Letter in Opposition to Proposed Phoebe Development Read to Council

In anticipation of tonight's Lower Saucon Township Planning Commission meeting, residents of the Four Seasons residential community spoke out against Phoebe Ministries' proposal to build a continuing care facility on land adjacent to their homes at township council's Wednesday night meeting.

John Raymond, Vice President of the Board of Trustees for Four Seasons, said the board objects to the proposed modification of the township's R20 zoning code that would allow the construction of the controversial continuing care facility at Meadows and Skibo roads.

Raymond read a letter to council members during the courtesies of the floor portion of their meeting, in which the Four Seasons trustees said the Phoebe facility "will destroy the character of the immediate area and should not be built."

Four Seasons' 275 residents--who occupy a total of 158 units--chose to live in Lower Saucon Township because of its natural beauty, its "rural character," and its "very limited commercial development," the letter stated.

That character would be sacrificed if the facility is built, and it could also "negatively impact the value of our homes," it said. "Our home values are higher, our taxes are higher...because of the desirability of living in (Lower) Saucon."

Raymond said a copy of the letter had been forwarded to the township planning commission and added that an online petition signed by residents opposed to the Phoebe project has garnered 1800 signatures to date.

An online petition titled "Lower Saucon Township, PA Zoning Amendment - Stop Phoebe Saucon CCRC" and sponsored by Hugh Dugan III and Sandra McClaskie had 401 signatures as of today.

"We think it's trying to shoehorn a development into a property that's too small," Raymond said.

The Lower Saucon Township Planning Commission will meet at Town Hall this evening at 7pm. A discussion of the Phoebe Ministries proposal is expected.