April 19, 2024, Meet Mack Monday Zoom Meeting

The goal of Meet Mack Monday Zoom meetings is to inform residents of township issues that impact them and to get feedback and comments from residents about such issues. This helps me keep better informed of residents’ concerns when I vote on the issues at Board of Supervisors meetings. This meeting focused on Chick-fil-A on the Bypass Update, Plastic Bag Ban Begins, Re-Revised Corners at Newtown Housing Plan, Comprehensive Plan Housing Analysis, Washington Crossing Bridge Replacement – BOS Response, Debt Service Loan RFP – LED Streetlights & Additional Road Paving, “Dolington Deep Ditch” Along LDR Trail

1. April 29, 2024

2. The views and opinions expressed here are solely those of John Mack and do not represent the opinions of any other person or entity.

3. Chick-fil-A on the Bypass Update Plastic Bag Ban Begins Re-Revised Corners at Newtown Housing Plan Comprehensive Plan Housing Analysis Washington Crossing Bridge Replacement – BOS Response Debt Service Loan RFP – LED Streetlights & Additional Road Paving “ Dolington Deep Ditch” Along LDR Trail Privilege of the Floor – What’s on Your Mind? 29 April 2024 Meet Mack Monday Topics Your Host John Mack Newtown Supervisor

4. Chick-fil-A on the Bypass ? On TD Bank (currently empty) site Seeks multiple zoning variances including relief to allow signage to “face the Bypass...” Delayed ZHB meeting until 6 June 2024 Q: Will West Rd Chick-fil-A close? “I heard some things…”

5. Plastic Bag Ban Begins Effective 9 April 2024 retail stores must stop supplying customers with non-recyclable plastic bags and offer 100% recyclable paper bags instead for which they can charge a fee of up to 10 cents per bag The fee for paper bags (1) supports businesses by offsetting the added cost of paper bags, and (2) it encourages consumers to bring their own bag, which is one of the goals of the ordinance Make sure you bring your own bags!

6. Corners at Newtown “Single-Family” 3.91-acre parcel located southwest of Newtown-Richboro Road and South Sycamore Street, with frontage along both of those roadways. 3D Exterior Rendering – View Along South Sycamore Street

7. Second Revision to Amendment Number of Units: 100 (40 one-bedroom & 60 two-bedroom) apartments (v.s. 120 in original plan) Density = 17 Dwelling Units Per Acre (originally 35, then 20 per 1 st revision) – only 3.2 DU/acre allowed in TC District Developers estimate = 152 total residents (1.52 people per unit)* DENSITY * I use this CONSERVATIVE number/apt in my Comprehensive Plan Housing Analysis (next topic) A MAJOR CONCERN

8. 2024 Comprehensive Plan: Housing Plan predicts “modest growth”… PRINCIPLE #1: PROMOTE SMART GROWTH

9. Housing Units Already Built or in the Process of Being Built 60 Mayfield (formerly Arcadia Green) single-family homes 60 units X 2.42 persons per unit = 145 persons

10. Housing Units Approved But Not Yet Built 45 Toll Brothers single-family homes 45 units X 2.42 persons per unit = 109 persons

11. Housing Units Proposed But Not Yet Built 100 unit Bet Investments apartment building 325 units X 1.52* persons per unit = 494 persons 225 unit Kushner RE multi-story apartment building *Based on BET Investments estimate of number of persons per apartment

12. Is This “Smart Growth” or Over Development? My analysis estimates a 746 population increase by 2030 This is more than 3X the BCPC estimate

13. Should the Washington Crossing Bridge Be Replaced ? Consensus of BOS: A majority decided that Newtown Township should support Upper Makefield’s opposition to the plan to REPLACE the bridge. My Opinion: There should be a new bridge; the current bridge should be preserved for pedestrian and cyclists’ use; an Environmental Impact Study/Statement should be done; there should be better communications with the community and UM should be consulted during the process. At least UM should be a part of the decisions going forward.

14. Debt Service Loan With Loan $ Township plans to apply for a $1 million loan Interest payments over 3 or less years possible due to 1 mil tax increase Approved to pay for LED street light replacement & road paving MAY allow 1 additional mile for paving in 2024 Still short of required minimum of 3.5 miles of paving per year just to keep up with current conditions

15. “Dolington Deep Ditch” A) circa August 2023 B) February 2024 C) April 2024 What started as a “cutout” in LDR is now a hazardous ditch!

16. Thank You! Be sure to visit my website! www.johnmacknewtown.info

17. Privilege of the Floor