News Briefs for May 10, 2024
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The historic courthouse in Chester served as the Chester County courthouse from 1724 to 1789, the Delaware County courthouse from 1789 to 1850, and the City Hall for the city of Chester. A federal grant will help to restore the courthouse ahead of the national semiquincentennial celebration.
Photo: Smallbones
Toll Brothers is building 1,600 homes across 11 Philadelphia-area projects
With low inventory continuing to plague the Philadelphia housing market, Toll Brothers is making a big push in the region. The Fort Washington-based luxury homebuilder has been aggressively acquiring land in the suburbs and is now in the middle of building more than 1,600 homes in the Philadelphia area. In just the past eight months, the developer spent $86 million acquiring five sites to build at least 440 homes on 309 acres. In Bucks County, Toll is developing 137 homes at Doylestown Walk in Doylestown, 38 homes at Steeple Run in Quakertown, and an undetermined number of homes on 86 acres in Langhorne. In Chester County, the company is developing 280 homes in Anfield at Malvern, 105 homes at the Preserve at Marsh Creek - Carriage Collection in Downingtown, 89 homes in Stonemill Village in Downingtown, and 33 homes at Riverstone Crossing in Spring City. In Montgomery County, Toll is developing 496 homes at Regency at Waterside in Ambler, 278 homes at Stonebrook at Upper Merion, 142 homes at Overlook Town Center in King of Prussia, and 16 homes at Bellflower in Eagleville.
Source: Philadelphia Business Journal; 5/5/2024
Realtors converge on Washington to meet with lawmakers
Thousands of Realtors from across the country — including members of the Bucks County Association of Realtors and Tri-County Suburban Realtors — flooded Capitol Hill on May 7, advocating for housing inventory and affordability, private property rights, and accessibility to professional representation to help more people achieve homeownership. View a short video of the day on the National Association of Realtors Facebook page. Realtor leaders also joined other trade groups to applaud the recent launch of the Bipartisan Congressional Real Estate Caucus.
Source: NAR; 5/7/2024
Behind recent legal wins, Realtor advocacy was at work
While Realtors are known to carry their message to city halls, state houses and Capitol Hill, their voices also ring inside the nation’s highest court — even if a bit more quietly. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) advocacy team has been a driving force behind recent legal victories for property owners at the Supreme Court. Two wins in particular underscore the power of NAR’s legal advocacy: NAR filed amicus briefs supporting property owners in both cases, which involved a dispute over hefty property fees and issues around land takings. Visit the NAR website to read more about NAR’s legal work and six issues on NAR’s radar: advocating for mortgage market stability; fighting against rent control, stopping regulation overreach, fighting “equity theft,” defending against unconstitutional takings, and releasing property owners from undue financial burden.
Source: NAR; 5/1/2024
Bucks, Chester, Montco in DEP pilot program to speed up construction stormwater permits
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has launched a new pilot program to improve and accelerate the review process for construction stormwater permits. According to the DEP, the pilot program is anticipated to reduce the average processing time for Chapter 102 Individual National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit applications by 73 business days. The pilot program will be available beginning May 1 for Chapter 102 Individual NPDES Permit applications for projects in 10 counties: Lebanon, Lehigh, York, Allegheny, Beaver, Bucks, Chester, Luzerne, Monroe and Montgomery. The DEP aims to complete more modernization projects in the coming months, and will provide updates to the public on process improvements and review timeliness data as projects are completed. See the press release and DEP’s Construction Stormwater page for more information about the Chapter 102 Pilot Program.
Source: Central Penn Business Journal; 4/29/2024
Luxury home prices rise nationwide, but not in Philly Metro area
According to a recent report from Redfin, luxury home prices in the United States are higher than ever. In the first quarter of 2024, a median-priced luxury home was selling for a record $1,225,000, which is 8.7% higher than the same time in 2023. The Philadelphia metro area is not following the national trend for luxury home sales — it saw a drop in sales of 23% in the first quarter of 2024, putting it second place nationwide among the 50 most populous metros for biggest sales decrease. Read the full report from Redfin for more information about the dynamics in luxury home sales.
Source: Montco.Today; 5/7/2024
Buckingham warehouse plan clears first hurdle
Buckingham Township planners reviewed a revised preliminary land development plan for a proposed 150,000-square-foot warehouse in a PI-2 planned industrial district. Developer J.G. Petrucci Company, of Asbury, New Jersey, outlined the redevelopment of the DiGirolamo Tract for a warehouse with 30 truck bays, two parking areas, an access drive for trucks at Stony Lane and another driveway for employees off Progress Meadow Drive. Residents packed the township’s meeting room, as they had done for earlier reviews of the plan by the planning commission. The planning commission voted 5-1 to give its recommendation and pass the proposal on to the board of supervisors — but it came with a list of conditions that commission member Glenn Thomson described as the “longest” and “most serious” the township has seen. The list includes improvements to Stony Lane, off-site improvements to the intersection of Landisville and Old Easton roads, verification of the permitted truck route, and prohibition of a 24-hour operation. During public comment, a coalition of neighboring residents opposed to the project outlined their safety and environmental concerns, and expressed doubt that the application properly represented the intended use of the warehouse.
Source: Bucks County Courier Times; 5/3/2024
Bristol Township School District unveils new high school schedule
Bristol Township School District has revamped the daily class schedule for students at Harry S. Truman High School for the 2025-2026 school year. An entire class period has been eliminated, adding four to five minutes to classes, and adding a daily free-time period called “Tiger Time.” Students can use Tiger Time for “remediation” in classes they find difficult, or they can use the time to meet with college recruiters or for “activities geared towards developing their goals for post-high school life,” according to the district. Student lunch periods have also been shortened, and the number of credits required for graduation has been lowered from 25 to 22. The school district posted information on its Facebook page and will host a town hall explainer session on Tuesday, May 14, from 6 to 7 p.m. on Google Meet.
Source: Bucks County Courier Times; 4/25/2024
Resident input sought for new Levittown Trail
The Bucks County Planning Commission will hold a public open house on Tuesday, May 21, at 6 p.m. at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 89 Pinewood Drive, Levittown, to discuss the Levittown Trail. The multi-use trail is a little over a mile long, but it impacts several municipalities, making resident input a necessity. The county intends to develop a 10-foot-wide multi-use asphalt trail, approximately 1.13 miles in length, along portions of Levittown Parkway, Mill Creek Parkway and Lakeside Drive in Tullytown Borough, Bristol Township and Falls Township.The trail is in the preliminary design and engineering phase. The second phase includes drafting the final design and obtaining permits in September, with construction bidding as the third phase in February 2025, and construction as the final stage leading to completion by September 2026. Check out the Levittown Trail Project Overview for more information.
Source: Bucks County Courier Times; 5/7/2024
Central Bucks to appoint new superintendent, host community forum
The Central Bucks Board of School Directors will consider an employment agreement with Dr. Steven Yanni to serve as the next superintendent of schools at the regularly scheduled board meeting on Tuesday, May 14. One day prior, on Monday, May 13, at 6 p.m., the board will hold a community forum at the Central Bucks High School West Auditorium, located at 375 W. Court St., Doylestown, to introduce Yanni. The forum will also be live streamed and recorded, with those links to be made available on the Central Bucks School District website. Yanni has over two decades of teaching and leadership experience, most recently serving as superintendent of Lower Merion School District. Jim Scanlon has been serving as interim superintendent in the wake of the sudden resignation of Abram Lucabaugh late last year.
Source: Bucks County Herald; 5/2/2024
2024 Bucks County Designer House & Garden tour opens in Doylestown
The 48th Bucks County Designer House & Gardens tour is open through May 26. Presented by the Village Improvement Association of Doylestown, this year’s designer house features Sycamore Lane Farm, a historic 45-acre property in Hilltown where more than 30 local designers and landscapers were tasked with transforming the home. The designer house is the largest fundraiser of the Village Improvement Association of Doylestown, which works to benefit Doylestown Health and "enhance the health and welfare of Central Bucks County and surrounding communities." Designers and landscapers transformed 35 design spaces and 14 landscape areas throughout the property. There is also an on-site café and market. For parking information, visit the Bucks County Designer House & Gardens Facebook page.
Source: Bucks County Courier Times; 4/26/2024
East Goshen drops U&O inspection, but permit still required
As of April 1, East Goshen Township changed its requirements for the issuance of a Certificate of Residential Re-Occupancy. An inspection is no longer required, and the fee was reduced from $100 to $50. The township will review the property for open permits, open violations and any change of use. A signed affidavit is required for automatic garage door external entrapment safety systems. Also, the Residential Property Transfer Application and Trash and Sewer Certification Applications are now combined in one application form. The township code department will no longer mail or email approved permits. The owner or contractor is required to pick up the approved permit at the township building.
Source: East Goshen Township; 5/2024
Phoenixville board may raise school taxes above the proposed 1.89%
The Phoenixville Area School Board held off on a scheduled adoption of a $113 million proposed final budget, deciding instead to review it one more time with an eye toward raising the new tax rate higher than the 1.89% being proposed. School Board President Susan Turner said the planned opening of the Seven Stars Elementary School in the 2025-2026 school year will add another $2.2 million to the budget with the hiring of new teachers, which will be a recurring expense on the payroll. As a result, the district could be facing a budget that raises taxes by another 4.2%, which is close to the tax cap index the state will impose in the 2025-2026 school year.
Source: Mercury; 5/7/2024
New homelessness advocacy nonprofit opening In Phoenixville
A nonprofit advocacy group for the area's homeless is opening up a new brick-and-mortar location in Phoenixville at 145 S. Main St. The group, Better Days Ahead, distributes food, clothing and survival gear directly to area homeless and at-risk individuals. The group has been in operation for the past five years, active in Phoenixville, Pottstown and Norristown. In addition to cleaning up encampments, it has also provided other services, including housing assistance. This new facility will mark its first physical location.
Source: Phoenixville Patch; 5/1/2024
Chester County’s 2024 Farm Guide is now available
The Chester County Ag Council has published the 2024 Chester County Farm Guide, which highlights more than 125 family-owned farms and markets. The guide also spotlights the county’s Agriculture Award recipients, and includes a farm product calendar showcasing what’s in season, plus various tips and resources. The free guide is available online, and a printed version will be available at libraries, township and county offices, Kimberton Whole Foods locations, and at select farm stands.
Source: Chester County Press; 5/1/2024
HUD places Chester Housing Authority on ‘troubled’ list
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has designated the Chester Housing Authority (CHA) as “troubled.” The agency gave the CHA a Public Housing Assessment (PHA) score of 53% in April 2023, mainly due to poor physical conditions. The PHA measures each housing authority’s performance in four categories: capital fund, financial, management and physical condition. An overall score below 60% earns a spot on the troubled list. HUD regulations require that CHA improve by 2025. If it fails to do so, it’s unclear how 2,500 Chester families living in CHA-managed properties or receiving housing vouchers would be affected. The federal agency could seize control of the authority, appoint a receiver to manage it or seek proposals for an outside party to take over. HUD negotiated a recovery agreement and plan with CHA in January, and CHA executive director Steven Fischer said progress is already underway.
Source: WHYY; 5/6/2024
Haverford schools budget would raise taxes
The Haverford Township School Board is scheduled to vote on Thursday, June 13, on a budget proposal that would raise taxes for the 2024-2025 school year. The proposed budget would raise the millage rate from 18.1684 to 18.8951 mills, with 1 mill equaling $1 of tax for every $1,000 in assessed property value. According to the district, a home with an assessed value of about $346,400 will see a tax bill of about $6,546, a roughly $250 increase from the previous year. The budget stands at $150.46 million in revenues and $154.52 million in expenditures. Residents can see a summary of the proposed 2024-2025 budget on the district website ahead of the adoption vote in June.
Source: Haverford Patch; 5/6/2024
Chester’s historic courthouse, one of nation’s oldest public buildings, gets $522K grant
The historic Chester Courthouse in the heart of the city’s downtown was erected in 1724 during the reign of King George I. It has been called the oldest public building still in use in the United States. The Georgian-style stone structure has undergone significant cosmetic surgeries over time. Structurally, the building, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, appears to be in decent shape. The structure largely has been protected from the elements by walls that Ed Orner, a Delaware County facilities management supervisor, estimates are 17 inches thick. The state has awarded Delaware County $522,000 for the building’s restoration in conjunction with the nation’s 250th celebration in 2026. The funds come from the National Park Service Semiquincentennial grant program. No timetable has been established for the completion of the renovations. The county is leasing the building from the state for $1 a year, and facilities’ staff members have assumed responsibility for the improvements to come.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 5/3/2024
County council receives more pushback from residents about Delco Woods
At the May 1 meeting of Delaware County Council, an overflow crowd turned out to express opposition to council’s plans to place a mental health facility at the former Don Guanella property in Marple Township adjacent to the new Delco Woods county park. Residents expressed a preference for the entire 213-acre property to be kept as open space. As at the previous council meeting, members of the public expressed opposition to having housing for people with mental illness in existing buildings. They also objected to any assistance for illegal immigrants being provided at the site, though the county has said no such proposal exists. Delaware County Council Chair Dr. Monica Taylor said that the county Human Services Department has looked at 25 sites over the past two and a half years in an attempt to place the program being considered for Delco Woods. She said the county is continuing to pursue the option as well as others. Last month, county council announced a proposal to use existing buildings to house and provide services for those with mental illness, while leaving 170 acres as preserved open space. In response, Marple Township commissioners voted to rezone the entire 213-acre parcel as open space. Meeting documents and video can be viewed on the county website.
Source: Daily Times; 5/3/2024
Ridley Township fire companies Vauclain and Leedom merge
Two Ridley Township fire companies — S.M. Vauclain Fire Company and Leedom Fire Company — have finalized a merger, becoming Ridley Township Fire Company Number 1, Delaware County Station 27. Firefighters said the merger had been in the works for several years, was voted on by the membership, and would give enhanced response profiles and better operational goals. Jay Mensack, president of the newly formed company, said that about 20 years ago members started to discuss a merger because of manpower and staffing issues. Just over two years ago they agreed to make it official. Township officials supported the move. Mensack said the time requirement is a lot and call volumes are up a couple hundred percent. Both companies ran over 380 calls last year.
Source: Daily Times; 5/7/2024
Vacant property fee back on the table in Lansdale
Lansdale Borough Council and several of its committees have discussed vacancies along Main Street for several years. Closures of pharmacies, bank branches and a hardware store brought the discussion back to the forefront in April, when borough officials resumed talks on a vacancy fee. The vacancy fee tactic was first broached by Mayor Gerry Herbert, who continues his support of the idea. The fee would be charged to owners of empty storefronts if they don’t present plans for new occupants or developments. Council’s code committee recently discussed similar codes already in place in Pottstown, Lock Haven and elsewhere in Pennsylvania. Lansdale’s director of community development, Jason Van Dame, reported that Pottstown has adopted something similar, along with a commercial safety inspection program. Van Dame said the code department is still gathering information, including possible exceptions from a vacancy fee for owners or landlords who are caring for their properties. Lansdale’s borough council next meets on Wednesday, May 15, at 7 p.m., and the code enforcement committee next meets on June 5 at 7:30 p.m., both at the borough municipal building, 1 Vine St.
Source: The Reporter; 5/6/2024
Lower Merion’s City Avenue transformation will triple its apartment count, shift to walkable living
In 2010, Lower Merion Township officials adapted the zoning code to encourage more residential density and mixed-use spaces in key areas. Those changes laid the groundwork for an era of significant change in the landscape along City Avenue. Once dominated by strip malls and office towers, the existing surface parking lots offer ample space for new, infill construction. Repurposing former retail spaces is also in the mix — Federal Realty Investment Trust is leading the way with a project to build 217 apartments on the site of a former Lord & Taylor’s department store. Other apartments just in the planning phase include Keystone Development + Investment with 272 units at One Belmont, and Hanover Properties with 425 units at 111 Presidential Blvd. A plan for 757 units around Bala Plaza office properties could have stalled last year when the properties sold, but new owners FLD Group Inc. and the Adjmi family have said they plan to continue with a residential redevelopment. Read more in the Inquirer.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 5/2/2024 & Montco.Today; 5/7/2024
Lower Gwynedd to consider driveway, sidewalk and curbing ordinance
Lower Gwynedd Township supervisors will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, May 14, at 7 p.m. to consider the adoption of a driveway, sidewalk and curbing ordinance. The proposed ordinance will establish standards for the construction, maintenance, restoration and repair of roads, driveways, sidewalks and streets. See the Lower Gwynedd Township website for up-to-date meeting information.
Source: Lower Gwynedd Township
North Penn School District to host School Safety Forum
The North Penn School District (NPSD) is hosting a school safety forum to discuss the policies, practices and measures in place to establish a comprehensive approach to school safety. The forum will be held on Tuesday, May 14, at 6 p.m. at North Penn High School, 1340 Valley Forge Road, Lansdale. The public forum will include a panel discussion moderated by Superintendent Todd Bauer and will begin with NPSD’s coordinator of emergency management and safe schools, Brandon Rhone, providing an overview of the district’s school safety efforts and security measures. The panel discussion will include input and comments from local law enforcement, county safety officials, mental health experts and the NPSD school board.
Source: North Penn Now; 5/6/2024
New analysis finds evidence of racial bias in Philly property assessments
Philadelphia property owner Sandra Carter was shocked to see a 500% increase in the assessment of her family’s triplex, from $90,200 in 2019 to $513,800 in 2022. She was able to appeal the half-million dollar assessment and have it reduced to $130,000 — but researchers say her experience illustrates systemic biases baked into Philadelphia’s property assessment system. Mayor Cherelle Parker’s administration is vowing to address the problems with a new task force. The work of the Philadelphia Residential Property Assessment Task Force will be rooted in the release of a new report that shows homes in predominantly Black, Hispanic and low-income neighborhoods in the city were more likely to be inaccurately assessed in 2022 compared to homes in majority white and higher-income neighborhoods. Read more here.
Source: PlanPhilly; 4/26/2024
Philly announces next big solar energy project, which could power 600 city-owned buildings
On the heels of connecting Philly to a big solar array in Adams County, city officials said they are looking to plug into an even larger renewable energy source within the next few years to help power the city’s 600 municipal-owned buildings. The Adams Solar Project is supplying an estimated 25% of power needed for city buildings. Mayor Cherelle L. Parker said the renewable energy source helps the city meet its goals of 100% renewable energy by 2030. The city is now accepting bids for the new, second renewable energy project to be operational between 2025 and 2030. Emily Schapira, president and CEO of the Philadelphia Energy Authority, an independent municipal agency, said the project could generate power from solar, wind, hydroelectric or other renewable sources. Bids are due in July, and the contract would likely be for 20 years.
Source: Inquirer; 5/1/2024
Parker administration details plans for Fairmount site for people with addiction
Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s administration said it has expanded capacity at a homeless shelter in Fairmount and can serve people with addiction, a move officials said is part of a broader effort to improve the city’s offerings for people with substance use disorder. News of the expanded site comes as the Parker administration has made cleaning up Kensington’s open-air drug market a key priority and days before the city is expected to clear several blocks in that neighborhood where people are living on the street. As part of the cleanup, city policy is to offer shelter to people camping in the area. Questions remain about where else the city is looking to expand treatment capacity, how much money it will cost, and how much space is ultimately needed to meet the demand for drug treatment and shelter.
Source: Inquirer; 5/2/2024
Neighbors oppose prospect of a bus station at Old City parking garage
City officials are considering the first level of an Old City parking garage as the site for a new temporary bus terminal for Greyhound and other intercity carriers, the latest plot twist in an ongoing municipal soap opera. Neighbors of the AutoPark at South Second and Walnut streets say they were blindsided by the news. They’re fighting back. An online petition against the proposal by a group of concerned Old City residents had more than 800 signatures, and lawyers are involved. Amigos, a Spanish immersion preschool 25 feet from the garage entrance, is mobilizing parents to protest. South Second Street, a narrow colonial-era roadway, is already crowded with delivery vehicles and three SEPTA bus lines, residents say. They fear more dangerous traffic and pollution, and say that a stream of Greyhounds and the like would ruin the ambience of Old City. Read more here.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 5/1/2024
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