MAYOR FENTON REPORT FOR 12/15/05

55 AND OVER RESIDENTIAL/COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT:

THIS EVENING COUNCIL IS GOING TO CONSIDER A ZONING ORDINANCE CREATING AN OVER 55 RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT ALONG ROUTE 13. ALTHOUGH I BELIEVE THIS TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT TO BE BENEFICIAL TO THE TOWNSHIP AND DO NOT OPPOSE THIS PROJECT, I DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS I FEEL THE COUNCIL SHOULD ADDRESS WITH THE DEVELOPER. SINCE THIS IS ONE OF THE LARGEST RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS TO COME BEFORE COUNCIL IN YEARS, I HAVE THE FOLLOWING CONCERNS:

1.         BY APPROVING THE ORDINANCE AS PROPOSED, YOU ARE ALSO APPROVING THE DENSITY OF THE PROJECT, OR THE NUMBER OF UNITS, WHICH IS BELIEVED TO BE ABOUT 400 UNITS,

2.         YOU WOULD ALSO BE APPROVING THE HEIGHT OF THE BUILDINGS WHICH I HAVE RECEIVED MANY CONCERNS FROM OUR FIREFIGHTERS, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND OUR EMS. ALSO I HAVE CONCERS REGARDING THE NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES, THE AMOUNT OF OPEN SPACE, THE BUFFER REQUIREMENTS AND A NUMBER OF OTHER STNDARDS. YOU WILL BE APPROVING ALL THESE ISSUES BEFORE BEING PROVIDED LAND DEVELOPMENT PLANS.

3.         AND FINALLY, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF LAND BEING SET ASIDE FOR COMMERCIAL PURPOSES AND HOPE THAT IT CAN BE INCREASED.

AS I SAID, I AM IN FAVOR OF THIS MIXED-USED CONCEPT AND DO NOT OPPOSE THIS PROJECT. HOWEVER, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE COUNCIL TAKE THEIR TIME IN APPROVING THIS ORDINANCE. COUNCIL MAY ALSO WANT TO CONSIDER ENCOURAGING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PROJECT, BUT NOT APPROVE THE ZONING ORDINANCE UNTIL THE LAND DEVELOPMENT PLANS ARE SUBMITTED. ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS ONE OF THE LARGEST DEVELOPMENTS TO COME BEFORE COUNCIL IN YEARS.

SALE OF TOWNSHIP PROPERTY:

A FEW MONTHS AGO THE MANAGER WAS APPROACHED BY MAGIC COTTAGE ABOUT PURCHASING A 1.3 ACRE PARCEL OF LAND OWNED BY THE TOWNSHIP. THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED ON APPLETREE DRIVE AND IS NEXT TO AND PART OF THE MAGIC COTTAGE LAND. COUNCIL DID VOTE TO PUT THE PROPERTY OUT TO BID AND THE ONLY BIDDER WAS A PERSON INTERESTED IN BUILDING A HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ON THE TOWNSHIP PROPERTY AND THE MAGIC COTTAGE PROPERTY. I HOPE THAT COUNCIL DECIDED NOT OT PROCEED WITH THIS SALE AS THE LAST THING WE NEED IN THIS TOWNSHIP IS ANOTHER HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.

I WOULD ALSO LIKE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER INCREASING THE LOT SIZE REQUIREMENT FOR RESIDENTIAL HOMES THEREBY DECREASING THE NUMBER OF HOME PERMITTED TO BE BUILT ON A SITE.

COMPETITIVE BIDDING ORDINANCE:

I WOULD ALSO LIKE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER AN RESPONSIBLE CONTRACTOR ORDINANCE. THIS TYPE OF ORDINANCE WOULD REQUIRE THAT CONTRACTORS FIRST MEET CERTAIN REQUIREMENT AND STANDARDS BEFORE BEING AWARDED CONTRACTS FOR PUBLIC PROJECTS. SIMILAR ORDINANCES WERE PASSED IN NORRISTOWN AND COATSEVILLE.

TONIGHT I ASK WE THAT CONSIDER AND LOOK AT THESE ORDINANCES THAT PASSED IN OTHER TOWNS AND PRESENT THEM TO COUNCIL IN THE NEAR FUTURE

I WOULD LIKE TO WISH EVERYONE A HAPPY HOILDAY, AND A HEALTHY AND SAFE NEW YEAR.!