Supervisors to oppose swim club townhouse plans
NEWTOWN
NEWTOWN TOWNSHIP - The board of supervisors voted to formally oppose the Newtown Swim Club’s revised plans to built 52 townhouses on the site, marking the second time the supervisors objected to the planned development.
In a 3-2 vote at the Nov. 28 meeting, the board approved sending township solicitor Jeffrey Garton to present the supervisors’ views before the zoning hearing board which will review the variance request for the 16.36-acre property.
TrDIfic cRnJHsWiRn DnG WhH SRssibility of an increase in students to the Council Rock District were discussed. But the main issue surrounding the proposed develop- ment was housing density.
“According to our zoning, the only thing that is allowed on this area is single family clusters,” Supervisor Rob Ciervo said. “How many units do you want to cram onto a property in Newtown Township?”
The dispute is whether the property should be considered a traditional R-2-zoned residential use when the club originally opened, which owners David and Geraldine Platt contend would allow more housing units than under the current joint municipal zoning.
The swim club is now zoned B-19, which allows more residences on a property only if it adjoins Newtown Borough, or is next to D GisWricW which is zRnHG 2IficH-
iight Industrial (OiI) or Park and Open Space (POS).
A zoning variance is required because the Platts’ property, located on Newtown-Yardley Road, is not contiguous with the borough, so cannot be considered B-19-zoned land in an R-2 area.
The allowed use for the site requires a mix of housing types and a minimum of 25 acres.
But several supervisors disputed the Platts’ claim that the current zoning is burdensome, and should be waived.
“There is no hardship here,” Ciervo asserted. “If [the supervisorsz don’t con- tinue to oppose this we should take our ordinance and throw it in the trash ... it has no use here.”
Originally, the Platts submitted plans to build 64 townhomes on the site, but WhHy PRGLfiHG WhDW SURSRVDO when the supervisors unanimously voted in July to send the township solicitor to formally oppose a variance request before the zoning hearing board. That application was later withdrawn.
rnder the revised plans, 52 three-bedroom town homes would be constructed, each roughly 2,600-3,000 square-feet. In addition, 55 percent of the property, about 9 acres, would remain open space.
The developer indicated that preliminary discussions were held with the neighboring 100-unit Headley development to enhance its recreational facilities, including tennis and basketball courts, as well as the pool and club house, so that residents in both developments could use them.
“This is a plan that works, this is a plan that the Platts support,” said attorney John saniuvanee of Eastburn & Gray, P.C., who represents County Builders, Inc. of Warminster which will develop the swim club property.
“Our density is below that of the surrounding areas,” saniuvanee explained. “The Platts could have built more units if they sold the land years ago when a higher density was allowed.”
The Headley development was built in the 19T0s under the higher-density zoning permitted at the time in that section of Newtown Township.
Supervisors Ryan Gallagher, who voted against sending the solicitor to the zoning board, said that he grew up several hundred yards from the Newtown Swim Club and currently lives in that high-density area.
“WH GRn’W hDYH D WUDIfic problem,” he noted, “or anyWhLnJ UHPRWHOy OLNH D WUDIfic problem.”
“You’re surrounded by homes,” Gallagher added. “This is already a developed area, and you’re talking about having 55 percent of the property open space.”
But Supervisor Ciervo reiterated that the issue is not nHcHVVDULOy DERuW WUDIfic RU school overcrowding.
“We should uphold our zoning because the main issue to our residents is the development of Newtown Township,” he asserted.
rnder current zoning, 30 single-family homes would be permitted, something which Ciervo said the developer should instead consider.
Supervisor Matthew Benchener agreed.
“I think 30 homes could work here,” Benchener said. “This development is going to be here for decades. It’s worth sending our solicitor.”
Supervisor Chairman Mike Gallagher, who also voted against sending the solicitor to the zoning board, said that he would have opposed such a development for a more rural area, such as Eagle Road, but that the swim club is already “a high density zone.
“We appointed the zoning hearing board and they represent our philosophy,” Gallagher explained. “I personally don’t like sending a solicitor.”
Newtown Swim Club owner David Platt, who attended Wednesday’s meeting, told the board that he thought building town homes “was the right thing to do.
“We have townhouses on both sides of us,” he said. “To build single-family homes doesn’t make sense to me.”
Platt said he has had many discussions with the Headley homeowners’ association and they fully support the planned development.
“If there was an issue, there would be multiple people here at tonight’s meeting,” he argued, pointing out that no one from Headley was in attendance.
Platt, who suffers from melanoma, plans to close the swim club at the end of the 2013 summer season. In a letter to residents over the summer, he explained that his decision to shutter the club is based on health reasons.
“I thought I was going to die this summer,” he told the supervisors. “I cannot operate the swim club anymore.”
At its Nov. 20 meeting, the township planning commission studied the latest development plans and voiced concerns about the housing density, as well as the affect on area roads and schools.
The commission noted that because of the size of each proposed townhouse, families with children would be living there. Also the planned development would only have one entrance and exit, which could cause incUHDVHG DUHD WUDIfic.
However because the planning commission lacked a quorum, the attending members could not take a vote. Instead they made an informal recommendation that the supervisors consider whether the number of housing units can be further reduced.
Meanwhile, Mike Meister, president of County Builders, lambasted the supervisors’ for their opposition.
“I think it’s a travesty what you’re doing to Dave Platt,” he said, mostly focusing on Supervisor Ciervo’s comments.
Meister then pulled out plans for a 64-plot mobile home park, which is also allowed under the current zoning ordinances. “It’s because you’re not a cooperative individual, Mr. Ciervo.
“I just wanted to show you what’s coming here,” Meister declared, waving the alternate plans.
After a brief heated exchange with several other supervisors, Meister sat down at the urging of his attorney, and the board then voted on the resolution.
“I went [to the swim clubz as a kid,” Ciervo said after the applicants left the room. “What happened at the end here was unfortunate.”