Mack's Newtown Voice

At the 22 November 2021 Meet Mack Monday Zoom meeting, Supervisor John Mack updated participants regarding traffic and pedestrian safety issues on North Sycamore Street near Silo Drive in Newtown. He summarized the comments and suggestions of Police Chief Hearn. This was followed by a lively discussion that included several ideas for mitigating the danger to both pedestrians and drivers. Read a su...

Supervisor Mack updated residents regarding the "free" LED streetlight feasibility study that the township requested. Resident Jan Filios - member of the Newtown Environmental Advisory Council - and Supervisor-elect Elen Snyder were surprised that at the "kick-off" meeting "quickly took a turn toward budgeting, and what the Township had allocated toward Phases II (design) and Phase III (constructi...

At the November 21, 2021, Meet Mack Monday Zoom meeting Supervisor Mack brought up the issue of Hybrid Public Board of Supervisors (BOS) meetings. Resident Terry Christensen spoke up in favor and Supervisor-elect Elen Snyder vowed to "make it happen." Mack also suggested that the township's audio/visual equipment needed to be updated. Sources of funding for these improvements were discussed as wel...

At the November 23, 2021, Newtown Township Board of Supervisors (BOS) public meeting, resident, Planning Commission member, and Newtown Friends member, Terry Christensen spoke about the need for hybrid government meetings to allow residents to attend and participate remotely. "I don't believe having a driver's license should be a prerequisite for participating in municipal government," said Mr. Ch...

This session was devoted mainly to two topics: (1) the draft Newtown Township 2022 budget, which was presented to the Board of Supervisors later that same night (more about that here: https://bit.ly/NT2022BudgetPreso), and (2) the Toll Brothers proposed Settlement Agreement (more about that here: http://bit.ly/2sqcHfi).

At the October 7, 2021, Newtown Area Joint Zoning Council (JZC) meeting, Lisa Wolff, Senior Planner, Bucks County Planning Commission, presented recently released 2020 U.S. Census Redistricting Data Summary Files, as related to the Jointure townships (Newtown, Wrightstown, and Upper Makefield). Her analysis, which will be incorporated into the updated Newtown Area Comprehensive Plan, covers popula...

At the October 5, 2021, Newtown Planning Commission (NTPC) meeting, members discussed the Bucks County Planning Commission's (BCPC)September 10, 2021, revised proposal for services related to the creation of an Overlay District in the LI/OLI zones. The purpose of the overlay is to allow new permitted uses that will benefit local businesses.

Karen Downer, Bucks County NAACP President, explains how the Bucks County Mental Health Co-Responder Program helps police give residents support and services beyond police response during mental health and drug abuse emergencies. Her remarks were made at the Bucks County Community College sponsored September 17, 2021, Constitution Day Forum: "Community Policing 2021: Preserving Public Safety and C...

On September 9, 2021, Francis Hanney, Senior Manager - Traffic Services Division/ADA Coordinator at PA Department of Transportation (PennDOT) - hosted an online meeting with residents to discuss road improvements to facilitate access and egress to the proposed Arcadia Green development at the intersection of Newtown Bypass and Buck Road. At least 4 options with variations have been proposed by the...

David C. Babbitt, AICP NJPP, President of David C. Babbitt & Associates, LLC, Land Planning Consultants, was hired by Newtown Township to provide expert testimony at Zoning Hearing Board hearings opposing variances to zoning requested by Wawa. In this 15-minute snippet, Mr. Babbitt presents his opinions of Wawa's request for 8 fueling stations where only 6 are allowed. He also weighed in on the si...

Newtown Fire Association member and local businessman Andy Rich talks about the celebrated Newtown Beerfest, which will take place on September 18, 2021, at the Stocking Works, 301 S State St, Newtown, PA. Andy emphasizes the major role that the beerfest has played in raising funds for the new $800,000 fire engine. All made possible by contributions from local businesses and residents! Even so, An...

The last Provco/Wawa witness at the July 8, 2021, Newtown Zoning Hearing Board meeting was Michael W. Tantala who argued that the proposed electronic pricing sign was not an “Electronic Message Center” (EMS) as defined in the Newtown Area Joint Municipal Zoning Ordinance (JMZO). Mr. Tantala claimed that the proposed price signs are not an “Electronic Message Centers” for two reasons: (1) they are...

Michael Hammond, a licensed civil engineer in traffic and transportation, and EVP of Traffic Planning and Design, testified at the July 8, 2021, Newtown Zoning Hearing Board public meeting. In his testimony, Mr. Hammond talked about the “Cone of Vision” of drivers on the Bypass & Lower Silver Lake Road in determining the size and placement of signs. Based on his traffic analysis he suggested the o...

At the July 8, 2021, Zoning Hearing Board (ZHB) public hearing, Newtown Township attorney David Sander cross-examined Mr. Mike Redel, a Real Estate Project Engineer employed by Wawa, regarding signage. Mr. Redel presented his testimony at the June 3, 2021, ZHB session: https://www.johnmacknewtown.info/zhbwawarnd1.html More details: More details: https://johnmacknewtown.info/zhbwawarnd2.html

Newtown supervisor John Mack presents a case for switching from strictly in-person official public meetings to hybrid meetings that allow the public the option of attending in person or via an online technology such as Zoom. Mr. Mack made his comments at the June 28, 2021, meeting of the NT Technology & Communications Committee. Two members of the Committee participated successfully via Zoom while...

Brian Miller, Founder & CEO of Unique Design Studios and member of the Newtown Township Technology & Communications Committee (T&CC) gave a short preliminary review of the township's website at the June 28, 2021, T&CC public meeting. In this snippet, Mr. Miller focuses on the importance of performing regular analytics to determine how the website is performing and what needs to be improved.

At its June 22, 2021, live public meeting, the Newtown Township Finance Committee (FC) continued its discussion of how it can advise the township on budget priorities. A major issue discussed was the fact that the FC cannot see the preliminary budget before September at which time it is too late to change priorities. A case was also made to have department heads discuss THEIR priorities in a publi...

At its June 22, 2021, live public meeting, the Newtown Township Finance Committee (FC) continued its discussion of possible uses for PEG (Public, Educational, and Governmental) grants from cable companies. Under federal law, PEG Fees may only be used for capital costs associated with PEG access facilities and equipment. One possible use is to upgrade the "antiquated" equipment used by the township...

At its June 22, 2021, live public meeting, the Newtown Township Finance Committee (FC) continued its discussion of possible uses for the $2.005 million in American Rescue Plan's COVID-19 Relief Funds the township expects to receive over the next two years. Various suggestions were put forward. In the end, the consensus was that no decision on spending this month should be made in 2021 so that ther...

Wescorp, located at 1 Pheasant Run in Newtown, PA, is planning on a reconstruction project and would like to "upgrade" two signs - one facing Pheasant Run and one facing Penn Street above the entrance (see sketch). In this 30-minute audio clip from the June 15, 2021, Newtown Township Planning Commission (NTPC)meeting, representatives of Wescorp make their case for the requested variances, which ra...

In this 17-minute audio clip, Nick Valla, Assistant Middletown Township, PA, Manager, presents an overview of how his township learned to run "hybrid" public meetings that allow the public to participate in person or remotely via Zoom. Mr. Valla presented his comments at a Zoom Webinar presented by Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) Office of Communication on June 9, 2021. The We...

In this excerpt from the Newtown Township Zoning Hearing Board (ZHB) June 3, 2021, Wawa hearing, attorney David Sander representing Newtown Township cross examines Provco/Wawa's expert witness Jason Korczak regarding signage. This audio clip also includes testimony on the signage issue by Mr. Mike Redel, a Real Estate Project Engineer employed by Wawa. Provco/Wawa is asking the ZHB to permit two e...

In this excerpt from the Newtown Township Zoning Hearing Board (ZHB) June 3, 2021, Wawa hearing, Provco/Wawa attorney John VanLuvanee solicits testimony regarding signage by the Provco/Wawa expert witness Jason Korczak, P.E., Bohler Engineering regarding signage. Provco/Wawa. Provco/Wawa is asking the ZHB to permit two electronic message center signs (aka, monument signs) for the purpose of displa...

In this 10-minute audio snippet, Holly Fishel, Policy & Research Director at PSATS (Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors), continues the review American Rescue Plan permitted uses. Her comments were made at a May 14, 2021, PSATS "Town Hall" webinar. Ms. Fishel covered more details on “Permitted Uses” including pay for essential workers, lost revenue replacement, infrastructure in...

At the May 18, 2021, Newtown Planning Commission Zoom meeting, Joseph M. Blackburn, Partner with Wisler Pearlstine, presented an overview of a "conditional" use application by the Chop't Creative Salad Company, LLC. The application is for a 2,500 sf Chop't restaurant to be located at 2910 S. Eagle Road in the Village at Newtown Shopping Center. This use would bring the percent of square footage al...