DOYLESTOWN TOWNSHIP, PA — The Doylestown Township Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted 4 to 1 to approve an amendment to its zoning ordinance that would allow redevelopment of the Hart property while preserving the historic homestead and 50 percent of the property.
The zoning change from institutional to residential will allow Zaveta Custom Builders, which has an agreement to purchase the 24-acre property from the Bucks County Historical Society, to submit plans to redevelop a portion of the property with 36 townhomes while preserving the balance of the site.
"Keeping it the way it is will allow someone to come in and develop it, including tearing down the house and taking out the woods. That is the risk we would have," said chairwoman Jennifer Herring, in voicing support for the amendment. "Preserving these buildings and much of the land was important. That is why the commission was tasked with looking at the ordinances and developing this solution."
While the change would allow residential development of the property, it puts in place protections for the preservation of "the homestead," including the house, the barn, and the outbuildings, and 50 percent of the property, which is located across from the Wawa and between Doylestown Hunt and the Route 202 Bypass.
Herring said the township can't do anything to stop a property from being developed. "What we can do is put parameters in place on what can be built and how it can be built. And that is exactly what we're looking at right now.
"What's most important to me is the (farmhouse)," which she called "a beautiful example of an 18th-century stone farmhouse … It's gorgeous," said Herring. "It is important for us to hold onto that kind of history. That property does mean something. Mr. Hart was an incredible person and a big part of our Doylestown Township history. And I do believe that the building needs to be preserved and property needs to be preserved as much as possible."
Supervisor Christina Maida cast the only vote against the ordinance change, taking issue not with the ordinance, but with the type of housing proposed by Zaveta.
"I have concerns about the history, but more than anything it's important to think about the present and the future. As somebody in her mid-30s who was very fortunate enough to have grown up here and to afford to buy a house here, I've seen so many people my age priced out of our community by these luxury townhomes that start at a million-and-a-half a piece," she said.
"When I ran for this seat I talked about affordability and uplifting the next generation of Doylestownians. I can't greenlight something like this because I don't think it does much for my generation."
The Doylestown Historical Society first proposed selling the property in 2021 to reallocate resources toward the maintenance and upkeep of the Mercer Museum and Fonthill Castle, which it also owns.
In a statement released following the vote, the society said the sale of the tract can now be completed by Zaveta Custom Builders, "executing the mission-driven decision that we made in 2021 to reallocate this property and focus our resources on the Mercer Museum, Fonthill Castle, and the collections entrusted to our care.
"As a Smithsonian Affiliate and an accredited museum through the American Alliance of Museums, BCHS has a professional responsibility to keep pace with the best practices that will allow us to protect and preserve Henry Mercer's nationally significant collections," the society said. "We take this responsibility very seriously and we understand that the collections currently housed onsite at Hart Tract are of great importance.
"This sale of the Hart Tract will allow us to introduce new, more modern storage solutions for the collections currently being stored on-site and in the coming months, we look forward to sharing more specific details with the community.
"Finally, we believe our decision to sell the Hart Tract to Zaveta reflects our values, ideals, and commitment to the local community. Although the mission of BCHS is not land/building preservation, we are delighted to see Zaveta's plans intend to integrate the beloved Hart house and barn into their new development," the historians said.
During public comment, residents voiced both support and opposition to the ordinance change.
Tinicum Township resident Kathryn Auerbach, a preservation specialist at the Bucks County Community College, called on the supervisors to defer or reject the amendment.
"Too many serious concerns surround this proposal, and to lean in favor would be foolish and not in the public interest," she said. "The proposed zoning amendment does not serve the public good and does not meet an unserved need," she said. "You claim preservation of historic resources, but the amendment fails from a historic preservation standpoint. There is no baseline study, no limits to the additions."
She continued, "The new buildings are each twice the size of Independence Hall, plus the 80 parking spaces and roads that would be needed would overwhelm the historic setting. It fails to require façade easements. It fails to provide a penalty should the buildings be adversely damaged or destroyed. It does not secure the preservation of the entire site."
Others, including residents from Doylestown Hunt, spoke in favor of the change.
"I wish the Hart tract would stay the way it is, but that's not going to happen," said Bill Moore, whose property backs up to the Hart tract. "Buck County Historical Society is going to sell it. That's a done deal, and you can't prevent it. And whoever they sell it to is going to develop it. I, for one, would like ot have a say in how it' going to be developed. I've seen Mr. Zavata's properties. I'm quite satisfied with him as a developer. I am in favor of his plan."
Zaveta Custom Builders is expected to submit land development plans to the township for the Hart tract, which will be reviewed by the township's professionals, planning commission, and board of supervisors. The land development process will address issues such as lighting, setbacks, stormwater, traffic, and other development-related issues.
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