At the April 13, 2022, Newtown Board of Supervisors (BOS) meeting, Environmental Advisory Council (EAC) member Elaine McCarron presented data and other information about the impact of single-use plastics on the environment and the health of animals - including humans. Assisting was EAC member Carol Walsh.
Watch the 14-minute video presentation...
Immediately afterward, the supervisors passed a resolution to voluntarily reduce the distribution of single-use plastics:
"BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Newtown Township Board of Supervisors encourages the Newtown Township Environmental Advisory Council and other volunteers to educate and inform Township businesses, residents and visitors about the need for voluntary single-use plastic reduction."
Read the entire resolution...
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UPDATE: On April 7, 2022, the Newtown Zoning Hearing Board (ZHB) approved Piccolo's application with the condition that it must remain "outdoor seating." In other words, the outdoor area cannot morph into de facto permanent seating. The trees (bradford pears) will be removed and replaced with other native trees. ZHB members did not think that parking would be an issue on that side of the Newtown Shopping Center parking lot.
Piccolo Trattoria is currently operating a restaurant use in a 4,146 sq.ft. tenant space located at 32-34 West Road in the Newtown Shopping Center. At the March 15, 2022, Planning Commission meeting, the owner (Fahmi Elabed) – represented by Joseph Blackburn, Partner with Wisler Pearlstine, LLP –presented a plan for proposed construction of a 2,212 sq.ft. covered outdoor dining area with 112 seats (see figures).
The outdoor seating area will be connected to the 2,000 sq.ft. adjacent tenant space of 30 West Road (former "Dogs & Cats Rule" pet store) where Piccolo Trattoria has received permission from the landlord to expand it's current operation (which expansion will be the subject of a separate, subsequent, conditional use application).
More...
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Beginning in 2020, I began preparing detailed notes before attending BOS meetings. These notes (1) remind me about the issues and questions I might ask during the meeting, and (2) provide links to background information. After the meetings I update the notes to indicate how the BOS voted and to include answers to my questions.
I upload my notes to my website as part of my periodic posting of summaries of BOS meetings. I recognize, however, that not everyone who visits my website can find these summaries or put them in chronological order to see the trends from one meeting to another.
Hence, the "Newtown Township BOS Chronicles," which I hope solves that problem by putting all this information - plus the BOS voting record, a glossary of terms, and links to documents and data - in ONE document.
More meetings added monthly.
Access the 2022 Chronicle...
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Contents:
- Introduction
- 12 January BOS Meeting
- 26 January BOS Meeting
- 9 February BOS Meeting
- 23 February BOS Meeting
- 9 March BOS Meeting
- 23 March BOS Meeting
- 13 April BOS Meeting
- 2022 BOS Voting Record
- Mack’s Newtown DataBank
- Glossary of Terms
- Index
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At the April 13, 2022, Newtown Board of Supervisors (BOS) meeting, Planning Commission (PC) Chair Peggy Driscoll presented the Commission's de facto decision to recommend that the BOS NOT approved Wawa's latest Land Development Plan to build a Wawa on the Newtown Bypass.
Watch the 23-mibute video presentation...
Ms. Driscoll then went on to present evidence that Wawa's plan - which was reviewed by the PC on April 5, 2022 - violated the township's E30 ordinance, which was crafted to allow Wawa to build a Superstore (combination gas station & convenience store) in Newtown.
She also mentioned several recommendations of the Bucks County Planning Commission for changes to the plan that Wawa discounted and refused to address.
Meanwhile, Supervisor Calabro chastised Driscoll! Read more about that...
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Russian Stock Divesture, Planning Commission on Wawa Land Development Plan, SIngle-Use Plastics Resolution, Billboards on the Bypass? Sycamore Street parking, 2022 Road Program, More...
This is my personal summary of the April 13, 2022, meeting of Newtown Township Board of Supervisors (BOS). This is not a complete nor an official summary. See my meeting notes for more details.
Agenda items:
- Divestiture of Russian Investments in Pension Funds
- Planning Commission Recommends BOS NOT Approve WaWa's Plan
- Single Use Plastics Resolution
- 2022 Road Repaving Program Recommendation
- Ordinance Prohibiting Parking on N. Sycamore Street
More...
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Insights:
Many residents - especially older residents - have told Supervisors that they do not have cable TV because it is too expensive. They use streaming services such as Youtube, Hulu, etc. Consequently, Newtown has set up a Youtube channel to livestream BOS meetings. Unfortunately, the livestreaming of the April 13, 2022, BOS meeting FAILED. Hopefully, it will be fixed in time for the May 11, 2022, BOS meeting.
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The municipalities, which handle zoning issues collectively through the Newtown Area Joint Municipal Zoning Council (Jointure), have been working on amendments to the existing wireless communication section of the Joint Municipal Zoning Ordinance.
Part of the updates include measures to ensure wireless infrastructure doesn’t become what Wrightstown Supervisor Chairman Chester Pogonowski has described as an “eyesore.” The updates also aim to align the zoning with current federal and state requirements and rules.
“If all three townships agree on the current version, there would be one more review needed by the Bucks County Planning Commission, after which time the ordinance could be advertised for formal adoption by supervisors in all three townships,” said Pogonowski, noting the process could take several months.
5G carriers can now place communication poles (typically 50 feet high, he said) in any right of way. “For most residents,” he said, “this would mean an attachment to the top of an existing telephone or electric pole. For neighborhoods with underground wiring, this could mean the installation of a new pole along the street.”
More...
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Related Content:
- Study Indicates 5G Radiation May Have Increased Severity of COVID-19 Pandemic
- Is a DAS Antenna Coming to a Pole Near You?
- Video: “5G Wireless Facilities Newtown Area Ordinance Explained”
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