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The 200-year-old Cintra Mansion on West Bridge Street in New Hope Borough has been demolished, but a replica will be constructed to stand in its place. It was built in 1816 by industrialist William Maris and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.
📷 shuvaev (CC BY-SA 3.0)
General
NAR comments on proposed lead regulations
The National Association of Realtors (NAR), in coalition with other real estate stakeholders, has submitted comments on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed regulations to strengthen requirements for the removal of lead-based paint dust in homes and childcare facilities built before 1978. Under the proposed rules, any amount of lead dust on floors and windowsills would require additional testing and abatement, paid for by the property owner. Compliance with the rule is triggered by a finding by a healthcare professional that a child in the property has elevated blood lead levels, as set forth by the Centers for Disease Control. Most importantly for Realtors and property managers, the proposed regulation would not require property owners to proactively test for lead paint dust before selling, but if such tests have been performed, the information would need to be disclosed to potential buyers under current lead paint disclosure protocols. The comments focus on concerns that the proposed rule will have significant negative impacts on all aspects of the housing and real estate market, including affordable housing. EPA’s economic analysis provides insufficient support to properly assess the negative impacts, which would be most felt by the category of people EPA seeks to protect by amending the dust-lead levels: children and people living in target housing in communities with environmental justice concerns. Health-based effects are not only the direct negative health effects that result from exposure to dust-lead, but also the negative health effects from lack of availability, stability and affordability of housing.
Source: Nar.realtor; 10/5/2023
Call to action still active as new NFIP deadline looms
A massive advocacy blitz by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) helped push Congress to pass a last-minute deal to avert a government shutdown and extend the authority of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). But the bipartisan agreement only funds the government through Nov. 17, meaning a new deadline looms for NFIP and other important programs. NAR’s call to action is still active, and Realtors are encouraged to use it to contact their legislators and urge them to ensure the NFIP does not lapse.
Source: NAR; 10/10/2023
Bucks
Cintra Mansion in New Hope unable to be saved
The 200-year-old Cintra Mansion on West Bridge Street in New Hope Borough has been demolished. A replica will be constructed to stand in its place. Three independent structural engineers told the borough council the mansion’s exterior walls were beyond saving, and a geologist added that Cintra was built using soft, soluble stone, which further bolstered the argument for demolition. Built in 1816 by industrialist and entrepreneur William Maris, Cintra Mansion was reportedly based on a palace outside Lisbon and boasted a unique floor plan, with an octagonal main entrance with two identical wings. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.
Source: Bucks County Herald; 10/9/2023
Toll Brothers buys 21 acres of land in Richland for single-family development
Fort Washington-based Toll Brothers bought 21 acres of undeveloped land near Quakertown Borough from Feasterville-based developer Trinity Realty Companies for $3.9 million. A spokesperson for Toll Brothers said site improvements are planned to begin “very soon" for the property along East Paletown Road in Richland Township. Plans submitted to the township show 38 single-family homes. The location is just over two miles from downtown Quakertown and 17 miles from Allentown. Toll Brothers has benefited from low inventory and a tight resale market, which is pushing some buyers to shift their focus to new construction homes.
Source: Philadelphia Business Journal; 10/8/2023
Bucks commissioners approve real estate tax break for fire, EMS volunteers
Bucks County commissioners unanimously approved a tax rebate program that rewards the contributions volunteer members of fire companies and nonprofit emergency medical services agencies make to their communities. Under the county’s newly established Active Volunteer Service Tax Rebate Program, volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel can see up to $1,000 in county real estate tax savings each year. Volunteers may begin applying in 2025 for rebates on qualifying real estate taxes paid in 2024. The ordinance establishing the tax rebate program outlines criteria for eligibility that, in addition to emergency call responses, emphasizes training and education, involvement in agency activities and longevity of service. Bucks County is served by 16 nonprofit EMS agencies and 59 volunteer fire departments.
Source: Bucks County; 10/5/2023
Solebury looks to hold the line on taxes
The draft of Solebury Township’s 2024 budget calls for no increase in the municipal tax levy. The tax millage remains at 24.8102 mills, with 8.5 mills for the general fund, 0.491 mills for the New Hope-Solebury Free Library, 13.129 mills for the debt service fund, 1.75 mills for the fire fund and 0.9402 for the EMS fund. Although the township projects 2024 general fund revenues will reflect nearly flat real estate, earned income, transfer and local services taxes, the township will see about $150,000 in interest earnings thanks to higher interest rates. The budget also includes a $650 stipend to be paid to volunteer firefighters and fire police who live in Solebury and work for one of the companies that serve the township. If passed, it would mark the third year in a row without a tax increase for Solebury.
Source: Bucks County Herald; 10/5/2023
Chester
West Fallowfield to consider reflective address signs for property owners
The West Fallowfield Township Board of Supervisors will consider an ordinance that would impose a requirement that property owners post reflective address signs on their properties. The ordinance will be considered by the board for adoption on Wednesday, Oct. 18, at 6:30 p.m. in the West Fallowfield Township Building, 3095 Limestone Road, Suite 1, Cochranville.
Source: Daily Local; 10/6/2023
Franklin Township mulls sewer ordinance
The Franklin Township Board of Supervisors will consider a proposed ordinance that outlines the requirements and regulations for a person owning property accessible to a public sewer and upon which there is an occupied building. The installation of sanitary facilities would be at the owner’s expense. If any person fails to make the required connection to a public sewer after reasonable notice, the township may enter upon the property to make such a connection. The proposed ordinance would allow supervisors to set annual sewer rental fees by resolution, and outlines prohibited discharges into the sewer system. Sewer rents would be paid on a quarterly basis for services prior to the period, and a penalty or lien may be imposed for delinquent payments. A property owner is responsible for the maintenance and/or replacement of the sewer lateral from the point of entry to the point of discharge. The proposed ordinance will be considered at a public meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 18, at 7 p.m., both via Zoom and at the township offices, located at 20 Municipal Lane, Kemblesville. Information on how to join is available on the Franklin Township website.
Source: Daily Local; 10/8/2023
Regional rail authority provides update on passenger rail service restoration
In July 2022, Berks, Chester and Montgomery counties formed the Schuylkill River Passenger Rail Authority (SRPRA) to establish the groundwork for the proposed plan to restore passenger rail service between Reading and Philadelphia. The line would include stops in Reading, Pottstown and Phoenixville. The Greater Reading Chamber Alliance recently hosted an informational session to provide an update on the process and a rough map of the road ahead. Tom Frawley, SRPRA executive director, provided an overview of the project’s status. He said the authority is waiting for November to learn if it will be accepted into a federal program that would help make the restoration of service a reality. Last spring, the authority submitted an application to the Federal Railroad Administration to be included in a grant program that will distribute millions of dollars from the federal infrastructure bill. Frawley said the federal funding is essential to bringing service back to the region. However, he cautioned that even if the authority gets accepted into the program it will still take four to five years to get the service running. If accepted into the program, the authority would receive $500,000 to develop a service plan. It would examine ridership and revenue forecasts, capital programming and an operational analysis. The authority would also be able to begin negotiations with Amtrak and Norfolk Southern about using their existing tracks.
Source: Daily Local; 10/10/2023
Site work starts at former Wyeth property in West Chester
Site work construction to build a pair of warehouses at the 27-acre former Wyeth property off Bolmar Street in West Chester Borough has started. Builder Eli Kahn said that only underground work was ongoing, including fixing a stormwater pipe and removing an old electrical line. Kahn is still marketing and waiting for a tenant who will determine details like how many loading docks will be included. The two warehouses will total approximately 515,000 square feet. Amazon had once considered occupying the warehouses at the site, but the company is no longer interested in the property.
Source: Daily Local; 10/8/2023
Longwood Gardens purchases former boutique winery and vineyard
Last month, Longwood Gardens, the botanical garden and former du Pont estate that sprawls over 1,000 acres of meadows, woodlands and rolling Chester County countryside in Kennett Square, repurchased the former Galer Estate Vineyard and Winery, which adjoins its campus in East Marlborough Township. A Longwood Gardens’ spokesperson would not disclose the sale price for the 7.4-acre winery — which closed in September and had been listed for sale since January for $3.39 million — but said the purchase was a conservation effort, and not a move into wine-making. “We are still evaluating our long-term plans for the property, but our first and most important priority for the property is the preservation of green space and agricultural land,” said Jourdan Cole of Longwood Gardens. “We have no current plans to enter the wine business. The purchase is first and foremost about preserving the agricultural land,” she said. The purchase comes after Longwood Gardens announced in February that it had agreed to acquire the sweeping Granogue Estate, along the Brandywine, in nearby Northern Delaware. That historic estate includes 505 acres of rolling woods and farmland and a castle-like hilltop mansion. At the time, Longwood also described that acquisition, which has yet to be finalized, as mainly an effort toward agricultural preservation.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 10/10/2023
Kennett Square to remain in regional fire, EMT commission
In June, Kennett Square Borough Council approved an ordinance authorizing the borough to withdraw from the Kennett Fire and Emergency Services Regional Commission effective Dec. 31, citing cost concerns. However, after an extensive review process, borough officials recently concluded that the best option is to stay with the regional commission. The borough’s goal during the review process was to maintain the high-quality service it receives from the Kennett, Longwood and Po-Mar-Lin fire companies and Longwood Emergency Medical Service providers in as cost-efficient a way as possible. The council unanimously recommended the borough’s roughly $751,000 portion of the commission budget be included in the borough’s budget for 2024. The cost will require a possible 1.15 mill borough tax increase.
Source: Kennett Square Borough; 10/10/2023
Delaware
County invokes eminent domain to extend Chester Creek Trail
Delaware County Council adopted Ordinance 2023-8 to take private property by condemnation against unknown owners at three locations in Aston Township. The properties total about 0.14 acres, and will be used by the county for construction of an extension of the Chester Creek Trail, as authorized by state eminent domain laws. The ordinance takes effect on Oct. 14.
Source: Delaware County; 10/10/2023
Judge order Upper Providence to redraw voting districts
A Delaware County judge has ordered Upper Providence Township to revise its voting district map after a group of residents called the most recent version gerrymandering. Delaware County Court of Common Pleas Judge John Whelan granted the residents’ petition regarding the reapportionment of the township made to five voting districts last year. The township has been instructed to revise the map in a manner that “divide(s) the electorate into five districts which shall be as even in number of electors as possible.” Carl Ewald, one of the attorneys representing Upper Providence, said the township is considering its right to appeal. Redistricting is supposed to occur every 10 years, but it hasn't been completed in 30 years.
Source: Daily Times; 10/9/2023
Middletown bamboo ordinance rankles some residents
In December 2021, Middletown Township Council passed an ordinance requiring a 10-foot buffer between any bamboo and an adjacent property. Township officials say that 13 properties have been impacted by the ordinance, of which seven had interventions by the township. Some residents who have received notice from the township felt that they had been singled out. Mark Kirchghasser, president of Middletown Township Council, noted that the discussion by township council took place for seven years before the ordinance’s final adoption. He pointed out that bamboo, while acting as an effective privacy screen, can be exceptionally invasive. He gave an example of a resident who had cut bamboo far back from a roadway, but the roots began coming through the roadway approximately 10 feet away.
Source: Daily Times; 10/8/2023
Delco council approves funds for flood study, anti-violence program
Delaware County Council approved funding for two initiatives: a study to mitigate Brandywine Creek flooding, and a Chester anti-violence program. Council approved $25,000 to the Brandywine Conservancy to look at flood mitigation in the region, and $191,400 to CASA Youth Advocates as it looks to oversee the Safer Schools Stronger Neighborhoods coalition. Both projects are funded with monies that the county has received from the American Rescue Plan Act.
Source: Daily Times; 10/6/2023
Rose Valley walking tour celebrates local architecture
Much of Rose Valley Borough’s architecture echoes its arts and crafts ancestry. The Rose Valley Museum is celebrating the 100th birthday of the borough on Saturday, Oct. 21, with “Arts & Crafts to Moderne,” a self-guided walking tour of six historic homes, Hedgerow Theatre and Thunderbird Lodge. Although the borough was incorporated in 1923, its architectural style began emerging nearly a century earlier. Reservations, admission costs and other event information can be found here.
Source: Daily Times; 10/8/2023
Upper Chichester to hold special meeting on reapportionment
Upper Chichester Township will hold a special meeting of the board of commissioners to discuss various proposed maps related to the redrawing of ward boundaries in Upper Chichester Township. The meeting will take place on Thursday, Oct. 19, at 7 p.m. and will be held in the Commissioners Meeting Room at 8500 Furey Road.
Source: Daily Times; 10/5/2023
Media Arts Council to hold open house for Realtors
Media Arts Council will host a free open house for Realtors on Tuesday, Oct. 24, from 3 to 7 p.m. “Learn about MAC’s programs (music, theater, art, film, and more) that help make the Media area a great place to live,” the invitation states.
Source: Media Arts Council; 10/5/2023
Montgomery
Main Line Greenway moving forward in Lower Merion
Lower Merion commissioners recently approved the preliminary concept for the Main Line Greenway. The greenway is defined as a network of designated roadways shared between cars and bicyclists and often used with multi-use trails. Jillian Dierks, senior planner with Lower Merion, said the township’s 2006 comprehensive plan included a recommendation to increase bicycle mobility using the township’s existing network of low-volume roadways. “The goal was really to establish connectivity to various township networks, not unlike our pedestrian plan,” Dierks said. “We were looking at residential areas, schools, parks [and] commercial districts.”
Source: Main Line Media News; 10/9/2023
Regional rail authority provides update on passenger rail service restoration
In July 2022, Berks, Chester and Montgomery counties formed the Schuylkill River Passenger Rail Authority (SRPRA) to establish the groundwork for the proposed plan to restore passenger rail service between Reading and Philadelphia. The line would include stops in Reading, Pottstown and Phoenixville. The Greater Reading Chamber Alliance recently hosted an informational session to provide an update on the process and a rough map of the road ahead. Tom Frawley, SRPRA executive director, provided an overview of the project’s status. He said the authority is waiting for November to learn if it will be accepted into a federal program that would help make the restoration of service a reality. Last spring, the authority submitted an application to the Federal Railroad Administration to be included in a grant program that will distribute millions of dollars from the federal infrastructure bill. Frawley said the federal funding is essential to bringing service back to the region. However, he cautioned that even if the authority gets accepted into the program it will still take four to five years to get the service running. If accepted into the program, the authority would receive $500,000 to develop a service plan. It would examine ridership and revenue forecasts, capital programming and an operational analysis. The authority would also be able to begin negotiations with Amtrak and Norfolk Southern about using their existing tracks.
Source: Daily Local; 10/10/2023
Souderton’s new borough manager takes the helm
Souderton has a new borough manager — Stacy Crandell replaced Mike Coll, who retired after 40 years at the helm. Crandall is Souderton’s fourth manager since the position was created in 1964 and the first woman to hold the job. Crandell earned a master’s degree in business administration from Holy Family University with a concentration in public administration. She was the assistant township manager in Doylestown Township and brings an extensive business background to the table for Souderton — 13 years in municipal government, another three years in government work, including working with former Rep. Michael Fitzpatrick. Her expertise ranges from project management, social media skills, budget preparation, grant applications, septic management to MS4 (stormwater) requirements.
Source: Bucks County Herald; 10/5/2023
MCPC presents ‘Supporting Municipal Land Stewardship’ on Oct. 30
The Montgomery County Planning Commission is hosting a “Supporting Municipal Land Stewardship” event on Monday, Oct. 30, from 4 to 6 p.m. at Schwenksville Borough Hall, 300 Main St. The free event will provide municipalities with information on land stewardship and management of important places in the community. Over the past 30 years, Montgomery County municipalities have had tremendous success preserving open space to create parks, trails and greenways. Recently, there has been an increased focus on how to best manage these lands to enhance their ecological integrity while respecting the impact on municipal maintenance expenses and staff capacity. Find out more here.
Source: MCPC; 10/2023
West Conshohocken sees fourth council resignation in 14 months
West Conshohocken Borough Council was scheduled to appoint a new member during its Oct. 10 meeting. The new appointment will serve out the remaining term of Councilmember Kelly Snizavich, who resigned from office on Aug. 20 due to moving out of the municipality. Snizavich has also withdrawn from the election in November, and the Democratic Party has replaced her on the ballot with Chris Cella. Snizavich was appointed to the council in August 2022 after a resignation. This is the fourth resignation from the council in the past 14 months. All were due to council members moving out of the borough.
Source: Morethanthecurve.com; 10/5/2023
Lower Merion launches sustainability plan
Lower Merion Township is hosting a sustainability plan open house event on Monday, Oct. 16, from 6 to 8 p.m. Visitors will learn more about the township’s new sustainability plan and how they can get involved in local sustainability efforts. There will be presentations about the plan, stations to share thoughts and ideas, signups for volunteer opportunities, and kids activities.
Source: Lower Merion Township; 10/2023
Philadelphia
Fewer Airbnb and VRBO options in city as new laws take hold
Philadelphia’s effort to regulate the short-term rental industry is shrinking the number of available offerings on platforms like Airbnb and VRBO. Philadelphia’s Department of Licenses and Inspections reports that since the crackdown on unlicensed operators began in July, more than 1,850 hosts have been delisted from platforms like Airbnb and VRBO. The new laws reinforce a long-standing, but little enforced, regulation requiring a hotel license for properties operating short-term rentals where the owners don’t reside. That’s illegal in most of the city, requiring operators — many of whom have been in business for years — to go to the city’s Zoning Board of Adjustment to make the case that they should be allowed to get the necessary permit anyway. Read more in the Inquirer.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 10/10/2023
Battle brewing over bill that would require sprinklers in older condos
A bill that requires the installation of sprinkler systems in older residential buildings taller than six stories in Philadelphia became a hot topic again at the end of September. The bill must be passed before the end of the year, or it would have to be reintroduced during council's next session. Fire safety groups and building trades unions are clashing with a coalition of condo owners and apartment associations that say they can’t afford such a costly mandate. Proponents of the bill argue that sprinklers are lifesaving devices, and that the new regulation is essential for public safety. The bill would cover pre-1991 residential high-rise buildings with the same mandate for automatic sprinklers that new apartment and condo buildings have had since that year. See the full article in the Inquirer.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 10/5/2023
Philadelphia faring better than other downtowns post-pandemic
Center City is coming out of the pandemic far better than most downtowns due to a diversified economy and a strong residential population, according to a new report released by the Center City District. Center City District’s new report compares populations in 25 cities in the second quarter of 2019 versus 2023. The data show Center City stacking up well in comparison with most American downtowns. In terms of the total number of people in Center City today compared to pre-pandemic, Philadelphia ranks fifth among the downtowns studied — a far better performance than cities with a larger information and technology sector. “Philadelphia comes out very well,” said Paul Levy, president of the Center City District, “because of the huge concentration of live work downtown. And because of the diversified economy, strong in education and health care, in hospitality, in professional and business services, but — with the exception of Comcast — we’re not that huge in IT.” Read more here.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 10/11/2023
Eastwick residents question officials on proposed levee
Residents of Philadelphia’s most flood-prone neighborhood learned more about a proposal to build a 15-foot-high levee near their homes during a public meeting in Eastwick. Late this summer, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released a long-awaited study of potential solutions to Eastwick’s chronic flooding. It recommended a 1,400-foot-long levee, looking like an earthen berm, be built along Cobbs Creek behind a row of flood-prone homes. The agency’s analysis found that such a levee could prevent on average over $4 million in flood damage to homes and infrastructure per year, from 2030 to 2080. It would not be the first levee in the area. There are 200 existing levee systems in Pennsylvania, many of them decades old. The levee proposed for Eastwick is designed to handle a 100-year storm without overtopping. That means it would protect against all the floods Eastwick has experienced in recent decades — the biggest being Hurricane Floyd in 1999 and the latest being Tropical Storm Isaias in 2020 — according to the Army Corps’ analysis. The agency’s modeling has shown that the levee would reduce water levels during a 100-year storm along the Cobbs Creek near Saturn Place by six to seven feet, while increasing water levels downstream where the Darby Creek crosses 84th Street by over a foot. Jacob Helminiak, a hydraulic engineer with the Army Corps, said the levee would not cause any structures to flood that would not flood anyway during a 100-year storm. Read more here.
Source: PlanPhilly; 10/6/2023