News & Issues: News Brief

Bucks County
Chester County
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General News

2009 Codes remain in effect

On March 10, 2010, Commonwealth Court Judge Johnny J. Butler denied the Pennsylvania Builders Association (PBA) request for a preliminary injunction against the Department of Labor and Industry enforcing its regulation adopting the 2009 International Codes.  The result of this decision is that the 2009 ICC Codes remain in effect in Pennsylvania. 

 

Legislative Breakfast Scheduled for March 26!

Join your colleagues and the Suburban REALTORS® Alliance on Friday, March 26, for a special legislative breakfast with members of the Pennsylvania State Senate and House of Representatives. This is an opportunity for REALTORS® to discuss important real estate, housing and small business issues with elected officials from Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery Counties. More than 20 members of the PA House and Senate have already confirmed their attendance at the event. In the midst of these challenging economic times, we need your help to shine a light on the issues that matter most to the real estate industry! Click here for event details.

 

When: Friday, March 26, 2010, 8:30 a.m.

Where: Crowne Plaza Valley Forge

Cost: 2010 $99 RPAC Contribution

RSVP: Reserve your space at the breakfast by contacting Erin Smist at: esmist@suburbanrealtorsalliance.com

Contributions are not deductible for income purposes.  Contributions to RPAC are voluntary and are used for political purposes.  The amount suggested is merely a guideline and you may contribute more or less than the suggested amount.  You may refuse to contribute without reprisal and the National Association of REALTORS® or any of its state associations or local boards will not favor or disfavor any member because of the amount contributed.  70% of each contribution is used by your state PAC to support state and local political candidates.  Until your state PAC reaches its RPAC goal 30% is sent to National RPAC to support federal candidates and is charged against your limits under 2 U.S.C. 441a; after the state PAC reaches its RPAC goal it may elect to retain your entire contribution for use in supporting state and local candidates.

 

New lead paint rules could prove costly to homeowners

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting rules, which go into effect April 22, are designed to prevent lead dust generated during renovations to houses, schools and day care centers from sickening children and pregnant women. The rules apply to homes and buildings built before 1978, the year lead paint was banned. The EPA estimates 40 percent of lead poisoning cases occur during renovations to older buildings. The new rule requires companies to register with the EPA and to train workers on lead paint removal. In addition, contractors must take a 1-inch sample out of an area being removed or remodeled and have it tested at a certified laboratory for lead levels. The rules apply even to painting an area as small as 6 square feet. Homeowners who do the work themselves are exempt.

Source: Reading Eagle; 3/10/2010

 

Blue Route project to start Monday

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation will begin work on Monday morning to rebuild a stretch of the Blue Route between Chemical road and the Schuylkill Expressway in Montgomery County. Click here for more information.

Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 3/11/2010

Bucks County

Doylestown Township appoints new supervisor

The Doylestown Township board of supervisors recently appointed Rick Colello to fill a vacancy in the board after the resignation of Jeffrey Bennett.  Colello was chosen from a candidate field of 17 after an interview process, nomination and final vote. He has been a resident of Doylestown Township since 1985 and served on the Oktoberfest committee and planning commission. Colello will hold the supervisor position until the next election in 2011.

Source: The Intelligencer; 3/10/10

 

Proposed redevelopment of Shenandoah Woods reviewed in Warminster

Of the many plans being discussed for the reuse of the military housing at the Willow Grove Naval Air Station, the proposal by the Bucks County Housing Group and The Reinvestment Fund to rehab the housing into twin and single family homes is gaining the most momentum. It became the popular option after the number of homes slated for the property dropped from 199 to 113. The profits from the sale of the rehabbed homes would be used to aid homeless groups in Bucks and Montgomery counties. Other groups are submitting possible uses for the Shenandoah neighborhood, including transitional housing for recovering addicts and their families (The Aldie Foundation); the use of 26 acres of woodland for open space and storm water (Warminster Township); and the use of homes for schooling by the ATG Learning Academy. The committee which will oversee the plans and make a recommendation has requested an extension to wade through the information presented. A decision had been expected at the April 12 meeting. Once the committee decision is finalized, the recommendation will be sent to the Horsham Land Reuse Authority and then on to federal agencies for final approval.

Source: Bucks County Courier Times; 3/8/10 & The Intelligencer; 3/11/10

 

Neshaminy School District will seek staff input for budget cuts

The Neshaminy school board recently approved a motion to send letters to district certified and support staff seeking input and recommendations for reducing the projected $7.6 million budget shortfall. The reduction of expenditures was deemed a difficult but necessary task. Budget items up for elimination include: elementary guidance, middle school sports, reading specialists, librarians and more. Other alternatives are traveling art, music and special education teachers. The school board is also encouraging community members to offer suggestions on the budget. Click here for the school district website which includes the proposed 2010-11 budget.

Source: Bucks County Courier Times; 3/10/10

 

Hilltown Township approves open space plan

Hilltown Township supervisors recently approved an updated open space plan which will allow the township to apply to Bucks County for a portion of the $27 million in available open space funding. The money was borrowed by Bucks County after a 2007 voter referendum approved borrowing $87 million for open space and recreation funding. The township portion amounts to about $686,000 in available funds. Now that the open space plan has been approved at the local level it will be filed with the county. It is then up to the township to determine the individual projects for which to seek funding and each will be applied for separately.

Source: Perkasie News Herald; 3/10/10

 

Bensalem receives $60,000 grant to design trail along State Road

Bensalem Township was recently awarded a $60,000 grant from the Delaware Valley Planning Commission to aid in the design of a bike and pedestrian trail running along State Road. The grant is being received through the township’s Transportation and Community Development Initiative. The end goal is to connect the State Road trail with others running through Bensalem and eventually connect with the East Coast Greenway project, which hopes to run trails from Maine to Miami.

Source: Bucks County Courier Times; 3/8/10 

Chester County

Oxford reviews new law aimed at disruptive renters

Oxford Borough Council is waiting a week to gather additional information from the borough's solicitor before deciding to advertise a new ordinance concerning rental properties. As the ordinance stands, any tenant, guest or owner of a residential rental who is loud or offensive or who disturbs other people to the point where their disturbance is reported to the police or to the borough's code enforcement officer may be in violation. Tenants and guests may be subject to criminal prosecution, with fines up to $1,000. Owners who permit or tolerate the disruptive conduct are subject to civil action and fines. A first offense generates a warning. Second offenses can carry fines of $300, and a third offense can bring a $500 fine to the owner. Conviction of three or more offenses can result in the revocation of the owner's rental permit. The borough has been working on the ordinance since December 2008 and changes have been made along the way. The definition of “disruptive behavior” was compiled from several similar ordinances in other municipalities. The ordinance is expected to come before council on March 15 for authorization to advertise in preparation for approval.

Source: Daily Local; 3/10/2010

 

New map of East Nottingham and Oxford approved

Oxford Borough Council members approved the creation of an up-to-date map of the area and its businesses. East Nottingham is already busy compiling a map of their area. About 4,000 copies of the maps will be mailed to residents in the coming months. Fifty extra copies will be made available at the borough office. The maps will be paid for by the advertisements contained therein and will be free of cost to both municipalities. Copies will also be sent to new homeowners.

Source: Chester County Press; 3/10/2010

 

Tredyffrin implements sidewalk plan

To prepare for sidewalk construction in Tredyffrin, set to start Tuesday, certain early action items such as tree removal and the installation of a retaining wall, have begun. According to township engineer Stephen Burgo, these items must be completed ahead of the sidewalk project. That project, which is expected to be completed by October of this year, involves laying down sidewalks on four roads around Tredyffrin/Easttown Middle School and Conestoga High School — Old Lancaster Road, Conestoga Road, Howellville Road and Irish Road — to enhance public safety and pedestrian mobility. The sidewalks are being built as a series and as part of an extensive transportation economic-recovery project. These sidewalks also will connect to other local schools, rail stations, parks and libraries to provide a safer route for students to walk to and from school as well as to local commuter rail stations and business districts.

Source: Daily Local; 3/12/10

 

Developer updates Marriott Hotel and office project in Coatesville

An attorney for the developer of Coatesville’s Marriott Hotel and office building project Monday night updated City Council on plans for the development. Attorney Ross Weiss said the developer plans to seek preliminary and final land development approval of the project from City Council in two weeks. The city's Redevelopment Authority sold a 22-acre site off Route 82 and the Route 30 Bypass to Pulver for the hotel and office building project site last August. The city's planning commission reviewed the plan and recommended its approval on Feb. 17, Weiss said. The city's Zoning Hearing Board granted a special exception for shared parking of the hotel and office tower on Feb. 23.

Source: Daily Local; 3/10/2010

Delaware County

Chester is giving future homeowners a reason to buy a house in the city

Chester City officials have designed several useful programs to help sell Chester to prospective homebuyers: the employer-directed Walk to Work program and the city’s Homeownership Assistance Program. The Walk to Work program works through participating businesses, such as Crozer-Keystone Health System, Widener University and the Chester Water Authority, which agree to pay $5,000 to employees who close on a home near those workplaces. Employees must agree to live in the home and remain at work with these institutions for at least five years or they have to return the money. The city’s Homeownership Assistance Program provides a maximum of $5,000 for closing costs and up to 50 percent of the down payment, up to $5,000 for income qualified buyers. The Chester Economic Development Authority said this program sets its income eligibility at $62,250 for a family of four. These programs may be combined with the federal tax credit for those who obtain an agreement of sale through the end of April.

Source: Daily Times; 3/1/2010

 

Special meeting on Smedley Tract

Middletown residents, business owners and others interested in the future of the township’s Smedley Tract are invited to a special meeting which will begin at 7 p.m., March 16 in the township building on North Pennell Road. Township officials plan to introduce the draft of a master site plan for the property during the meeting. This is the third of four public meetings focusing on the use of the land, which was acquired from the Smedley Group for open space preservation. A fourth meeting will take place sometime in June.  Township officials point out that the Smedley Tract represents an opportunity to design a park that will benefit local neighborhoods and the entire township. The master plan will guide the future development, stewardship and maintenance of the park.

Source: Daily Times; 3/10/2010

 

Chester Heights looking for feedback from residents

Chester Heights Borough officials are midway through the two-year process of creating a new comprehensive plan, and Chester Heights residents are urged to visit the borough’s web site at www.chesterheights.org to complete a questionnaire. Information garnered from residents’ responses will be incorporated into the comprehensive planning discussion. Questions on the website form include suggested community improvements and significant problems facing the borough in the next 5-10 years.

Source: Daily Times; 3/6/2010

 

Millbourne council adopts new budget

Millbourne Borough officials have adopted a new 2010 operating budget after reviewing the previous council’s approved revenue and spending plan. An existing 2-mill property tax increase approved by the previous council has not been amended, but the budget has been cut slightly from $754,500 to $727,452. A resident with a $50,000 average assessment will be paying $1,150 in taxes under the current budget.

Source: Daily Times; 3/8/2010

 

Court reverses ruling on Newtown town center

A Commonwealth Court reversed a Court of Common Pleas decision Friday regarding development of the town center at Ellis Preserve, stating that the lower court lacked the authority to approve a 219-acre settlement agreement. According to court documents, Newtown Square East developer Claude de Botton challenged the settlement agreement negotiated between municipal officials and Berwind Property Group (BPG). In his opinion, Judge Robert Simpson remanded to trial court the decision of whether to keep a previously agreed settlement between BPG and municipal officials for 51 of the proposed 219 acres, or to throw out the settlement agreement completely. According to court documents, de Botton had challenged the settlement agreement, stating it constituted unlawful contract zoning, or spot zoning. He said it also infringed on the due process rights of neighboring landowners, like himself, court documents stated. However, in his opinion, Judge Simpson said the municipal action de Botton was challenging was not rezoning, but in fact the municipality’s approval of BPG’s development. The town center settlement was negotiated between BPG and Newtown officials in 2008.

Source: Daily Times; 3/8/2010

 

Radnor hires new manager

Robert Zienkowski, who has been the city manager of Brunswick, Ohio since 2003, is eager to begin his new position as Radnor Township Manager on May 1. Zienkowski is coming into the position of Radnor Township manager after 25 years of experience in management, as well as having served on a town council. Zienkowski is set to begin his new position at a salary of $182,000.

Source: Main Line Suburban Life; 3/10/2010

 

Delaware County Council OKs funds for Darby Twp. project

Delaware County Council recently approved an amendment to the fiscal year 2006 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Action Plan to allocate an additional $46,800 in recaptured CDBG funds to Darby Township to support improvements at the Annex Building on Cedarwood Road. When the project is completed, the total cost will be $74,800. County Planning Department Director John Pickett said the Darby Township project needed more funding for completion. The additional CDBG funding comes from money left over from other projects.

Source: Daily Times; 3/7/2010

Montgomery County

Montgomery Township named to “Best Affordable Suburbs in America 2010”

BusinessWeek magazine recently named Montgomery Township one of the “Best Affordable Suburbs in America 2010.” The search criteria included suburbs within 25 miles of the states’ most populated city with populations between 5,000 and 60,000 and a median family income of $51,000 to $120,000. Convenient shopping and outdoor amenities such as golf and the new trail system were mentioned as important to the designation. Township supervisor Candyce Fluehr Chimera, who is also a REALTOR® in the area, was pleased with the announcement and believes the title will be used in aggressive marketing by REALTORS®. Click here for the Montgomery Township website.

Source: The Intelligencer; 3/11/10

 

Cheltenham to review final draft of Community Revitalization Plan

The Cheltenham Township Board of Commissioners will hold a public meeting on Wednesday, March 17 at 7:30 p.m. to review the final draft of the Cheltenham Community Revitalization Plan. The meeting is at Curtis Hall, 1250 W. Church Road, Wyncote, PA 19095. Click here for the Cheltenham Township website.

Source: Montgomery Publishing Group; 3/10/10

 

Wissahickon School Board sets goals for 2010

At the March 8 meeting, the Wissahickon School Board announced goals it hopes to achieve for the coming year. They include “maximizing the academic achievement” of each student, working toward the elimination of the achievement gap, and operating all school district programs with a focus on efficiency and accountability. The plan includes indicators to assess how successful the board is in achieving the stated goals. The school board also set the calendar for the 2010-11 school year with a start date of August 30 and an end date of June 14.

Source: Ambler Gazette; 3/10/10

 

Abington Township seeks resident input concerning housing and community development

The Abington Township Community Development Office will hold a public meeting on March 31 from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. to obtain views and comments from interested citizens concerning housing and community development needs. The information will be considered when the township prepares the 2010 Consolidated Plan and 2010 One-Year Action Plan for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program which will be submitted to HUD. The meeting will take place in the Abington Township Building, 1176 Old York Road, Abington, PA 19001. Click here for the Abington Township website.

Source: Montgomery Publishing Group; 3/10/10

 

Multiple appeals filed over Lower Merion decision for O’Neill Schuylkill riverfront project

Lower Merion Township’s decision over the proposed development of the industrial zone along the Schuylkill River has resulted in the filing of appeals by the developer, O’Neill Properties Group, and a neighboring property owner, Penn Realty. O’Neill’s appeal challenges 25 of the 34 conditions for approval and states that the “approval” is actually a denial because many of the conditions for approval are impossible to meet. Penn Realty’s appeal is based upon similar concerns. O’Neill officials contend that they did not receive a fair hearing. The company is asking the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas to strike all of the conditions of approval and hold a new hearing.

Source: Main Line Times; 3/4/10

 

 

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