Hulmeville Conservation Group Opposes 120-Home Development

HULMEVILLE BOROUGH, PA —Save Hulmeville Hill.

It's the rallying cry for residents who are against a proposed development that will be the focus of the continuation of a Borough Council special meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday at the William Penn Fire Station on 123 Main St.

The council will resume hearing an application from Superior Holdings LLC for conditional use approval to develop a Traditional Neighborhood Development on 4 parcels located at 150 Trenton Ave.

The Hulmeville Conservation Committee said it opposes the proposed development of more than 120 housing units due to concerns about flooding, increased traffic, higher taxes, overcrowded schools, loss of wildlife, and the demolition of a homestead that dates back to the late 1700s.

The organization said Thursday's hearing will allow residents to voice their concerns about the development and to ask questions of the developer.

A Change.org petition launched last year had nearly 3,500 signatures. The organization has also created a Facebook page.

Anyone interested in joining HCC should send an email HulmevilleConservation@gmail.com.

HCC is a group of concerned citizens organized to preserve the natural beauty and limit development of the property formerly identified as Harriet Black’s Farm and Langhorne Wood Products Co. including the surrounding woods and the hill bordering the William Penn Fire House.

The organization said the development would impact the environment and wildlife, especially a meadow that provides a feeding ground for birds of prey and many other animals. Flying squirrels, fox, owls, deer, and eagles consider the meadow and adjoining woods their home, HCC states.

HCC said the borough experiences flooding.

And despite efforts by the Hulmeville Borough Stormwater Management Committee to implement public education programs and raise resident awareness of stormwater management, the system drains into waterways throughout the borough, impacting residents whose properties border the streams and Neshaminy Creek, HCC said.

In addition, residents also experience worsening drainage issues on properties and in basements due to the overloaded stormwater system during regular rain events. Additional development will contribute to the existing stormwater challenges, HCC said.

HCC also is concerned about the traffic impact of the development.

Traffic would feed onto Trenton Road. Considering the current traffic log jams on Trenton Road and the surrounding feeder roads into Bensalem, Penndel, Langhorne, Middletown Township, and Bristol Township and then adding the possible 150 plus vehicle trips per day from the proposed development as new residents travel to work and activities would further strain roads, HCC said.