Old York And Susquehanna Rds.
Traffic Improvement (but really so much more)
Multiple Grants = $2.8 M
FIRST AND FOREMOST - THE TOOLS OF TRANSPARENCY THAT YOU NEED :
Ask
your
own
Commissioner and Board Presidents Manager Manfredi
( rmanfredi@abingtonpa.gov
) to
make the page
with this project's info easy to find from the home
page of our Township website.
The project page should have
all up
coming and past meeting dates, links to meeting minutes,
meeting videos, grant documents, diagrams, plans,
etc. --- presented in chronological order . What
little info they have on this years long project is found by
scrolling down on this page:
www.abingtonpa.gov/projects/
Summary of the Issue - THEORETICALLY: STRAIGHTENING
THE ROAD & IMPROVING THE INTERSECTION
- but
at 2.8 million dollars , very little of what they are doing
will benefit the citizens. Instead, a real fear has been the
dogged drive toward the creation of the "Economic
Development Corporation " and the announced intent
earlier for this to be its first project. That would
be the embodiment of your Commissioners becoming developers
themselves - while throwing all the rules of fair play out
the window .
They would choose the players to do
the deveoping, choose the parcels of land ( even use eminent
domain if they wanted to ), choose how they wanted to zone
it, decide whether they and their friends were following the
rules (oversee themselves) , they would do the inspections
or write any necessary citations for themselves
if they didn't follow the law, etc etc etc -- oh my and they
would ( this was IN the presentation ) avoid nasty rules
htey are usually required to follow like the bidding process
& distance themselves from the opinion of the public,
use the public resources ( such a making the manager the CEO
and using public works or the construction services team for
$1 ) and when a profit was made, they would not give it back
to the taxpayers that funded all this --- they would give it
to OTHER friends to repeat the same process. Does this
sound good to you? Keep your eye on this corner ---- a
corner where NO DENSE DEVELOPMENT OR TOWN CENTER SHOULD BE
BUILT. It will just make the intersection more
dangerous.
A new bus stop
at one time was being inserted
here. That may have changed when they had trouble acquiring
the Karate Studio.
By 2021 a major part of the plan seemed to be to make a transit hub
and a "town center" so that transit oriented
development (a higher, denser, commercial /residential mix ) could be built
here --- and also within a 1/2 mile radius of the transit
hub. As of April 2023 they are simply continuing to
not be forth-coming about anything that is happening
here, but what is clear , is that just a teeny tiny
improvement to the intersection will result from the entire
$3 million project - and a real and significant intersection
improvement would have been of the most benefit to the
residents of Abington, most of whom use this intersection
frequently, if not everyday. Making a tiny road
improvement, but then increasing the density and the traffic
to the intersection has potential to make it WORSE --- not
BETTER. And at great cost to us all.
Look at the sliver of
blue on the diagram below, that enables a better turning
radius and one extra turn lane. And the density and
pedestrian traffic making their way to the bus seem destined
to make the intersection
less
safe. At one point $ 1 million dollars was hinted at
as a benefit to developers building the density that
residents do not want- but would be subsidizing.
And by
2022 with the new Comprehensive Plan, single family homes
within a 1/2 mi radius of the "Transit Hub" and
commercial center will learn that the "vision" is to remove
their single family status and allow mult-family
zoning - duplexes-- triplexes etc.
With
$ 2.8 million of taxpayer money
going into this project and so
very little of it slated for serious improvement
of the traffic situation why are they
creating a "Town Center"? Would
you do that at the highest crash intersection?
It was suggested that a
million or so of the money coming from these grants might serve to benefit a
developer in his project ( apparently in that we are
making the improvements he would have had to make to make
his property a money maker. Is that how you want
your tax money spent. Out of your pocket and into the pocket
of an already welathy developer/property owner? This
is how hte "transfer of wealth" takes place that leads
to such devastating inequality. It's hard to see it actually
happening.
The
County Revelepment Authority bought
the 4 properties along Old York with taxpayer funds, but just a very tiny piece of
the land, as seen in plans at the July 11, 2019 meeting, and
again at the Planning Commission 9-22-20 meeting, looks to
be slated for use in actually improving the intersection.
Information has been difficult to get. That is
another issue of concern. Questions, when asked,
need to be answered - otherwise we cannot oversee
those whom we elect, or know if good things are being done.
Here's what the Township hdd to say about the
project as of 4-23
Old York Road and Susquehanna Road Intersection
Improvements
Beginning in 2015, the
Township has actively sought grants to improve the
intersection of the Old York Road and Susquehanna
Road in Abington Township.
The project will address the demolition, alignment
and reconstruction of the intersection of Old York
Road and Susquehanna Road, enhance traffic flow, and
provide better access in turning onto Old York Road.
Grant funds will be used to create a more walkable
town center, safer roadways and a hub that will
connect residents to bike lanes and mass transit, as
well as cultural, education and commercial
districts. This effort is on-going and this page
will be updated as relevant information is
available.
Activities
April 2023
Site work and preparation for demolition will begin
Tuesday, April 4, 2023. During this time, there will
be limited access to the sidewalks surrounding 1100,
1102, 1104, 1106 Old York Road. The
demolition of 1100, 1102, 1104, and 1106 Old York
Road is expected to begin on Monday, April 10. During
demolition, the sidewalks surrounding the building
will be closed.
The following information
is as shared by Commissioner Spiegelman:
“During the demolition project, the right
southbound lane of Old York Road will be closed
directly in front of the buildings being
demolished. Specifically, signage and traffic cones
will be used north of the restriction point to merge
all southbound traffic into the left southbound
lane. The
intersection itself will remain open, and right
turns from southbound Old York onto westbound
Susquehanna will still be allowed from the remaining
southbound lane of 611.
However, because
it is inevitable that some southbound 611 drivers
will see the lane restriction warning signs and
decide to self-detour to Highland Avenue to avoid
Old York–Susquehanna, the following measures will be
taken to accommodate any such self-detoured traffic
in the safest and most sensible way possible:
-
A temporary sign will be placed facing
southbound Old York Road before Horace Avenue
alerting drivers of the lane restriction at Old
York and Susquehanna. This will give them ample
opportunity to turn right onto the 1900 block of
Horace (which is wide, is nonresidential, and
has a light) in order to get to Highland.
-
Further south, another temporary sign will be
posted telling drivers telling them that the
1900 block of Guernsey Avenue is DO NOT ENTER:
LOCAL TRAFFIC ONLY to prevent cut-through
traffic along that very narrow and
almost-entirely-residential block.
The APD will allocate additional patrol resources to
the 1900 blocks of Guernsey and Horace and the
section of Highland Avenue between Horace and
Susquehanna, as well as to tributary streets/blocks
on the east side of 611 (including Eckard Avenue and
the 1800 block of Guernsey).”
March 2023
Verizon has scheduled the removal of their utilities
from 1100, 1102, 1104, and 1106 Old York Road for
the week of March 20th. The work is anticipated to
take two days. This is the last item before
demolition .The demolition contractor will commence
work shortly thereafter, with an anticipated start
date of the week of Mar 27
February 2023 Utility
removal within 1100, 1102, 1104, and 1106 Old York
Road continues. Once utility removal is complete,
demolition can begin. Demolition and site work is
expected to take 10 - 14 days to complete. An
updated schedule will be provided when available.
January 2023Abatement
is complete and demolition is expected to start in
January 2023. Demolition and site work is expected
to take 10 - 14 days to complete. An updated
schedule will be provided when available.
January
21, 2023. Aqua - terminating water services
for demolition of the corner properties (1100, 1102,
1104, and 1106 Old York Road). Emergency vehicles
will have access if needed.
October 2022
Abatement is expected to begin Thursday,
October 13, 2022, at 1100 Old York Road. Abatement
will be within the structure with very limited
exterior non-friable work and will be done under
containment with Hepa air filtration and negative
pressure. Some non-friable materials (caulk, floor
tile, etc.) will be removed intact with hand tools.
Pennoni ( which is our Township Engineering firm)
will be conducting oversight and air monitoring
inside and outside the containment of the work area
to ensure removal is in accordance with regulatory
compliance.
September 2022
Abatement of hazardous materials at
structures located at 1100 Old York Road, Abington
PA 19001 contract and the demolition of existing
structures at 1100 Old York Road, Abington PA 19001
contract awards will be on the Board
of Commissioners, September 8, 2022 agenda for
consideration.
August 2022
Abatement of hazardous materials at
structures at 1100 Old York Road, contract and the
demolition of existing structures -contract bids
will be due on August 30, 2022 at 11 AM. All
documents and solicitation details are available any
time at PennBid™ (https://pennbid.procureware.com/home)
by clicking on the bids tab.
Progress on the
design of transportation improvements continues.
July 9, 2015 Resolution
#15-025 was approved by the Board of Commissioners
on July 9, 2015 to submit an application to the
Department of Community & Economic Development for
the Multimodal Transportation Fund Program.
November 10, 2016
The Board of Commissioners voted to
accept the DCED grant award on November 10, 2016.
Since then the township, through the Montgomery
County Redevelopment Authority, has purchased 1100,
1102, 1104, and 1106 Old York Road.
November 12, 2015
Resolution #15-040 was approved by the
Board of Commissioners on November 12, 2015 to
submit an application to PennDOT for the Multimodal
Transportation Fund Program. The Board of
Commissioners voted to accept the PennDOT grant
award on November 10, 2016.
August 11, 2016
Resolution No. 16-025 was adopted by the
Board of Commissioners on August 11, 2016 approving
Abington Township to submit an application to the
Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA) for the
Multimodal Transportation Fund Program.
On November 10, 2016,
a motion was approved to accept the Multimodal
Transportation Fund (MTF) grant from the Department
of Community & Economic Development (DCED) in the
amount of $812,486.00 to support the Old York
Road/Susquehanna Road project and a motion was
approved to accept the MTF grant from PennDOT in the
amount of $588,153 for improvements to the
intersection of Old York Road/Susquehanna Road.
See the tiny
blue sliver of light blue --- that is the land that the 3
millions dollars will get us -- oh yes ... and the bus stop
( the circle) --- and perhaps a slightly broader sidewalk along old
York. Those are the benefits to the residents at large
-- if you even think a bus stop in such a busy intersection
is a good idea at all..or is instead a gift to CHOP
so they can bring out of towners to them and to the developer
(s) who will build
behind the bus stop. A bus will bring him
more clients.
So the taxpayers - rather than the profiting entities - are
paying for all that development, while the intersection gets
a very slightly better turning radius to benefit traffic
coming Southbound and going West. Good on
that - but the new development that is higher and denser
will bring MORE traffic and pedestrians running for
the bus. Very, very bad. One step forward - 2 steps
back.
The taxpayers are further paying to have buildings razed and
driveways widened for the developer (s) . So the very
definition of "economic development" in our Township appears
to be " out of your pocket and into the developer's ".
Read more below about the Commissioners conflict of interest
"Economic Develoment Corporation" which Commissioner
Vahey said he hopes to revive in 2022 -- probably in
conjunction with all the re-zoning that they are doing per
their Comprehensive Plan "vision" that would benefit it
wildly.
Can you think of any reason why the "guy" who
can totally rezone a parcel , should not also be the same
"guy" that develops it and also the same "guy" that
inspects the development to see that it is to code? Oh
my.
( In this picture below, you can see the plan for a
pedestrian plaza /bus stop at the corner --which by
the end of 2022 had to be scrapped as they could not get
ownership of the property that is the 1st in on Susquehanna
- next to and attached to the corner property.
They would have had to pay the proper value of the building
and moving the business.
) John Spiegelman tried to call it a rumor that
there was going to be a bus depot there . It was a
"rumor" started by the officials that work at his pleasure
and produced this graphic. You can see the
Pedestrian Plaza and Bus Stop right on the plan . A
plan Mr Spiegelman is very familiar with. And he knows the
Comprehensive Plan Committee had been hinting at
allowing for deep, deep density withing a 1/2 mi of
not just train stations - but possibly bus
(stations/stops/ or depots?) , too. We could not get
an answer from anyone if it must be a bus depot, not just a
bus "stop" - or if a bus depot was a posiblity
here. Many people would be affected by
this. Mr Spiegelman and the Township simply are not releasing proper information to residents to
answer their questions , or of changes when they happen,
like when the Karate Studio was taken out of the picture. Oh my - that was low, John.
Asbestos
removal Thursday Sept 8th
2022
Board of Commissioners Schedule
They will be approving
the winning bidders for asbestos removal and demolition of
1100 Old York Rd . The progress is happening in steps - and
the whole plan is being withheld .
https://d3n9y02raazwpg.cloudfront.net/abingtonpa/bd43c146-5798-11ec-85e3-0050569183fa-ca2b9c28-b9cf-4f17-b573-dd2752d4679e-1662494746.pdf
agenda at top – docs start at page 64Agenda
Listing :
d. BOC-08-090822 Motion to award the 1100 Old
York Road bids for the Abatement of Hazardous Materials of
Existing Structures to Plymouth Environmental Co., in the
amount of $152,000 and for the Demolition of Existing
Structures to BRB Contractors in the amount of $168,500.
(found starting on p 64 of agenda packet )
Contractors told one of the residents they might start the
work at hte end of September - but residents - as is typical
for this administration - have been kept in the dark .
GOING BACK IN TIME
9-22-20
Properties Declared Blighted and Deep Density Redevelopment
Plan is put forth
Here
are the documents from the 9-22-20
Planning Commission (originally scheduled for 8-19 or
8-25-20 ) where you can see their intent to
build with great density and great height right at the
busiest intersection in Abington. Literally a month
earlier, Manager Richard Manfredi said they had no plan. He
assured residents
the intersection would be improved - but, that tiny blue
sliver is the extent of that .
They could put an indent
lane in for right turns with a right hand turn lane to keep traffic
moving and make the intersection safer --- and that would
make the bus pull in and out safer, too - but they have
not done that. Accountability for the full 2.8 million
dollars is of the essence - and people are needed to follow
this up.
So very little intersection improvement -
declaring people's properties blighted without telling htem
- looking for approval of a dense development plan without
even notifying the nearby neighbors, etc. When does hte
diregard and disrespect for residents stop?
Here are the properties
slated for purchase in total
( but the 2nd one in from the
corner would not sell - which changed all of these plans by
2022 ) I believe the ones
along Old York Rd have already been bought by the Montgomery
County Redevelopment Authority as of this time ( 9-20)
but by 2023 only the 4 in from the corner are being set for
demolition. All the ones along
Susquehanna were apparently not bought. As of January
2021, the one 1st in on Susquehanna - the martial arts
studio - nearest the corner has been the most
intense subject for discussion - with the phrase "Eminent
Domain" in the wording. They decided not to go
that route by the end of 2022 - but as of 2023 have shared
little information about how that changes all the plans .
They never created an Economic Development Corporation - but
acted the same way as if they had.
tHE 9-4-19 Public Affairs Committee Meeting & the
ATTEMPT TO QUICKLY CREATE an Economic Development
Corporation -
WHICH EXPLAINS THE
MYSTERY OF THE HOLD UP
ON THIS PROJECT FOR SO LONG
:
The Township began a quest to set
up an
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION ( click
here)- This is essentially the Township would "become the
developer" themselves - while simultaneously distancing
themselves from the development they are choosing to
do. They would simultaneously be the overseer,
responsible to see that the regulations
were properly followed, as well as the ones benefitting (
especially if they weren't) They would be the ones handing out the
grants --- essentially to themselves. They would be enforcing the
codes, essentially on themselves. They would be approving the zoning.....
for themselves etc.
You get the idea here .
The roll-out /debut of the
Economic Development Corporation itself was fraught
with corruption as they tried to pass a "blank
slate" - hoping no one would notice. At the
the September 4th, 2019 Public Affairs Committee Meeting,
they showed us just how corrupt the process can be. The
ByLaws were not even filled in on the documents they agreed
to pass along to have the full Board approve. They
could have put in any terms they wanted. But they
didn't .... and then Manager Manfredi put it on the
so-called "Consent Agenda" - where, despite no
Commisioners having publy given their consent - the Manager
gifted himself the right to remove certain items from any
proper discussion before the vote at the full Board
meeting.
The Old York Rd project was to have been the first that this
entity would seek to undertake. I believe all Abington
residents should be deeply troubled by the creation of such
an entity which is intended to be a separate entity, with
it's own legal firm, incorporated by our
Commissioners but
then taken over by a "separate entity" not responsible
to us directly, yet the Board to be appointed by our
Commissioners and their intent
would be to do business with your properties, your grants,
the help of your staff and your resources
--- and yet be answerable to few if any of the obligations
that the Board would have had, if they, themselves, tried to do
business with your tax dollars in the same manner.... No
bids, for example are required of this entity.
Preposterous - when tax dollars are involved.
So it was disturbing that the proposal - with blank by-laws, was swiftly and unanimously approved at the Committee
meeting withoutout any presentation of the caveats that
would be of great concern to us . And even more disturbing to
see the Manager put it on
the "Consent Agenda" at the next meeting - meaning it
was deemed agreeable by all that it would pass and warranted no further
discussion and should just be approved. Of course that
was the opposite of it's disposition with residents.
One Commissioner allowed it to be removed and to have the
discussion.
In a Township that already is spending your resources to
conduct "business" while letting their prime
responsuibilities go by the wayside - allowing residents to
continue flooding, properties that really ARE blighted to receive no
citations, roads to remain unpaved long past their due
time, trash to abound in some areas, etc -
we should start to look more closely at how our money IS
being spent.
As it turns out - they could not gather the steam to approve
the Economic Development Corporation in their desired time, and
Commr Spiegelman
said at the 9-23-20 Economic Development Corporation
meeting that this project was no longer going to be
undertaken by the Econ Dev Corp. The Old York /Susquehanna
project has grants with deadlines . They would find another
developer for this . But just the day before, this
project turned out to have the same kinds of warts and
flaws.
the are where development is intended
WHAT ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY
?
Old York and Susquehanna is an intersection that many, if
not most of us travel every
day. It has been called the highest crash intersection
in Abington - and for that honor it was one of 3 to get red
light cameras right out of the gate. For many, many years it has needed a redo
- but was ignored . Now, despite 2.8 million of
taxpayer monies, the focus seems more on building businesses
owned by others than seriously addressing the intersection
improvements with all those tax dollars.
WHAT ABOUT THE USE OF OUR
TAX DOLLARS ?
We are a
Township who has not been able to
manage all the flood projects needed to give residents
relief ( and at one point, 2 residents died because of flood
projects that were put off.) We are now considering
taxing people a separate "stormwater tax"
because rather than taking the money that was already taxed
to do this, we want to take tax money to develop the "bottom
line" of a contractor at York and Susquehanna.
No one has asked for a model of what that is going to bring
us in revenue and how we will benefit from it. They
want us to approve whatever it is they decide to do in the
future whether it helps or hurts us. Will there
be apartments with school children. What does it cost
to send a child to school in Abington . We can't
afford to relieve people's flood projects and also
give a million dollars to a developer to develop the corner
of York and Susquehanna Road. We have roads in need of
paving that actually are dangerous, we have parks and
other areas that need weeding and regular trash clean up
that we can't seem to manage. We have many, many
things that need attention - but what will take
precedence when relationships with wealthy builders are at
stake and when dollars that might be used to build political
friendhsips are there for the asking? Ask yourself
this.... will you be somehow worse off if someone
doesn't develop mixed uses at the corner of York and
Susquehanna? For me, I know I will get through
the intersection faster.
HOW MUCH WILL A DEVELOPER
benefit PERSONALLY WHILE the intersection IS MADE Just a
very tiny, SLIGHTLY bit better than it was ?
Normally when developing a property, the
developer is responsible for the infrastructure improvements
that are needed ......Here we are making a tiny, slight
nearly inconsequential improvement to the intersection, not
even creating a sepaarate turn lane, and then we are paying
a giant sum to create what the developer needs to
incentivivize deep density development that will make the
intersection WORSE and nullify the monies spent
on the imporvement . Not unlike what we did at the
Baeder Rd intersection for the Wawa circa 2012
Here are Manager Manfredi's words on 7-11- 19 . (from this video https://abingtonpa.viebit.com/player.php?hash=9WiMZUQBCD2p
- go to 1 hour 22 minutes in ):
There
are
three pieces to this – there are two grants from
DCED and one from PennDOT the
total was 2.8 million for the whole project . We
approved the previous (one) for these properties.
The Solicitor's in
the process of acquiring 1907
(Karate
studio)
negotiating –1907 . That will take care of these. This grant is to
acquire and demolish these as well.
The
ultimate goal isn’t so much to develop this property,
although that is one goal – but the ultimate goal is as an
economic development initiative to make improvements in
turning lanes at Old York and Susquehanna.(2nd picture is now up showing the small section of the
corner that is
marked off to improve the intersection ……
note added normally the developer must make necessary
traffic improvements
)
So if we were to demolish these properties and if the Township were
not to develop it, you're going to be hearing more
discussion and the board would be debriefed on economic
development initiatives and corporations and other benefits
by which to develop this property, but if nothing else by
going through these grants in these locations we will be
able to make the necessary transportation intersection
improvements so that down the line, once this is all done, if
you decide not to develop this on our own or through another
entity
we will at least have made a million dollar
investment that will reduce the cost for someone else to
come in and develop this corner in a manner and in a way
that's acceptable to the Township.
So that's
what this second $900,000 is for. Once this gets approved we
will sign off on the agreement with PennDOT for the rest of
the monies to come to us – and the monies we have to provide
for the match have been budgeted.
BROKEN PROMISES ON RESIDENT PARTICIPATION
7-11-20 Manager Richard Manfredi promises
that they have no plan for how they might develop this
property. Really? You can get economic development
grants without so much as a basic plan? Wow.
7-11- 19 . (from this video https://abingtonpa.viebit.com/player.php?hash=9WiMZUQBCD2p
- go to 1 hour 31 minutes in ):
Resident
WHO LIVES JUST 2 DOORS
FROM THE DEVELOPMENT AND ACTUALLY BORDERS IT IN PART : " Here is my house Right
now it is underwater because the Vintage has no storm water
containment and it has been expanding over the past 10 years
. There been several changes that have increased that -
that's aside - not
my problem right now.
I
went over this project with my commissioner several years
ago when this was
presented to this group. The money that you were looking for
was to buy these buildings. I was also
promised that I would
be in on discussing some of these project considerations.
I'm affected by it a lot. I have not heard anything.
I have not heard anything. I’m very angry. Very angry. I
have looked on your
website
and I cannot
find
anything. All I have is a program that was presented three
years ago. It was a
presentation ….a PowerPoint .
There are problems at that intersection - serious
problems. The owner of the Vintage says he's putting in
storm water drainage . That’s not true.
I would like to be in
on this. I
would like something to help. Those of us who live on the
edge are vulnerable to all your decisions --especially me.
thank you,
Manager
Manfredi answers:
...
I wasn’t here when project originated, but I can tell
you that there is no project as of yet. There are three
component pieces to moving this forward and
designing it .
The first piece is acquiring the properties with the grant
funds. That was done. The second would be …..the ones you
pointed to closest
to the intersection
are a different grant . That’s
not this grant. The
ones on the agenda for today, see the little yellow Post-it
note , are those properties it , above the Vintage and
above. And its for acquisition and demolition.
And then
the third piece of it is the third grant from PennDOT which
is on the other map and are closest to the intersection.
There is no plan is my point. And I'm quite certain, knowing
Commissioner Spiegelman who was the chair of that Committee
and this Board, that there will be a public process for
anything that happens as we go forward.
8-20 - was pushed off a month - Read 9-22 -20
9-22-20 Seems
Mr Manfredi was wrong --- fibbing...?....... or had other
wise managed in RECORD time to put the whole
darn shootin' match of a plan together --- since
the the Planning Commission had this matter as a
finished product scheduled for literally ONE month
later (8-25-20) . ( Here's a document dated 8-19-20
https://www.abingtonpa.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/16291/637338572977070000
)
That got pushed off til 9-22-20 .
And yes , our very own misbehaving son, Steve Kline
was back as a player. From his post as Chair of the Montgomery
County Planning Commission, he submitted the request
to rezone this property (his name was the signature line on
the documents ) What Manfredi suggested about a
public process sounded like a "yes " to the resident's
request for inclusion. But it was not. They were never
invited to participate at all.
The
public process came after everything was decided.... there
was no public input whatsoever on what residents would
prefer to see there - or how high or how dense they wanted
it to be. They (oops) forgot to notify anyone .
They proposed exactly the kind of density and height
and zoning that residents regularly decry.
So.....whose town is this anyway?
Their
proposal was complete with plenty of drawings and all
the necessary engineering and references to comprehensive
plans etc etc. What they hoped that no one would understand
was that once they put this zoning in ( the heights,
density , greenspace, setbacks etc - and gave
it to a developer ( or their Economic Development
Corporation) , that the residents would have no further
ability to say what could be built there. That would
become the property owners right . If they could just
keep claiming that they had no plan till it was too late,
they could get aaway with it. Without a single meeting
with residents before all the (expensive) drafting was
completed. The lack of notifications of the
planning meeting , including even to the above
contiguous resident is contrary to codes and required
procedures, besides a violation of public trust
. In addition, certain things they were
attempting to pass were in violation of the very
law that covered their activities. Properties that
were being declared blighted were not vacant, had not even
received notice that this would be coming before the
planning commission, did not know their properties were even
considered blighted . Some were far from blighted ---
and even if they all had been, the law requires them to be
given an opportunity to fix the situation if they can
The township just
wanted to be able to take them, with your tax dollars, and
gift them to the developer. anyone see a problem here?
It was clear that the planners were aware of this . you
could hear the back peddling as they say ..oh no,.. we
aren't really going to consider everything on the agenda ---
just the blighted properties , not the stuff that
makes up virtually the entire agenda..... How do we
manage to get people who rise to this level of
deceit yet remain in charge of the things that matter so
much in our lives? How do we have a Manager and
a president and Vice president of the Board who care so
little for the constituents rights and interests?
10-21 Fast forward about a year and
we can see the Comprehensive Plan team putting together a
plan that will include this plot where everthing
in it and 1/2 mile around is is a Transit oriented District
.... intended for just the kind of density they have
been trying to propose and we have been opposing .....
Thiseir intent is to put that into the "vision" - and
then let their newly formed Comprehensive Plan
Consistency Committee open our zoning document and
zone it just the way they want it.
Feb 2, 2022 The Comprehensive Plan Consistency
Committee meets ---
and lays out their plan to open the zoning
and amend it per the "vision" of the Comprehensive
Plan team . The public largely has ZERO idea what is
happening here - but multi-unit residential, if the
Comprehensive Plan as it now stands passes is likely to be
allowed by right on this parcel - and the higher heights and
deeper density - and they have found a way to do it without
requiring any public comment - except during the
Comprehensive Plan phase ---- and since no one has been
alerted to what they intend to do no one can feel justified
in opposing it - They just don't understand it . And that's
how they'd like to keep it . The transit zone is being
considered in a 1/2 mile radius around a bus or train
station - and there is a major bus station here
...... The Comp Plan Team - manager and Commissioners
are all refusing to answer questions or give
answers --- while the residents ,
uninformed, are missing all the opportunities they have to
speak . They still intend to try to lauch their Economic
Development Corporation - despite the conflict of interest
issue ---- they won't have to worry about the re-zoning most
likely --- it seems probable it will be done for them in
advance .
iF YOU ALLOW THIS, THEN YOU ARE ALLOWING THAT
THE TOWNSHIP CAN TAKE ANY ONE OF YOUR PROPERTIES
JUST BECAUSE THEY THINK SOMEONE COULD BUILD SOMETHING NICER.
THIS , IN A TOWNSHIP THAT IS NOT EVEN CAPABLE OF ENFORCING
ITS OWN PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE.
__________________________
SEE THE PLANNING COMMISSION DOCUMENTS HERE
:
https://www.abingtonpa.gov/home/showdocument?id=16365
The redevelopment process consists of
three steps:
1. Certification of an area as “blighted”, and in
need of redevelopment.
2. Preparation of a Redevelopment Area
Plan.
3. Preparation of a Redevelopment Proposal by the
Montgomery County Redevelopment Authority (MCRDA). The Abington
Township Planning Commission must examine existing conditions
and certify the area as “blighted” before the MCRDA can prepare
a redevelopment proposal or exercise eminent domain
as part of
the area’s redevelopment.
The planning commission's
certification of a redevelopment area shall be made in
conformance with its comprehensive plan. The Urban Redevelopment
Law requires that the Planning Commission find one or more of
the following conditions to be present in order to certify an
area as “blighted”:
• Defective design and arrangement of
buildings
• Faulty street and lot layout
•Economically or
socially undesirable land uses
•Unsafe, unsanitary, inadequate
or overcrowded conditions of dwellings
• Inadequate planning
•
Excessive land coverage by buildings
• Lack of proper light, air
and open space
B. BOUNDARIES OF THE AREA
The Old York Road and
Susquehanna Road Redevelopment Area is comprised of 1.36 acres,
consisting of the following properties fronting on Old York Road
and/or Susquehanna Road:
• 1100 Old York Road
• 1102 Old York
Road
• 1104 Old York Road
• 1106 Old York Road
• 1114 Old York
Road
• 1116 Old York Road
• 1124 Old York Road
• 1907
Susquehanna Road
• 1911 Susquehanna Road
• 1915 Susquehanna Road
The properties have frontage on the northeast side of
Susquehanna Road and/or on the northwest side of Old York Road.
The specific properties included in the redevelopment area are
shown on the map in the appendix. 5 Old York Road & Susquehanna
Road Redevelopment Plan Abington Township
C. STANDARDS OF
POPULATION DENSITIES, LAND COVERAGE, AND BUILDING INTENSITIES
Zoning Standards in Redevelopment Area Zoning District
NOW are in this chart
This is the
existing zoning district (MS-L Main Street – Low
Intensity/Density)
F. PROPOSED CHANGES IN ZONING, below, the
township will consider rezoning this to MS-H Main Street High
Intensity/Density in order to better accommodate more intense
development than is currently allowed.
HOW DID YOU DECIDE THIS
BEFORE HAVING A SINGLE DISCUSSION ABOUT IT WITH THE RESIDENTS
YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO REPRESENT ??
E. LAND USE PLAN The land use
plan for the Old York Road & Susquehanna Road Redevelopment Area
is for
the full 1.36 acre area to be used for mixed-use,
pedestrian-oriented, transit-supportive development.
The plan is
for retail (which includes restaurant and a range of other
subtypes) to be located on the ground floor of the development
along the street,
with office and/or apartments or residential
condominiums development located on upper floors.
Parking would
be located to the rear.
Specific uses in the mixed-use
development are those allowed by the MS-L Main Street-Low
Intensity/Density Zoning District.
F. PROPOSED CHANGES IN ZONING Population Densities
The maximum
residential density in the MS-L Main Street—Low
Intensity/Density District is 10 dwelling units per acre. The
township will consider increasing this density to accommodate
redevelopment.
( but didn't ask residents first, as they promised )
The township will also consider increasing the
maximum building height from 35 feet, the maximum currently
allowed under MS-L Main Street: Low Intensity/Density District
zoning to 45-50 feet to make an increase in density/intensity
possible.
( but didn't ask residents first, as they promised )
Land Coverage Existing zoning provides for a generous
minimum green area. This will be the standard applicable to the
redevelopment area.
( residents are required to maintain 50% green/pervious
- they didn't ask residents first, as they promised )
The township will consider
increasing the effective allowed building intensities and
densities by amending the zoning map from MS-L to MS-H .... by increasing or
eliminating the maximum building footprint, and increasing the
maximum building height from 35 to 45-50 feet.
( but didn't ask residents first, as they promised )
If maximum
allowed density and intensity were increased, its impact would
be mitigated by preservation and possible expansion of zoning
and subdivision and land development ordinance requirements
affecting architectural components and variation, green space
requirements, and buffering and screening. ((
these could be required anyway - but they didn't ask
residents first, as they promised )
If maximum height is
increased within the regulating base zoning district, increased
height would only be allowed in appropriate portions of the
district.
( appropriate according to whom - they didn't ask residents
first, as they promised )These might be confined based on areas at or near
major intersections, commercial and mixed-use areas, near
transit, or with a minimum site acreage. The township would add
additional architectural and site design requirements to the
MS-H District for sites.
( that is all utter nonsense - if they want to add
achitectural requirements they don't have to give away other
things to do it - they didn't ask residents first, as they
promised )
These changes would ensure that future
redevelopment would harmoniously fit Old York Road &
Susquehanna Road Redevelopment Plan Abington Township
( but if they had residents first, as they promised
the residents might well have had some very different ideas
about what was a harmonious fit - when do the "represented
get to have any say in how the representing is done? )
.
THE CONSTITUTION: PERHAPS SOME HAVE FORGOTTEN WHAT AMERICANS LOVE ABOUT THEIR
DEMOCRACY.........our democracy recognizes that the only
legitimate source of governmental power comes from those subject
to the government's exercise of power—the consent of the
governed. Under our Constitution, neither the federal government
nor the state governments are sovereign; nor do these
governments somehow share sovereignty. In America, the People
alone are sovereign; all governments (federal, state, and local)
are mere agents of the People, subject always and in every case
to their ultimate authority. https://drexel.edu/law/lawreview/issues/Archives/v4-2/nation/
Please feel free to
send your information to us and please be sure to tell us
about any information you believe to be incorrect - write
lel@abingtoncitizens.com
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