barrels and netting in place neither the handicapped nor able bodied are able to cross at these locations," said one resident. "That presents a safety hazard to those who want to cross at those locations.  Removing those barriers should have taken place a long time ago.”

I agree! The township doesn't need another car versus pedestrian incident!

UPDATE (6/28/22): The barrels and netting have been relocated to allow access to the new sidewalks and crossing as well as improving motorist line of site when making turns onto Lower Dolington Road, which was also a concern of residents.

Joint Zoning Council meeting report (Comprehensive Plan, Wood-Burning Outdoor Furnaces, Billboards, etc.), Lower Dolington Rd Trail Update, Bird Town Resolution, Newtown Township/Borough Fires Services Agreement, 5G Wireless Ordinance Update, May 2022 Police report, June 3, 2022, Public Works Report, More…

Agenda Items

• Joint Zoning Council Meeting Report
• Lower Dolington Road Trail Payment
• Liquid Fuels Roadwork Change Order
• "Bird Town" Resolution
• Fire Services Agreement with Newtown Borough
• Consideration to approve of 5G Wireless JMZO Ordinance
• American Rescue Plan Fund Summary
• May 2022 Police Report
• Public Works Report(s)
• Video Highlights

Read the summary for details...

Highlights

• Report on Bucks County Planning Commission LI/OLI Review: On May 19, 2022, Jeremy Stoff, Planner at Bucks County Planning Commission (BCPC), met Newtown Economic Development Committee (EDC) members via Zoom to present an outline of BCPC's plan for a LI/OLI Overlay District; LINK: https://bit.ly/389pMiz
• Lower Dolington Road Multi-Use Trail – Change Order No. 2: Another delay! This time 60 days. What’s going on? Listen to the Township Engineer’s explanation... 
• DVRPC Regional Streetlight Procurement Program Update
• Consideration of Newtown Shopping Center (Bucks Newtown Associates, Inc.) Settlement Agreement. Read “Newtown Supervisors Approve Chick-fil-A Settlement Agreement: Traffic Improvements On the Way!”; https://sco.lt/7QecRU
• Authorization to purchase 3 Police vehicles & Dump Truck utilizing ARPA funds. How much ARPA Fund money is available? See this chart: https://bit.ly/ARPspendingPieChart
• Consideration to send the proposed wireless JMZO amendment back to the Jointure with recommendations. Supervisors Table Decision on 5G Wireless JMZO Amendment (Audio Podcast): JZC Solicitor agrees to work with supervisors to hammer out suggested changes. Listen... 

For more details, read my Meeting Notes. 

Reports from Planning Commission; Engineer's update: DCED Watershed Restoration Fund grant, Lower Dolington Road Multi-Use Trail, Village at Newtown Traffic Study; Solicitor's Report: Legal NAC Expansion Project, Bucks County EMS Chief’s Association Request for ARPA Funds for EMS; Budget Discussion; Hybrid Meetings; Planning Commission to review Arcadia HOP Application; More...

This is my personal summary of the November 23, 2021, meeting of Newtown Township Board of Supervisors (BOS). This is not a complete nor an official summary.

Contents

• Public Comment
• Reports of Committees
• Reports of Officials
• Bills List
• Old Business
• New Business
• My Personal Notes

Read more...

"I am proud to have secured $1.83M in state funds from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development for our district," said Senator Santarsiero on Instagram.

• $686,000 to Doylestown Township to expand the New Britain Road multi-use trail
• $573,689 to Yardley Borough for North Main Street sidewalk improvements
• $450,000 to Plumstead Township for pedestrian improvements on Old Easton Road and Route 611
• $75,000 to Newtown Borough for Old Skunky streambank restoration
• $50,000 to Solebury Township to construct a public restroom at Aquetong Spring Park

Read more about these grants and projects: https://www.senatorstevesantarsiero.com/newsroom/ 

At the September 22, 2021, Newtown Board of Supervisors public meeting, Township Engineer Leanna M. Colubriale gave updates on two projects: (1) Lower Dolington Road Multi-Use Trail and (2) Brixmor /Village at Newtown Shopping Center Traffic Study.

The Newtown Township Parks & Recreation Department submitted an application for a 2021 Healing the Planet Grant through Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful.

The department applied for the full $25K outlining improvements to the trails and cleaning up the diseased trees at Clark Nature Center, etc.

Announcements of grant awards will be made in August.

The Bucks County Planning Commission is seeking feedback from the public on possible trail routes connecting the Newtown area to the Delaware Canal Towpath.

In a feasibility study completed in April, the planning commission identified 11 potential trail routes connecting the communities of Newtown and Yardley boroughs and Lower Makefield, Middletown, Newtown and Upper Makefield townships. Information was incorporated from the study’s initial survey and outreach effort in fall 2020.

The planning commission now would like stakeholders and members of the public to review and comment on the potential trail routes. Anyone interested can visit the plan’s webpage at www.tinyurl.com/N2DStoryMap and provide feedback through the webpage’s comment feature. The webpage also provides considerable background on the project, trail types, and a detailed map of each segment.

The comment period for the proposal will last from July 5 to July 23.

With a high-profile opioid trial set to begin in New York this week, Johnson & Johnson has inked a $230 million settlement to remove itself as a defendant.

As part of the settlement, J&J agreed to permanently end its manufacturing and distribution of opioids nationwide. The company stopped selling and producing opioids last year and halted marketing of them in 2016.

The opioid crisis has killed approximately 500,000 Americans over the last two decades, CDC data show. Drugmakers and distributors face more than 3,400 lawsuits alleging they've played a role in creating the crisis.

“Johnson & Johnson helped fuel this fire, but today they’re committing to leaving the opioid business—not only in New York, but across the entire country,” New York attorney general Letitia James said in a statement.

The trial follows similar litigation by other states and local governments [such as Newtown - see below] in response to the opioid crisis.

More than 100 projects across 45 Pennsylvania counties have been approved for nearly $50 million in funding, Gov. Tom Wolf announced Wednesday.

Newtown Township was awarded $227,000 in funding for the second phase of construction of the Lower Dolington Road Multi-Use Trail. The first phase of the trail was funded through the same grant program in 2019.

The funding comes from the state's Multimodal Transportation Fund, which was created in 2013 to fund improvement projects for roads, walking and bike trails, rail, traffic safety, public transportation and air transport.

[Image from BCPC presentation shows Newtown-Yardley trail corridor]

Bucks County planners are seeking the public's help to study the viability of new outdoor trails connecting the Newtown area to the Delaware & Lehigh trail system.

The trails will provide a connection between the Newtown area — where the future Neshaminy Greenway Trail, Greenway Trail, Newtown Rail Trail and Newtown area trails converge — and the Delaware River, including Yardley Borough, Washington Crossing and Delaware Canal State Park.

The new trails would essentially bind the communities of Newtown, Washington Crossing and Yardley and may eventually serve as part of the Sept. 11 National Memorial Trail, Bucks County planner Christian Regosch said in a virtual presentation. http://bit.ly/BCPCtrailpreso

Planners are taking community input through Oct. 30. Click here to take the survey. http://bit.ly/BCPCtrailSvy