A monthly collection of summaries of articles curated from various news, township meetings, and other sources, focused on topics of interest to local residents. The insights expressed here are those of John Mack and do not represent the opinions of any other person.
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"What if Newtown would pull out of [the Jointure]?” asked Supervisor Phil Calabro at a recent Newtown Twp Planning Commission (NTPC) meeting. After some discussion pro and con, it was suggested that the Board of Supervisors formally request that the NTPC look into this matter in more detail and advise the BOS. Listen to the discussion...
As discussed at the January 23, 2023, Meet Mack Monday Zoom meeting, Newtown Twp traffic engineers presented plans to supervisors to lower the speed limit to 25 MPH on a stretch of Newtown-Yardley Rd – from Lower Dolington Rd to Elm Ave (at the Boro border) – and North Sycamore Street – from Swamp Rd to Durham Rd.
On January 25, 2023, #NewtownPA supervisors unanimously APPROVED a 25 MPH speed limit for a section of Newtown-Yardley Rd between Lower Dolington Rd & the Boro border (Elm Ave). View the video...
As of February 1, 2023, the new 25 MPH signs are in place and the Newtown Twp Police Department warns that the new speed limit "will be strictly enforced!"
UPDATE (2/8/23): At the February 8, 2023, BOS meeting, supervisors unanimously voted to lower the speed limit to 25 MPH on North AND South Sycamore Street (from the Bypass all the way to Durham Rd).em>
More details...
Topics discussed include:
- Should Newtown Pull Out of the Jointure?
- Wawa’s Substantive Validity Challenge: What’s Next?
- Lower Dolington Road Trail Update
- LED Streetlight Procurement Program
- Privilege of the Floor – Q&A Session covering the following:
- Trucks Parked on Lower Dolington Road – Quite an Eyesore!
- Spot Zoning in OR District!
- No Turn on Red – More Dangerous for Pedestrians?
More details, including audio of Q&A session...
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At the January 11, 2023, Newtown Board of Supervisors (BOS) meeting, Bucks County Joint Municipal Authority (NBCJMA, aka Authority) Manager Mr. Warren Gormley explained why the Authority is raising the rates it charges Newtown Township and Borough customers from $68 per quarter for 10,000 gallons to $82 per quarter - a 20% increase.
In short, Mr. Gormley cited the 16.6% increase that Bucks County Water & Sewer Authority (BCWSA) charges NBCJMA for transmitting sewage to Philadelphia. Previously, Mr. Gormley appeared before the NT BOS to advocate that BCWSA reject its sale to Aqua PA - a private company - because rates for Newtown residents would "increase dramatically".
View the video...
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At a special session of the Newtown Township Zoning Hearing Board (ZHB) on January 30, 2023, Provco/Wawa appealed the ZHB's 2021 denial of all signage and fuel dispenser variances to the JMZO E30 zoning ordinance (read “Wawa's Request for Zoning Variances Denied!”).
Specifically, Wawa wants to have 8 fueling dispensers (16 pumps) whereas the E30 ordinance allows only 6 and it wants signage facing or visible to the Bypass, which is also prohibited by Newtown zoning codes.
Listen to the testimony and cross-examination...
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John Mack's Insights:
Provco Pinegood Newtown, LLC (aka Provco) is the owner of the property on the Newtown Bypass where Wawa wants a super store (combination gas station and convenience store). Provco purchased the site in January 2022 from Innovative Hospitality Management (aka, IHM Newtown, LLC, located at 2012 Trowbridge Drive, Newton) and will build the store and rent it to Wawa. This is typically how Wawa does things. Although Provco's name appears on all the documents, be assured that Wawa is calling all the shots.
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At the January 26, 2023, meeting of the Bucks County Tax Collection Committee (TCC), Joseph W. Lazzaro, Vice President & General Counsel, KEYSTONE collections group, gave an update on Earned Income Tax (EIT) collected in 2022.
“Earned Income Tax (EIT) generation [for Bucks County] is again up by 7.6% in 2022 over 2021,” reported Mr. Lazzaro.
An analysis of the 2022 vs 2021 Newtown EIT reports, shows that resident EIT also increased? How much did it increase? What about the all-important non-resident EIT? Find out here...
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John Mack's Insights:
At the TCC meeting, mention was made that Falls Township and Langhorne Borough instituted EIT in 2023. Newtown, therefore, will not be able to collect EIT from residents of these municipalities who work in Newtown. It is estimated that the township will lose over $170,000 in EIT in 2023 due to this.
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Agenda Items included:
- NTPC "Off-the-Record" Discussion: Should Newtown Pull Out of the Jointure?
- Lower Dolington Road Trail Update - cable work stalled!
- Solicitor answer question: What's needed to lower speed limit on North Sycamore Street?
More...
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