Editorials
UPDATE: THE ANSWER WAS YES, OF COURSE. SUPS. DECIDED IT TUESDAY, 30 SEPT. ANYONE SURPRISED?
Ed. note: Glenn McKay is a founding member of the Watchdogs and a Republican Candidate for Supervisor who won the May Republican primary with no support or endorsement from his own party which he has served for many years as a Committeeman.
If one turns his back for one supervisor meeting, the residents can lose enormously. This Tuesday is the next example of this in the saga of "developer favoritism" under the 17 year regime of Board of Supervisor Chairman Gerald Anderson.
On the agenda, the supervisors will consider amending the R1C Ordinance. This zoning ordinance was established just one year ago to fend off Mr. Wayne Bullock’s threats to convert his junkyard into a hypothetical trash transfer station. In a last ditch effort by neighbors to find a compromise to a 400+ home re-zoning, a new ordinance R1C was then negotiated and created to reduce the potential maximum house development to about 200 lots along a 140 acre rectangular piece of property at Turk and Bristol Roads. To appease Mr. Bullock, a present supervisor, 60 "Junkyard TDRs" were granted to him which could be used to increase the density on this land beyond one house/acre but could not be used elsewhere. Within this R1C ordinance, the township would gain about 20-25 acres of open space which would best be situated next to 10 acres which the township already purchased from Bullock a few years ago (King Park) at the northern border of Warrington off Turk Road. The neighbors, Mr. Bullock, and the developer (Cutler) seemed to be satisfied with this result. Or so we all thought!!
Tuesday, Sept. 30, the Board of Supervisors will consider two R1C amendments recommended by the Warrington Planning Commission for adoption. One amendment would allow a roadway to be included as part of open space (a true FIRST in Warrington). The second amendment would allow "lot averaging", which essentially allows the developer to fit more lots into the land, since he could not buy up as much of the 140 acres at this time as he anticipated acquiring. The Planning Commission has approved this plan.
In addition to these amendments being considered, the supervisors will further consider rezoning another adjoining 24+ acres to R1C. Presently this land, belonging to Morrissey who owns the adjoining quarry, is zoned RA, allowing one (1) house per three acres. The rezoning would triple the density and further allow additional application of Bullock’s Junkyard TDRs to further increase the density!
R1C zoning was set up ONLY to eliminate the Junkyard and for no other future purpose. It has no purpose being expanded to other land.
Gerald Anderson has been promoting putting a road from Rte 611 across from Luigi’s restaurant to circle the quarry and exit onto Bristol Road near Barness Park. He claims it will alleviate traffic at Bristol and Rte. 611. This is his rationale to all these shenanigans!! There has been absolutely no evidence that this will have any significant positive impact. Traffic can already turn down Turk to Almshouse to Rte 611 to bypass a left hand turn at Bristol and Rte. 611. This visionary roadway just duplicates what’s already available. A real potential solution has been ignored for 17 years of Anderson’s reign - installing a left turn lane at Bristol and Rte. 611, which is an obvious improvement needed.
We, as residents, will pay dearly for this unwarranted scheme and the developers benefit handsomely. The 24+ acres being considered for rezoning could be developed to the same density as R1C without rezoning if the developer applied TDRs previously granted to C&M Development in 1996. Based on the developer buying 16 TDRs from C&M at an estimated $60,000 per TDR,the density could be increased from 8 to 24 homes, costing the developer $960,000. (C&M TDRs have previously sold for as high as $150,000 each.)
Why should the developer bother spending $960,000 when the township would consider freely rezoning for the same density, letting Bullock apply his "junkyard TDRs", as well as allowing the developer to use up township open space by putting his road through open space (soccer balls travel faster on pavement). Between saving the TDR purchase and usurping township open space, at least a $1 Million windfall will be given to Cutler, Bullock, and Morrissey by Warrington Township. And the C&M TDRs are still left in reserve to be used to increase density elsewhere in our township.
What does the Warrington taxpayer gain - could it be more traffic, more school taxes, less open space?! - If you don’t get involved in these issues by attending these meetings, the developers will continue to over-run Warrington!!
GET TO THE SUPERVISOR MEETING AT 7:30 PM TUESDAY, SEPT. 30.
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