Mack's Newtown Voice

At the 29 April 2024 Meet Mack Monday Zoom meeting, several attendees had a lively discussion regarding the proposal to build a drive-thru Chick-fil-A restaurant "on the Bypass" (actually at the northeast corner of the Bypass and Newtown-Yardley Rd diagonally across from the soon-to-be built Wawa).

Specifically, the applicant is seeking relief for a proposed 6,110sq.ft. restaurant with drive-thru (Chick Fil-A) on and existing 3.21-acre corner property, with frontage on Newtown-Yardley Road and Upper Silver Lake Road, where a bank (TD Bank) with drive-thru are currently located.

The proposed restaurant with drive-thru will require a use variance for the inclusion of a drive-thru service; dimensional variances for setbacks, drive aisle width and to allow the use within 300ft. of Newtown-Yardley Road and Newtown Bypass; and relief to allow additional signage on the property; and to allow a sign to face the Bypass.

17 June 2024 Meet Mack Monday Zoom meeting attendees discuss what's on their minds including:

* Tara Blvd crosswalk safety improvements

* The possibility of Wawa selling beer 24/7

* Problems with the LI/O-LI Overlay proposal

* and other issues

On April 4, 2024, the #NewtownPA Zoning Hearing Board granted Appeal 1210-24: i.e., Newtown Artesian Water Company (NAWC), requested variances from and a special exception pursuant to the Joint Municipal Zoning Ordinance of 2006, as amended, specifically Section 404(C) to permit a rear yard setback of 36.46 feet where a minimum of 50 feet is required; Section 404(C) to permit a building height of 40 feet where a maximum of 35 feet is permitted; to permit the construction of a PFAS filtration plant.

Supervisor Mack - a "party to the case" requested that a tree barrier be installed on the border with the Country Bend common ground to mitigate any noise generated by the facility.

At the 25 March 2024 Meet Mack Monday Zoom meeting, a resident asked how people were notified about a recent "shelter-in-place" alert in #newtownPA and suggested that residents sign up for Nixle to receive such alerts via text to their cell phones.

Attendees of the 25 March 2024 Meet Mack Monday Zoom meeting learn about the problems with the recently installed Lower Dolington Rd trail guiderail. The guiderail needs to be relocated because it was incorrectly installed, but the contractor - Associated Paving - refuses to respond to the township's requests that it do so!

Attendees of the 25 March 2024 Meeting Mack Monday Zoom meeting weigh in on the proposed replacement of the Washington Crossing Bridge.

At the 25 March 2024 Meet Mack Monday Zoom meeting, Environmental Advisory Council member Jan Filios discussed the proposed #NewtownPA Roberts Ridge Park meadow conversion plan.

Barbara Simmons, former Director of the Langhorne Peace Center, and currently a member of the Executive Board, NAACP Bucks County, attended the February 21, 2024, Newtown Human Relations Commission (HRC) meeting.

Ms. Simmons informed HRC members of her work on the Bucks County Mural Project, which invites police and community members to paint murals in Bucks County.

The goal is to allow people to get to know one another, begin to build trust and a relationship. The project includes murals in Morrisville, Falls Township Community Park, and Bristol Township Community Park.

At the NT HRC meeting, Ms. Simmons discussed the possibility of doing a mural involving three communities: Newtown Township, Newtown Borough, and Middletown. This is an edited audio recording of that discussion.

This discussion took place at the April 14, 2022, meeting of the Newtown Township Human Relations Commission.

At the 14 February 2024 #NewtownPA Board of Supervisors public meeting, Mike Fuller, President/Founder of Keystone Lighting Solutions, presented the Final Project Overview for replacing all street lights in town with LED lights.

This is an audio recording of the presentation and Q&A session that followed. You can find the presentation here: https://rebrand.ly/RSLPPpreso and detailed project specifications here: https://rebrand.ly/RSLLP_Specs

Afterward, the supervisors approved a resolution to move forward with the "Base Upgrade" (manual controls) using a "Hybrid Approach"; i.e., 4000 K pure white lights for major roads and warmer, 3000 K lights for local roads and residential roads.

A total of 1,613 lights will be replaced at an estimated net project cost (including contingency fees and PECO rebates) of $720,373. The annual operating cost savings will be $43,679 and the payback period is estimated to be 16.5 years.