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Newtown Township Supervisors Vote Not to Oppose Zoning Relief for Chick-Fil-A & New Old Navy Store in Newtown Shopping Center, But...

Newtown Township Supervisors Vote Not to Oppose Zoning Relief for Chick-Fil-A & New Old Navy Store in Newtown Shopping Center, But... | Newtown News of Interest | Scoop.it

The Newtown Township Planning Commission reached a consensus on July 7 to support an amended zoning relief application for a number of new improvements being proposed at the Newtown Shopping Center on West Road. The center is anchored by ACME …

 

In its amended application, Newtown/Bucks Associates LP is seeking variances to construct a 400 square foot addition to the kitchen of the popular Chick-Fil-A fast food eatery and for a number of roadway improvements to eliminate congestion in and around the restaurant.

 

During busy days, especially holidays, the drive-thru lanes at the eatery back up onto West Road and sometimes as far as Durham Road creating traffic congestion in and around the shopping center.

 

The shopping center owner is also seeking variances from the township’s zoning hearing board for the construction of a new 12,500 square foot retail building to house an Old Navy retail store along with 80 new parking spaces.

 

The proposed new free standing Old Navy store would be built next to the Bed, Bath & Beyond store adjacent to the Acme shopping center and backing up to the Council Rock North property.

 

The township’s zoning Hearing Board is scheduled to hear the amended application at its August 6 meeting. [For more information about that hearing and how to participate, see John Mack’s Event Calendar: https://www.johnmacknewtown.info/eventcal.html]

 

BUT...

 

At its July 8 meeting, the board of supervisors followed the planning commission’s recommendation and voted not to oppose the application, although supervisor John Mack expressed frustration that the proposed Old Navy store and Chick-Fil-A improvements are part of the same application.

 

Mack, while supportive of the traffic improvements at the fast food eatery, expressed skepticism as to whether Old Navy would be a good fit for the shopping center and for Newtown.

 

“I think the Chick-Fil-A improvements are really needed, although I’m not quite sure it will work as planned,” said Mack. “But the Old Navy, as far as I’m concerned, is probably something that may not fit in Newtown, but I guess that’s up to the landlord.”

johnmacknewtown's insight:

I did not like the idea that both these uses were bundled into one for approval. So how can I vote to oppose one without also opposing the other? It's just another example, as far as I am concerned for how developers manipulate the system.

 

You might like to see why 69% of the people I surveyed do not want an Old Navy in Newtown: https://patch.com/pennsylvania/newtown-pa/survey-says-newtown-area-residents-oppose-old-navy-box-store

 

Give me your opinion. Take my survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9KWDX87 

 

Related Content:

  • “Planning Commission Supports Improvements to Access to Chick-fil-A and Addition of Old Navy to Newtown Shopping Center”; http://sco.lt/9LQJSi
  • Listen to the presentation by representatives of the shopping Center and Chick-fil-A at the January 21, 2020, Planning Commission meeting: http://bit.ly/2uxjN2B

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Newtown News of Interest
These Scoops are excerpts from articles published in local newspapers and other sources that may be of interest to Newtown area residents. Please click on the "From" link to access the full original article. Any opinions and "insights" appended to these article summaries are solely those of John Mack and do not represent the opinions of any other person or entity.
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