The Advance of Bucks County

BURLINGTON ISLAND Undaunted by resistance, developer asks for lease

- By Elizabeth Fisher

Advance correspond­ent

BURiINGTON, N.g. - Apparently undaunted by the resistance of the majority members of the Board if Island Managers, would-be developer haren Robbins asked the board at its gan. 1T meeting to grant her a two-year lease at a “nominal sum” for Burlington Island, which would enable her to move forward with seeking “partnershi­p opportunit­y” with prospectiv­e investors.

One aspect of Robbins’ vision is the inclusion of Bristol in an overall plan, which is news to BULsWRO RIficLDOs, EuW, DccRUGLnJ WR RREELns, Ls an important element in her design.

The board did not immediatel­y respond to Robbins’ request. But earlier in the evening, the members focused in the fact that Robbins’ fivH-yHDU DJUHHPHnW WR finG LnvHsWRUs wLOOLnJ WR spend the bucks to develop tourist attraction­s on the 400-acre island expired Dec. 31. The island managers oversee 200 acres of the island, the city of Burlington the other 200 acres.

A OHDsH DJUHHPHnW EHWwHHn BuUOLnJWRn RIficials and the island managers has also expired recently and has not been renewed, and that effectivel­y ended any legal obligation­s toward Robbins, said board President Mary Wirth.

Wirth and Murray Sonstein verbally clashed with Robbins supporters gim Cipriano and goseph Abate at the meeting. The two factions argued over whether Robbins’ developmen­t efforts could succeed. Wirth and Sonstein were thumbs down, based, they said, on the collapse of her previous endeavors; Abate and Cipriano DccusHG WKH ERDUG DnG BuUOLnJWRn RIficLDOs RI thwarting attempts by Woolman Community Developmen­t Inc., of which Robbins is CEO, to reach an accord.

“It’s over,” Wirth said succinctly, referring to the managers’ connection to Robbins.

Woolman’s fate regarding Burlington Island could teeter on the results of board elections, scheduled for April. Abate and Cipriano have said they won’t run for re-election when their terms are up in April, and Alexander Carnivale’s seat was declared vacant because of his continued absence, board members said. That leaves three seats - and the compositio­n of the board majority - to voter whim.

No matter what happens, Robbins has no intention of giving up, said Bristol Township resident Bob Hasty, a Woolman supporter who regularly attends the meetings.

As late as November, Robbins sent a proposal to the city that included such attraction­s Ds D flRDWLnJ EULGJH PusHuP, D wDWHU SDUN DnG a ienape Native American village reproducti­on, and named several possible investors she claims are already interested in the island.

The plan, “Trader’s Island iiving History Museum of Woolman Spring” envisions a “gamestown-and-Plymouth-Mansion-like” environmen­t, and touts developmen­t on both the Burlington and Bristol riverfront­s.

BuW BULsWRO BRURuJK RIficLDOs, LncOuGLnJ council President Ralph DiGuipsepp­e and Manager games Dillon, say they know nothing of any plans to be included in the proposal. 7KH ERURuJK KDs LWs Rwn LURn Ln WKH fiUH wLWK plans to develop its wharf area with boat slips and a dock that could accommodat­e larger vessels, such as visiting Tall Ships.

Bristol could hear anytime whether a grant to start the work will come through. If it does, constructi­on could start in March and be completed by the end of 2014, said a spokesman IRU WKH ERURuJK’s HnJLnHHULn­J fiUP, GLOPRUH and Associates..

In a written statement issued on Monday, Robbins said that Bristol’s planned marina and an unnamed marina further north on the river could serve as sites for transport from Pennsylvan­ia to Burlington Island. In addition, there would be “Turtle Boat” (amphibious tours) from the island into the city, with a stop at the Bristol rail station.

“Bristol is important to the project,” Robbins wrote.

Meanwhile, events are being closely monitored by residents on both sides of the river, many like Bristol Borough resident Amy McIlvaine, who would like the island to remain in its natural state. She expressed her hope that the board of island managers will be sensitive to the needs of people to have access to open space.

“In this hyper-connected and over-loaded world we live in today, wouldn’t it be nice to keep Burlington Island in its natural, under developed state? Preserving open space and advocating for conservati­on requires active participat­ion by government to ensure these needs are met.

“I hope the Board of Island Managers will keep these concepts into considerat­ion with any of their future planning efforts,” she said.

 ??  ?? Burlington Island from the Bristol shoreline.
Burlington Island from the Bristol shoreline.

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