Auto Zone building permit issued
AMITY >> The long anticipated construction of the Auto Zone at 1123 Benjamin Franklin Highway (Route 422) will begin soon.
Amity Township Code Enforcement Officer Steven Loomis said a building permit was issued to the developer on Oct. 18.
The township conditionally approved Auto Zone’s land development plan on July 19, 2017.
“There were five pages of conditions, and the township has been waiting since December for them to sign the agreements and post the letter of credit, and the township also allowed them to move earth out there,” Township Solicitor Brian F. Boland said on Aug. 1.
Land development work has begun at the site. The developer has installed curbing and the entrance and exit drives on both the eastbound and westbound sides of the 5-acre tract.
Bill Rountree, director of development at Wright Partners, Philadelphia, said Oct. 19 that phase two of the development will still contain two quick service restaurants and an office building.
He confirmed that Dunkin
Donuts will relocate there from its current site at 955 Benjamin Franklin Highway.
Signed lease agreements are pending for the office building and the other quick service restaurant, which he said will be a lunch/dinner fast food, quick-service restaurant.
In other business at their Oct. 17 meeting, township supervisors tabled the 2019 fee agreement from the Animal Rescue League of Berks County, located in Cumru Township.
Supervisors’ Chairperson Kimberly J. McGrath said the township will request from the league a 30-day opt out from the agreement.
“We could see how January, and February goes, and see then if there is a trouble area or a trouble person.”
“We either accept it or they deny the animals found in our township,” said McGrath, adding, “I have no problem with the baseline fee — we were donating $1,000.”
The league has sent new fee agreements to all Berks County municipalities indicating that it is losing $1.1 million a year in providing animal pickups and shelter services throughout the county. It is requiring a $1,500 annual baseline fee from each municipality, and indicating that the league will charge additional fees for services rendered in each municipality.
The estimate for Amity Township is an additional $14,000 to $16,000 per year.
“How do we budget for that?” asked Supervisor Terry L. Jones, adding, “it’s not fair to the taxpayers.”
League officials said they would provide with the monthly bill a list of individuals who are dropping off animals.
The league no longer accepts night-time drop-offs, except from police, and individuals must show a valid drivers license or state ID card.
McGrath said the township could purchase a microchip scanner for police to use when they find a stray cat or dog. She said animals returned to their owners by Amity Police, and not by the league, would reduce the fees charged to the township.
“I don’t see why we have to be on the hook for someone else’s pet — that’s not our job to care for someone else’s pet,” said Jones.
The board also unanimously approved the appointment of Patrick Coffey, Douglassville, to fill the vacant seat on the Zoning Hearing Board.
Coffey served in the U.S. Marne Corps for 18 years. He is currently senior application developer for PJM Interconnection, Audubon, Montgomery County, since 2014.
“We had two very good applicants and it was a difficult decision,” said McGrath.