26 April 2023 BOS Meeting Summary
LED Street Light Program, Deluca Construction Proposal Violate CM District Zoning, Mixed-Use Residential/Retail Mix-Up, more…
This is my personal summary of the April 26, 2023, meeting of Newtown Township Board of Supervisors (BOS). This is not a complete nor an official summary.
Access the 2023 BOS Chronicle for detailed summaries of all 2023 BOS meetings plus the BOS voting record (UNOFFICIAL) for 2023.
Agenda Items
- DVRPC LED Street Light Procurement Program Presentation
- Planning Commission Report [SYNOPSIS]
- My Detailed Meeting Notes
- Official Video
- Video Transcript
DVRPC LED Street Light Procurement Program Presentation
In the following 22-minute video snippet from the meeting, Michael Fuller of Keystone Lighting Solutions (KLS) presents a summary of DVRPC LED Street Light Procurement Program, Phase 2. View the PDF version of the presentation and my Meeting Notes for more details.
After the presentation, the BOS unanimously approved a resolution AUTHORIZING COOPERATIVE PURCHASING AND PARTICIPATION IN THE REGIONAL STREETLIGHT PROCUREMENT PROGRAM ADMINISTERED BY THE DELAWARE VALLEY REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION (specifically authorizing the township to enter into Phase 2 of the DVRPC LED Street Light Procurement Program.
Deluca Proposal Violates CM District Zoning
The applicants are seeking to subdivide a 3.08 acre parcel into two lots for single family homes whereas the CM Districts permits only one home on 3 acres.
The members of the Newtown Planning Commission (NTPC) voted 6-3 to recommend that the Board not oppose the Zoning Hearing Board application. Those opposed to the application cited the need to uphold the Joint Comprehensive Plan’s goals of preserving the character of the Conservation Management Zoning District, our historic assets and our open space.
Listen to the discussion at the April 18, 2023, NTPC meeting. In the following 11-minute video snippet from the BOS meeting, supervisors and residents – including John McIntyre who lives adjacent to 70 Twining Bridge Road - questioned the wisdom of allowing CM zoning to be violated.
In the end the BOS unanimously agreed to send a letter to the Zoning Hearing Board (ZHB) opposing this application. The ZHB will hear this case at its May 1, 2023, public meeting. The applicant (DeLuca Construction, 70 Twining Bridge Road), through counsel Joe Blackburn, Esq., requested a continuance of its hearing from tonight to the June 1, 2023 ZHB meeting, and thus will not be appearing at the May 1 ZHB meeting. The continuance request is to allow Mr. Blackburn and his client to appear before the Board of Supervisors at its May 24, 2023 BOS meeting and discuss its ZHB application with the Board.
Business Commons "Mixed-Use" Mix-Up!
The most recent proposal by Bucks County Planning Commission (BCPC) laid out the details for “Mixed Use” apartment buildings in the OLI/LI Overlay Zones; e.g., the Business Commons, like the ones shown here.
The NTPC had many questions about excessive building heights and walkability.
Peggy Driscoll, Chair of the NTPC, at the BOS meeting said more work had to be done with the BCPC plan because members of the committee seemed more interested in converting existing office buildings into “mixed use” residential buildings rather than having new construction as envisioned by the BCPC.
View the following 10-minute video snippet of the discussion of the discussion at the BOS meeting:
At the April 18, 2023, Newtown Planning Commission (NTPC) meeting, Bucks County Planning Commission (BCPC) members Jeremy Stoff and Lisa Wolff discussed their draft for an overlay district in the current Business Commons area of the LI/OLI zone.
“We are looking for ways to revitalize the 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 NTPC, at the April 26, 2023, Board of Supervisors (BOS) meeting.
“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. The BCPC will return with a revised draft at some point over the summer as our schedules permit.”
Business Commons "Mixed-Use" Mix-Up!
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.
The most recent proposal by BCPC laid out the details for “Mixed Use” apartment buildings in the OLI/LI Overlay Zones; e.g., in the Business Commons area, like the ones shown here on the left (source: BCPC).
Peggy Driscoll, Chair of the NTPC, at the BOS meeting said more work had to be done with the BCPC plan because members of the committee seemed more interested in converting existing office buildings into “mixed use” residential buildings rather than having new construction as envisioned by the BCPC.
Some History
At the September 20, 2022, NTPC meeting, the BCPC presented it’s concept of a “Walkable Community.” The Corridor Overlay District is intended to permit and encourage a mix of land uses on previously developed lands and for new construction in the LI and O-LI districts, said BCPC. Through appropriate regulations, provisions in the Corridor Overlay District encourage mixed-use development to promote a vibrant community where dwellings, shops, service-oriented businesses, and workplaces are all within walking distance of each other. This is consistent with the purpose of the Overlay District Plan for a walkable community with pedestrian-oriented buildings, connections to nearby destinations, and open spaces, such as parks and plazas, that provide outdoor areas for those living and working in the area to enjoy.
At the April 26, 2023, BOS meeting, when questioned by Mr. Mack Ms. Driscoll told supervisors “when we first started reviewing this our goal was to retrofit or refill existing buildings. I don't think new construction was really at the top of the list even though we did discuss it,” she said. “I think our main goal is to revitalize the Commons and add some uses for the workers that are there to kind of create an area where they don't have to leave the Commons.”
View the following 11-minute video snippet of the discussion of the discussion at the BOS meeting:
Concerns
I and other BOS members expressed some concerns regarding converting existing office buildings – like the one shown on the right - into mixed-use residential/retail buildings. Firstly, all of the existing office buildings are privately owned. How do we get the owners to agree to make the conversion? Is it even possible? And if it is, will potential apartment purchasers find it an attractive place to live compared with the new building concept put forward by the BCPC as shown above?
“I don't know if they [BCPC] understand that we're not looking to develop a so-called Promenade in there,” said Ms. Driscoll. “We want to bring some people in who then can maybe work in the Business Commons as well and and maybe do some Recreation and get some meals.” While, I believe we all agree with that goal, we may not agree on how to get there.
In any case, Ms Driscoll agreed with the BOS that there is a lot more work to do. She thought that the last NTPC meeting just got “a little off the path of where we [the NTPC] wanted to go.”
Detailed Meeting Notes
I prepare detailed notes from all BOS meeting. These notes include links to background information and other details related to the items on the agenda. See the meeting notes for this meeting embedded below or download the PDF file here.
Official Video
Transcript
Download the unedited time-stamped transcript of this meeting prepared by Youtube from the video: download PDF file.
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