[At its May 24, 2023, public meeting #NewtownPA] supervisors voted to send its solicitor to the June 1 Zoning Hearing Board (ZHB) meeting to oppose an appeal by DeLuca Construction to subdivide a three acre lot at 70 Twining Bridge Road into two lots where only one is permitted under the Conservation Management Zone (CMZ).]
UPDATE (6/22/23): DeLuca Construction, which sought to subdivide a 3.0+ acre lot at 70 Twining Bridge Rd in the #NewtownPA CM District into two 1.5-acre lots and build 2 single-family homes has withdrawn its Zoning Hearing Board application seeking zoning relief required to pursue its project.
Land development attorney Joe Blackburn said that it needs two lots to recoup the cost from the anticipated demolition of a "dilapidated" existing farmhouse, which he said will be costly due to the amount of asbestos abatement that will be required.
“We truly can’t put a single house on a lot based on the remediation costs associated with the property. We’re talking about hundreds of thousands of dollars, which are not recoverable with a single family home,” said Blackburn.
The supervisors had previously voted to send a letter to the zoning board opposing the relief. On Wednesday night the board voted 4 to 1 to also send its solicitor in opposition.
“I’m in favor of maintaining the letter of the law with regard to our ordinances,” said Supervisor John Mack.
Chairman Dennis Fisher voted to oppose the motion.
During public comment, Bill Mahler, who chairs the township's Joint Historic Commission, commended the supervisors for voting to send its solicitor to the hearing. "It is important to uphold the ordinances," he said.
"As far as the structures on that property, I am deeply concerned about the three 170 year old structures built by the Twining family who originally bought that land in 1695 and passed it down through at least nine generations.
"I would deeply contest Mr. Blackburn's comment about the advance state of dilapidation. I was in those properties six years ago when this came up. I was in them again recently. And they are actually in a very salvageable condition and in a position to be preserved."
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