John Mack - Newtown Supervisor

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2 June 2022 Joint Zoning Council Meeting

The following items are highlights from this meeting:

Solicitor’s Report 

  • A revised draft of JMZO 2020-03 (Riding Academy) was presented by Upper Makefield Township (UMT).  Schenkman authorized to circulate the ordinance to the PCs and BOS’s for review and authorization to advertise. 
  • DAS (Wireless Communications) Ordinance has been tabled in Newtown Township (NT) for further review. UMT has not yet made a recommendation. 

    On May 23, 2022, representatives of Pennsylvanians for Safe Technology hosted a Zoom meeting with Andrew Campanelli, Esq., who is a national expert in telecommunications law. Mr. Campanelli reviewed the current version of the JMZO Wireless/5G Antenna Ordinance and summarized several problems including a “fatal gap” that renders the entirety of the ordinance moot! Listen...

    [Interactive transcript] ***My Highlights & Comments***

    How to Defeat a Bad Wireless Ordinance in 20 Minutes

    Read excerpts from the Youtube transcript.

    More...
  • Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station Ordinance. A draft has been prepared and is in legal review.  The ordinance is expected to be circulated to the members later this month. Read more...
  • Jointure Agreement – draft modifications available. This was not reviewed at the meeting due to time constraints.  
  • Billboard Use – After a brief discussion, Schenkman was authorized to prepare a draft ordinance for discussion. The idea was to provide a use for non-electronic billboards limited to route 413 in Wrightstown. At the April 7, 2022, JZC meeting, Pogonowski mentioned that he saw a Zillow listing (see image below) for a sliver of land on the Newtown Bypass that said "may become a huge cash cow for rental income from commercial billboard(s)."

Planner’s Report 

  • Stoff and Wolff (Bucks County Planner Commission members) presented a summary of suggested changes to the Comprehensive Plan previously provided by the members. 
  • A point-by-point review was conducted of items which were considered substantive impacting policy.
  • After corrections are made, the Planners were authorized to circulate the Comprehensive Plan to the Township PCs, Supervisors, and Professionals.  The plan will be circulated as a “working document” to facilitate review.  Photographs to enhance the plan will not be added at this time but will be added later to the final copy after reviews are completed. 
  • Due to scheduling conflicts as we approach summer, it was agreed that the Planners would put together a video presentation which can be shared with the PCs to help ground them with the process.  Pogonowski will work with the Planners to capture the video via Zoom and to provide some historical context. 

Codification of JMZO

  • JZC Chair Pogonowski was authorized to notify General Code to move forward with codification of the CM definition Ordinance and the E-30 Use Ordinance.  Estimated cost is less than $1500.

New Business

Outdoor Wood-Burning Furnaces – A suggestion was made that perhaps an ordinance is necessary prohibiting or regulating outdoor wood-burning furnaces, which due to high gas and oil prices may become more popular for home heating. It also was suggested that such a use would have a negative impact on the climate. I’m not sure this was a serious suggestion for consideration, but I did find a cartoon in the June 6, 2022, issue of The New Yorker that speaks to this (with a slight modification): 

Note that Doylestown has an Outdoor Furnace Ordinance that states in part:

"The Board of Supervisors has determined that air pollution from outdoor wood-fired boilers may be detrimental to the health, comfort, living conditions, welfare and safety of the citizens of Doylestown Township and it is hereby declared to be the policy of Doylestown Township to safeguard the citizens of the Township from air pollution."  

This ordinance does not prohibit outdoor furnaces but requires a permit to use one. Other Bucks County municipalities have similar ordinances. See PA DEP Open Burning Information.

Next Meeting, Thursday, July 7, 7:30PM.