Upcoming Board of Supervisors Meetings

Usually, in August, the Newtown Board of Supervisors (BOS) meet only once because members may be out of town on vacation. But with COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, meetings via Zoom have become the norm, which means members can join meeting even when away from home.

This month (August 2020), the BOS will meet three times - two regular meetings and one "work session" where no official decisions are made. The first regular meeting was held on August 5. The following two meetings are scheduled going forward:

BOS Work Session via Zoom

Monday, August 17, 2020, 11 AM

Expected agenda items:

(1) The Newtown Township Board of Supervisors engaged Econsult Solutions, Inc. (ESI) to develop a comprehensive multi-year financial management plan, will include recommendations to improve operational efficiency and promote fiscal stability in Newtown Township. Part of that plan is hosting survey of Newtown residents and local businesses about the quality of services provided by the township.

The consultants will present a summary of the results of these surveys and give the supervisors a progress report on the multi-year financial plan.

BOS Regular Session (LIVE)

100 Municipal Drive, Newtown

Wednesday, August 26, 2020, 7 PM

SEATING IS LIMITED TO 20 PEOPLE – get there early if you want a seat!

Expected agenda item: Main Topic: Toll Bros. Twining Bridge Road Development Decision

The Newtown Township Board of Supervisors completed hearings on a conditional use application (“Application”) submitted by Toll PA XVIII, LP involving the development of land located along Route 413 (Durham Road) & Twining Bridge Road proposing the construction of 45 new single-family homes on approximately 150 acres. At this meeting, the BOS will make its final decision regarding this conditional use application.

A full copy of the conditional use application is available for public inspection during regular Township business hours at the Newtown Township Municipal Building, 100 Municipal Drive, Newtown, PA (215) 968-2800.

This meeting was requested by Toll Bros. who originally agreed to wait until the first live meeting for a decision. In the 10-minute audio snippet from the July 22, 2020, BOS meeting embedded below, Board members discuss when and under what conditions - via Zoom or live public meeting - the BOS will make its final decision regarding the Toll Bros conditional use application. Also discussed were the following questions: If via Zoom, will the public be invited to attend? Is there a possibility that Toll Bros will "bypass" the BOS and submit a "by right plan"? How many housing units are possible under a by right plan?

Mack's Newtown Voice · Toll Bros Discussion at July 22, 2020, Newtown Supervisors Meeting

At the August 5 meeting, the consensus of supervisors was that it was important for residents to submit comments in person, which would not be possible via Zoom. Consequently, it was decided that the August 26 meeting will be live.

Many people have already submitted comments that were read at the Aug 5 meeting or sent directly to Supervisors. One resident had this to say about the current "conditional use" plan versus a possible "by right" plan:

The community has been told that if the current plans are not approved Toll Brothers can sue to reverse the decision or develop the land “by right”, both of which are supposedly a worse situation. To be very honest, this is false threat. The reality is that the current plans ARE the worst-case scenario. What could be substantially worse than wiping out 65 acres of farmland by building 40+ homes, while simultaneously eliminating all views of current open space and replacing it with a largely inaccessible and hidden “open space”? We need to stand up for what is right for our community and not settle for less based on some perceived threat.