#NewtownPA: The Year 2024 in Images

Welcome to the Newtown “Year 2024 in Images”

There were many unique and interesting issues that I and other Newtown Township supervisors confronted in 2024. This is a selection of images and stories that document what I consider the most important news items and issues of interest to Newtown area residents. View the video...

List of Images

• Environmentalists Oppose Newtown Sewage Treatment Plant
• Gas Leaf Blower Ban Survey Results
• Newtown Zoning Armageddon
• Proposed NT-Yardley Rd Sidewalk
• Plastic Bag Ban Begins
• Mack’s Standup Comedy Act
• “Dolington Deep Ditch”
• Chick-fil-A “Chickens Out!”
• LED Streetlight Project
• PFAS Filtration Plant

Environmentalists Oppose Newtown Sewage Treatment Plant

At the 16 December 2024 Middletown Township Board of Supervisors (BOS) meeting, Middletown Environmental Advisory Council (EAC) members Andy McAloon and Kevin Deeny expressed concerns about the potential environmental impact of the proposed Newtown Waste Water Treatment Plan (WWTP), which will dump millions of gallons per day of effluent into Core Creek. Previously, at the 11 December 2024 Newtown Township BOS meeting, several knowledgeable Newtown and Middletown residents made comments regarding this proposal to build a state-of-the-art sewage treatment plant on Lower Silver Lake Road. Gary Sondermeyer – another Middletwon Township resident – voiced concern about the odor and was skeptical that there would not be any odor as the Sewer Authority claims. Mr. Sondermeyer is an expert in these matters.

Meanwhile, according to my Sewage Treatment Plant Survey, most residents the potential odor from the plant is a major concern of Newtown and Middletown residents.

Further Reading/Viewing:

• Proposed sewer plant in Newtown Township inflames Middletown residents
• Middletown EAC Member Kevin Deeny Comments on Sewage Treatment Plant
• Middletown EAC Vice Chair Andy McAloon Comments On Planned Sewage Treatment Plant
• WWTP Survey Results (Charts)
• Independent Environmental Impact Analysis Requested for Sewage Plant Project
• Sewer Authority Representatives Discuss Proposed Sewage Treatment Plant at #NewtownPA BOS Meeting

Gas Leaf Blower Ban Survey Results

At the 13 November 2024 Newtown Township Board of Supervisors (BOS) public meeting, Friends Village residents requested that the township pass an ordinance to ban gas-powered leaf blowers (view the video). "This would cut down on exhaust and noise and be safer for workers. The noise and the pollution are major, major problems,” said Tom Cadwallader, president of the Residence Association at Friends Village.

“We’ve been cursed with a lot of leaf-blowing activity at our village and it has really brought it to our attention - the fact that these leaf blowers that use gasoline are creating a lot of noxious fumes, a lot of noise, are very hard on the workers and are more expensive to use than the electric and battery-operated leaf blowers," said Kip Cherry, vice president of the association.

I asked a simple question: Should Newtown Township ban gas-powered leaf blowers? Read ALL THE COMMENTS.

Further Reading/Viewing:

• Friends Village Residents Ask Newtown to Ban Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers
• Newtown Residents Think a Gas Leaf Blower Ban Would Be 'Ridiculous' & 'Overreaching'

Newtown Zoning Armageddon

The Notice Of Violation stated: “Everything posted on the windows” – such as holiday decorations, event notices, menu items, and other such – “is not permissible,” the owners were told by Ana Gindhart, Newtown Zoning Officer. The exception, said the Zoning Officer, “is a 2 SF [Square Foot] max sign identifying store hours, identification or similar purposes. All other signs must be removed within ten (10) days of receipt of this letter,” which is dated October 14, 2024. For example, only the “NEWTOWN BOOKSHOP” façade sign above the bookstore is allowed, everything else – except the small store hours sign – must go!

In an email to supervisors, the owner of the Newtown Book store noted that she “had similar looking windows for the past 12 years in Newtown Township and no one has ever said a word. I have been able to decorate the windows with Holiday decorations, flyers for our events, big books coming out, etc. It is a way that we advertise to the foot traffic and a way to make our store part of the community. Is this the kind of township that you want with every store just having blank windows?” I was told that the only way to allow more than 1 window sign is to amend the Joint Municipal Zoning Ordinance (JMZO) to allow an additional sign or signs.

Further Reading:

• Newtown Township’s signage ordinance Section 1106(H)(4)(A)
• Notice of Violation - includes list of 17 stores ordered to remove window signs

Proposed NT-Yardley Rd Sidewalk

Why did Newtown Township residents Al Dufault & Charles Feuer cross Newtown-Yardley Road? They wanted to show the need for a new sidewalk along Newtown-Yardley Road leading from the crosswalk at Tara Boulevard to Elm Street in Newtown Borough. Note that the grant for the Newtown Commons Sidewalk Project was $873,000 but the winning bid was $488,880, which leaves $384,120 that could be spent for this proposed sidewalk project.

At the October 23, 2024, Newtown Board of Supervisors (BOS) meeting, Mr. Feuer got a commitment from the Township Engineer - and consensus of the BOS - to see if it possible to modify the Newtown Commons Sidewalk Project to include this stretch to connect the township with the borough as part of the Newtown Trail. View/listen to the discussion on Youtube...

Mr. Feuer and I urged the that the township engineer go back to PennDOT with a case for additional scope of the Business Commons sidewalk project; i.e., construction of a safe concrete sidewalk with curbing along Newtown-Yardley Rd extending from the Terry Drive (or Tara Blvd crosswalk) to S Elm Ave to connect up with sidewalk from the Borough. The rational for this change of scope is as follows:

1. This is part of the Newtown Trail which, when this project is complete, extends up Lower Dolington Rd to Devon Rd.
2. Pedestrians – including Business Commons workers disembarking from Septa buses at the intersection of Lincoln Ave and Washington Ave in the Borough – will no longer have to walk along the shoulder of Newtown-Yardley Rd where there is no curbing for safety.
3. Completing this section of sidewalk is consistent with other plans that enhance the safe walkability between the township and the borough

Further Reading:

• Summary of 9 December 2024 Meet Mack Monday Meeting
• #NewtownPA Township Awards Bids For 2 Pedestrian Safety Projects
• #NewtownPA Yardley Rd & Tara Blvd Crosswalk Improvement Timeline

Plastic Bag Ban Begins

What type of bags will businesses be able to provide to shoppers? Paper bags that are labeled 100% recyclable, contain no old growth fiber, contain a minimum of 40% post-consumer recycled content and have visible labeling according to the Ordinance.

MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

On a recent Monday I stopped by McCaffrey's in #NewtownPA and had a paper bag issue. As I explained on FB:

"I got this recyclable paper bag from McCaffery's yesterday for 10 cents. Wanting to save 10 cents, I put all my 3 small items in the bag - including a cardboard container in the bottom containing Swedish meatballs and gravy. Unfortunately, the gravy leaked through the cardboard box AND the bag. Next time I am going to have go to the produce department and put the hot food box in a plastic produce bag, which is still allowable!"

Now, I know you are going to tell me to have bags in my car and me of all people should know that.

Further Reading/Viewing:

• Single-Use Plastic Bans: #NewtownPA vs Doylestown
• Plastic Bag Ban Can Increase Retail Profits By $200,000 But Triple Plastic Consumption, Study Says!
• Doylestown Ditches Disposables: Signs Going Up To Alert Borough Residents About Plastic Bag Ban
• Summary of the April 3, 2023, #NewtownPA Environmental Advisory Council Special Educational Meeting Regarding Proposed Single-Use Plastics Ban
• PennEnvironment's Faran Savitz Speaks at #NewtwonPA EAC Meeting About Single-Use Plastics Ban
• Do You Think a BAN of Single-use Plastics Imposed Upon Local #NewtownPA Township Businesses is a Good Idea?

Mack’s Standup Comedy Act

I still get no respect even as a supervisor and I want to show you this in a – what's it called? – a “wife beater” t-shirt? He comes to public supervisor meetings and always calls me a comedian! All right… so I decided since I’ve often been called a comedian, I thought I'd give it a try.

Further Reading/Viewing:

• View the video of my act on Youtube...
• PA Needs More Municipal Leaders. But They Often Get No Respect!

“Dolington Deep Ditch”

A) Just after LDR repaving: There is a cutout in the pavement on the northbound lane of LDR just north of Frost Lane. This is a potential hazard for motorists. I was told that “the pavement is slightly notched out there due to the contractor needing so accommodate the underground stormwater infiltration trench.

B) Obviously, the trench has NOT been installed as evidenced by the puddle of water seen in the photo!

C) We are left with an even DEEPER ditch than before ("The Deep Ditch on Dolington!" I call it). In my opinion, this ditch should be filled in.

Further Reading:

• The "Dolington Deep Ditch" Must Be Repaired! I'm Just Sayin'...

Chick-fil-A “Chickens Out!”

On or "Just Off" the Bypass over 1,000 residents opposed the proposed plan to relocate (or build a new) Newtown Chick-fil-A restaurant where the recently closed TD Bank is located. At the May 22, 2024, #NewtownPA Board of Supervisors (BOS) public meeting, Donna Serdula, a resident from the Wiltshire Walk development delivered a petition to the Supervisors opposing the plan.

Further Reading/Viewing:

• View the Video of Ms. Sedula presenting the petition to supervisors...
• What Is Chick-fil-A’s Next Move?

LED Streetlight Project

Back in the spring/summer of 2020, the Newtown Township Board of Supervisors (BOS) engaged Econsult Solutions, Inc. (ESI) to develop a comprehensive multi-year financial management plan. As part of this process, Newtown asked residents to respond to the Newtown Township Citizen Survey. 545 responses were collected, including over 300 open-ended comments. Snow removal, street cleaning, street lighting, and street maintenance were among the services receiving the worst ratings.

Further Reading:

• Infrastructure Survey Results
• #NewtownPA Township LED Streetlight Conversation Plan
• #NewtownPA BOS Agrees to Move Forward to Phase 2 of the DVRPC LED Streetlight Program
• Newtown Township Supervisors Approve LED Street Light Feasibility Study

PFAS Filtration Plant

The building is specifically designed to have a rural look and requires a zoning variance due to the increased height. At the November 26, 2024, BOS meeting, the supervisors voted to waive the land development process, clearing the way for the proposed expansion.

Further Reading:

• #NewtownPA Artesian Water Company Given Planning Commission Nod For New PFAS Filtration Building
• Newtown Township Approves $3.5M PFAS Water Treatment Facility