3 October 2024 Joint Zoning Council Meeting
Newtown Township, Wrightstown Township and Upper Makefield Township determined, in 1982 that it is in the best interests of their residents to form an entity to adopt a joint municipal zoning ordinance and comprehensive plan in accordance with the provisions of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code. The resulting Jointure (aka "Newtown Area Jointure") was formed for the purposes of unified land use planning and zoning. The Joint Zoning Council establishes policy on matters of importance to the Jointure. The members of the governing body of each of the Participating Municipalities are members of the Joint Zoning Council.
This is my personal summary of the October 3, 2024, JZC meeting. It is not a complete summary of the meeting.
Agenda Items, Discussions, Decisions, and More
[Minutes of 5 September 2024 JZC meeting]
Update on Pending Ordinances
- JMZO-2022-01 - Wireless Communication – Purpose: Replace wireless ordinance to comply with current state and federal law and provide for small wireless facilities. Sent draft back to the Cohen Group for review on 6/4/24; Cohen Group reviewing proposed revisions. Background: “NT Planning Commission: Wireless Amendment to JMZO”
- JMZO 2022-02 – Electric Vehicle Charging Stations – Proposed by Newtown Township. Wrightstown submitted comments on September 24, 2024. For background, listen to this podcast: "PC Discusses Electric Vehicle Charging Stations"
- JMZO 2022-03 – Bill Board Use – Purpose: To revise the standards for billboards. Wrightstown submitted comments on September 24, 2024. Read “NT Planning Commission Questions Need for Off Premises Signage”
- JMZO-2023-01 – Parking Core Apartment Building Use – (Private Request, BET Investments, consideration to adopt denied). Developer is working with Newtown Township on a revised version of the proposed Ordinance. Background: “Next Steps for Proposed JMZO Amendment to Allow a 100-unit "Garage Core" Apartment Building in #NewtownPA”
- JMZO 2024-01 – LI/O-LI Overlay District. JMZO 2024-01A – LI/O-LI Overlay District Amendment (NT Proposal) – Amends JMZO 2024-01, Uses J-1 (Mixed Use Development) and B-20 (Town Center Apartments) from “Use by Right” to “Use by Conditional Approval”. Hearings set for: Upper Makefield October 15th, Wrightstown October 21st and Newtown October 23rd. Background: “Will Overlay Zoning Lead to Over Development in #NewtownPA?”
Zoning Ordinance Best Practices: Use of Images
Wrightstown presented views of Warrington Township’s ordinance with images as a possible best example for the Newtown Area’s Joint Municipal Zoning Ordinance (JMZO). The specific example was taken from the Glossary of Terms (see image below).
This was very timely considering that I recently learned that a business located in the Newtown Shopping Center – where the Farmer’s Market is located – was denied a request for a small (2ft x 3ft) LED sign in its window that identified services offered (see image).
The application was denied because – according to Ana Gindhart, Newtown’s Zoning Officer – it violated Section 1106(H)(4)(A) of the JMZO, which states "No more than one sign shall be erected for any establishment unless such establishment has a facade and/or an entrance on more than one street, common parking area, or pedestrian way, in which event, one sign may be erected on each street, common parking area or pedestrian way upon which the individual establishment has a facade and/or an entrance."
This ordinance could benefit from images that show, for example, examples of business signage that are compliant and/or noncompliant with the ordinance. There are many businesses in the aforementioned shopping center with multiple business signs, such as this one:
window.
It was suggested that the Jointure look into enhancing the JMZO with images/photos such as above and not just limited to the Glossary section. The Bucks County Planning Commission will come back with a proposal.
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