Zoning
Re-writes wer approved 4-27-19
Find the new
version here :
https://www.abingtonpa.gov/departments/code-enforcement-land-development-planning-zoning/zoning-ordinance
The new zoning has been regularly challenged by developers
wanting even more
--- Hightop /
BET-YMCA-CHOP / PSU Academic building and more .....
It's just never enough for some....
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and please be sure to send any
corrections, additions to the info below
chronicled here - is some of the process
FIRST
: GET THE PLANNING &
ZONING MEETINGS ON TV...
Our government access channel (Comcast 43 Verizon 24 ) at
9 am, 3 pm and 9 pm should carry all the zoning, and planning
meetings, as well as all
zoning rewrite meetings so the public can see what is happening
. Meetings are long & often full of other issues but we need
ALL our resources to be working . WHEN THEY ARE TAPED AND
TELEVISED WE CAN SHARE THE INFORMATION AND GREATLY INCREASE
TRANSPARENCY. Most of you have no idea how
your neighborhood or the Commercial area near you is being
re-zoned . We need every available resource. They have been denied since requested in
early 2006. Please ask your Commissioner to
GET THE PLANNING &
ZONING MEETINGS ON
THE
ZONING REWRITES HAVE BEEN RELEASED -
OVERVIEW
http://www.abingtonpa.gov/resident/zoc.pdf Which does not tell
you the details
ALL 400 PAGES
http://www.abingtonpa.gov/resident/zoningdraft.pdf
FOR QUESTIONS CALL zoc@abingtonpa.gov
or call zoning dept
official Mark Penecale at
267-536-1017
Frustrated :
Let me know
The
only way to
know what has
changed,
is
to have a list of line -by-line changes
Otherwise our rights are removed without knowledge or consent
In Feb and March 2014 general meetings were held . These were attended largely by
staff and by those involved in your governmnet process or in
parts of the rewrites. Only a tiny handful of citizens
were there that did not have some role in the zoning or were not
part of the usual gov't works. And even they did not
understnad the zoning . The township is well aware that
out of 56,000 residents even the ones getting the harshest
changes to their own home zoning have not been notified . And of
those that were notified, few understand it. And when we have
questioned, we have received completely false responses. When I
first asked, I was told the only change to my zoning rights (R1)
were Acessory Dwellings . That was so completely off it
wasn't even funny. It is over 2 months that they have been
out and I STILL do not have a proper answer to that
question. I was not intially told about the use by
right to build a municipal complex in my zoning district- nor
was I told about changes to the sign portion of the ordinance
that would now allow signs in the R1 zoning. They refuse
to do a "side by side" despite REPEATED promises that they
would inform people and that there would be able time to get up
to speed and to comment. The reality is quite the
opposite. The presentations given are like the "reports" that
were offered earlier - they do not explain any of the
crucial details.
WHAT
DID RESIDENTS REPEATEDLY ASK FOR IN SURVEYS AND AT THE PODIUM ?
Less
Density -Less Density- Less Density - Less Density
Less traffic
Pedestrian friendly SHOPPING districts
for US - ( not for new
people who will live in the new Mixed
Use Apartments while those that live ( and vote)
here now will park further away from shopping
& "pedestrian" areas -
No
parking garages, shared parking or narrow spaces where doors
open into & ding the car beside you
More
greenspace and buffers - especially against residential
Movie Theaters ( obtained through incentives )
A
plan to attract the kind of businesses we were interested in
having
Not to have schools more crowded or have to build new
schools
Not to have more apartments which impact our taxes &
add children to the district for a fraction of the cost
Not
to have higher heights
-- Instead they
are getting the opposite .
The head of the Zoning Committee Steve Kline
responded in march that he did not even know the 10 top priorities
for the residents, nor the 10 things they most didn't want
after all the many polls, surveys, focus groups etc .
How could you lead rezoning and not know that?
We are
getting parking garages & shared parking ( drive
around til you find where it is)
Density in mixed use
districts is being INCENTIVIZED
Signs are being added back
in to residential districts
WHAT
DID WE GET ?
UP TO THE SIDEWALK The new zoning will bring many
commercial buildings right up to the sidewalk - the
theory is that this will make the corridor "pedestrian
friendly. It will not . Just see
York Rd in the center of Jenkintown with sidewalks next to
speeding cars. No one walks there . What it DOES do is
prevent anyone from widening the road as the density increases (
which this zoning also does)
HIGHER HEIGHTS The new zoning will allow heights
above the 35 feet (see Rydal Park for an example)
and all that does is increase density - largely benefitting
commercial owners - which gives them more say as well as
more money.
REZONING RESIDENCES TO COMMERCIAL You may learn that the residence next door to you isn't
going to be a "residence " for long - some have been rezoned, as
your house or street may have been, to Commercial use and
some have been given the use by right to have a Municiple
Complex there - not need to even "ask" what the neighbors
think. Some residents will therefore soon live next door
to a medical office owned by an investor rather than the
homeowner, or a professional office instead of a home.
Tools That Are
Needed for Zoning Rewrites
1 Searchable files for maps , charts
etc. within the text - Done
2 All presentations
taped and archived for access at any time on the website or
you-tube
3 A
side –by
– side presentation /page of all changed regulations
(current vs new)
4 A
Q&A page
where questions posed by the public are listed and
answered.
so that
we can benefit from each other's wisdom and not
duplicate….
5 Most important of all –
one
simple, speedy , efficient overview video of the zoning
would be the best
tool to
circulate widely and inform the populace
Questions/comments
on the overall plan
PARDON THE REPETION - HAVE HAD
LITTLE TIME TO REFINE - PLEASE ALERT ME TO ERRORS OR
REDUNDANCIES
Buffers
/"Build to" lines
/setbacks
along streets
Reduced green areas in
front result from "Build to " up to the sidewalk
recommendations
Reduced Buffers accommodate increased
buildable area & benefit developers
The reduced areas are like York Rd in Jenkintown
- or the "billiard" strip in Willow Grove
Reduced buffer
areas are not pedestrian friendly - pedestrians do not
choose to walk near busy roads
As traffic
increases, corridors get clogged - options to relieve traffic
will be eliminated
If building right up to the curb or
sidewalk, you can't then widen the road --- anywhere
You can't create turning lanes or bus
pull-offs . You can't add an extra lane where needed
If build to lines were set BACK - not moved up - you could
accommodate improved traffic flow
Parking is more
difficult to find when you drive quickly past
one storefront then another
Areas where parking is difficult
to find lose business ( i.e. York Rd in Jenkintown
again )
The "sky " is removed from the driver's view - an
urban feel in our most travelled corridors prevails
Property
values change in areas with little green
Open Space /
Recreational Space / Overall % Of Green space /
The change in buffers reduces green
space is largely to give businesses more buildable area
The Community loses the suburban feel & green look
Neighboring properties lose value , being closer to business
& in a twp. with less green
Residential properties suffer
more from the sound/ lights/ air quality and quality of
life
Changes in % of impervious affect storm
water runoff
Changes have not been analyzed for each property
to show its effect on the overall Twp. green %
Building heights
-
From 35 ft. to 50
ft. or 50 ft. to 75 ft. ??
The urban feel of blocked
out sky
Added height will add unnecessarily to
the density ( traffic / crime/ congestion/ expanded
schools or
infrastructure
compared to exactly what benefits? )
have the numbers been crunched as far as costs vs benefits
Mixed use areas
/ Density
Touted as creating pedestrian friendly
areas - will it really? Will more than a small
handful of current residents who actually elected
the zoners and planners proposing this benefit . Would the
majority of the existing residents benefit just as easily
from a well-planned commercial district that had
offices rather than residential units, mixed with pedestrian
friendly retail shops and then had movie theaters and meeting
areas for residents to use at night .
1) OTHERS BENEFIT - NOT
RESIDENTS ( new residents ) The residents living in
these units would likely be "imported" rather than
those living and voting here now . Increase of density …..
2) PARKING Residents currently living here now would
likely have to park in a parking garage or outside of the
pedestrian area . Multiple trips "to the car" would be needed
for multiple purchases and current residents would pay for
parking in a parking garage possibly or perhaps face the drive
all around til you find one" joy of shared parking -
(see more under "Parking" below )
3) NOISE & ACTIVITY
Residents do not mix well with either 3am/early morning delivery
noise trash trucks etc. or with night time
entertainment & activities. Movie theaters,
for instance, would pose noise problems if residents were
nearby. Not so if office units were mixed with the retail
rather than residential units . And theaters, meeting and other
community activities could abound at night bringing even
more income to the commercial district.
4)
LOWER PRICED UNITS OR HIGH END? When residential is
in the middle of a commercial zone, the units tend to be lower
priced. Apartment developments and other large scale
endeavors are often greatly affected by the economic
state of the commercial district they are in or by the
swings of the economy in general. Seniors appreciate
the convenience of mixed use but complain about the noise and
disruptions . See Financial Impacts below …
Financial Impacts
SCHOOL TAXES
BURDENED Lower priced units skew the balance of
taxes - especially school taxes. They generally pay less
in income taxes and real estate taxes than the same
units of single family housing - yet sent a great number
of kids to the schools at over $20,000 per students and
requiring new schools at up to 20-30 million
INCOME TAXES
ARE LESS Lower priced units attract lower income
residents or college students and young
singles starting out i.e.: little or no income tax,
little money to spend in the commercial districts, frugal
spenders.
QUALITY
OF LIFE : OWNERSHIP CREATES PRIORITIES IN PRESERVING
QUALITY OF LIFE AND LONG TERM COMMUNITY VISION
When the voters of a community are invested in the community
with an intent to stay, they generally vote for
representatives that preserve the quality of life issues
in their community . Residents who are temporarily here
with a plan to move elsewhere do not have the same interests,
and often vote for what may provide a quick convenience at
the time rather than a long term improvement .
CONVERTING
AGE RESTRICTED When age restricted units meet financial hard
times, they often request to be allowed to remove the
restriction - now keeping them afloat to avoid one financial
disaster, but bring an influx of students to the schools, so
creating another financial disaster. Such mass disasters
are rare in owner occupied, independent single family homes .
BUSINESS
DISTRICT IMPROVEMENTS TAX ABATEMENTS AND OTHER
SPECIAL BONUSES
Commercial & Business districts often apply
for others to "support " them by way of business district
improvements etc. Tax
abatements and gifted landscaping, hardscaping etc for some is
an added tax on all those not receiving it . They have the same
expenses. Special Bonuus simply "shift the wealth" and
represent unfair competition. Blighted Commercial
districts bonuses like tax abatements also reward those
that allowed their properties to become blighted rather than the
other way around ( by enforcing our zoning code provisions to
keep our communities nice). You always get more of the
things you reward. So more "blight " will come - or at least be
claimed. When one beneficiary receives a tax
abatement, all the others have to pick up that share of taxes.
You may be forcing another business into hard times.
ADDITIONAL
FINANCIAL IMPACTS RARELY CALCULATED Increases in density should
not be allowed without a comprehensive financil impact
statement . The beneficiary is usually the developer .
The community picks up the losses.
SHARED PARKING
Further financial impacts are borne from increase waiting in
traffic , driving around and around to find "shared
“parking , parking garages that ultimately charge for parking ,
increased police & emergency services , infrastructure expansion
and other measures mentioned under other topics in
this list
Parking / Shared Parking / Parking Garages
-Shared parking & parking garages change suburban
shopping experiences into more urban ones and begin to put
the cost of parking on the residents rather than on the
business to provide the parking needed for his or her
business. Transfer cost from businesses to individuals.
-Shared parking & parking garages have been
protested by residents whenever they are proposed
-Shared parking & parking garage calculations never take
into account the time spent "finding a space" It
-It means that when you shop, you often don't know how far or
near you will be.
-It means that at times
you will not purchase as much as you might if your car
were nearby and
your purchases could be
easily deposited in the trunk , especially if heavy or
cumbersome
-Shared parking & metered parking in Jenkintown
is like that now - and the town's success is much tied to
the parking
-Shared parking often touted as "sustainable -
has an equal number of "unsustainable factors that must be
considered
Expanded Tax Base
/ Density / Increase in population
-Where are the
"crunched numbers " showing factors included - how is it
calculated to be a bonus ?
are all
the factors listed --- or largely only the "benefits "
-Age restricted units have the potential to be LATER converted
to units that have kids
-Increased student costs
($20-25,000 per student ) plus new schools ($20-30 million
)
-Increased infrastructure street/street lights , sewer,
crime costs etc. are rarely in the picture
-Increased
traffic and congestion - doubling the time it takes to get from
A-Z
-How many additional units are the result of each
parcel's change - where are the figures ?
-Is the overall
effect of the changed zoning being calculated and quantified?
-Density can bring increases in traffic, crime,
and detract greatly from the "suburban" lifestyle
Sewer Upgrades
-What were the numbers from the act 537 sewer facilities
plan from 2012 /2013 that
reflected the cost of the upgrades for the
expected increase in population & businesses .
-We underwent
an 11 million dollar wastewater treatment upgrade
within the last 7 years -
What amount of increase in units will trigger the next needed
upgrade
-Sewers being lined will be narrower - once they are
lined they will handle what we have now -- but the plan
seems to be to allow MORE add -ins every time they improve a
portion. That seems to be a plan for failure...........
Sewers have had vents plugged to prevent storm water inflow.
Plugged vents have caused gas
backups in
people's houses . Pur TV channel recently began adding
warning slides for gas back ups --
but few people understand t the township's role in the
back-ups by having plugged the vents
Signs .
. Re digital and neon/flashing signs: There is
currently a vast mix of signage , including many new, rapidly
changing, neon/ digital signs that seems to defy what I
thought was a rule about changes only 2x a day ……
I'm not sure if these were obtained by waiver or if entire
sections of the ordinance were changed ( currently ) - and
I will assume each district has new sign rules that are quite
different from what they were previously
. I recently learned that they
are planning to add Commercial signs in the residential
districts . They tried that once before and received enough
feedback that they quickly reversed it . But this time they are
making certain most don't even know about it. rE
BILLBOARDS
Abington is currently ( as of
2-14 ) in a continuing lawsuit with the company that is
challenging the ordinance. We are insisting that we have the
RIGHT to word our ordinance as we have - no changes will
be made to that ordinance currently. Re digital and
neon/flashing signs: see above .
Inability to
enforce implementation of the "vision / Grandfathering, etc.
There is in general no ability to force people to comply
with the new zonings and hence the "visions" that prompted
the zoning changes. In essence they now have the new
rights plus the old rights - i.e.: one property
might build up to the road immediately while a dozen of the
properties around it do not build up to the road - perhaps for
20 or 30 years - or ever. When a particular property is
rezoned, it is immediately out of compliance with the
current ordinance . They are not required to bring
their property into immediate compliance . Instead their
property is considered a non-conforming legal use . The
“grandfathered use” goes with the property, even if it is
sold. In other words the zoning could make even more
of a disparity and "mess" in the very areas that they
intend to "improve" it with their vision and all the lovely
drawings.
______________________________________________________________________________________
Again :
The
only way to
know what has
changed,
is
to have a list of line -by-line changes
Otherwise rights are removed without knowledge or consent
Just a few that may or may not be changed in the
final version are :
Residential concerns ..... These are just questions . I
do not have the answers . Steve Kline does - but isn't telling
you much.
REQUIRED
BUFFERS FOR ALL STRUCTURES - what are they? what has changed?
REQUIRED
BUFFERS FOR A SHED --- on a smaller property might put the
shed smack in the middle
of the useable backyard
Reconsideration to the wording and specs on this would be wise
. What is it ?
TRANSITION ZONES If you have
residential near commercial , the "wisdom" may have been to turn
your property ( or your neighbor's ) into light commercial
( because Commercial and residential don't mix . Perhaps
if you're moving you'll like this - your property may even
increase in value due to the expanded use . If you're staying
and you thought you bought in residential, you may now find
yourself in the midst of apartments, offices etc. --- or
if you were buffered by that row of residential you may now be
next to commercial.
NO CAMPING
ALLOWED ON PROPERTY …. This should be carefully written
so that the only “camping “that is excluded is long term camping
that “houses” additional people who do not live there .
Residents should all have a RIGHT to sleep under the sky or in
tents if they like ( as often as they like ) and kids
having sleepovers should be allowed , or tents put up during
religious festivities such as Sukkot. What are the
rules and changes?
MUNICIPAL
BUILDINGS ( and similar institutional or other uses ) once
allowed conditionally may be allowed by right
. Previously they may have needed permission and a hearing
and you would have had a right to comment. The
impact on each house and the impact on the neighborhood should
be known . These things are not being discussed with you .
Where are they possible. What will that mean. Once this
zoning changes - they won't need to ask you.
TRUCKS WITH
ADVERTISING…… weren't allowed before - Now ARE THEY allowed by
right OR NOT? Don’t know . Mark Penecale indicated
they may not have changed this --- I sat in on a meeting
where the consensus seemed that they would .
IN Law Suites
are needed – but Acessory buildings might not do the trick ---
9separated from main building – what happens after the parents
pass away --- you have two buildings on a lot – another
way to subdivide
HOME BUSINESSES
---Low impact , high impact . What is allowed now in your zone
- What will be allowed?
What might you end up having next
door ? And now ... signs will be allowed in
residential districts. This should not be. Can you imagine a
staunch Catholic with his home next door to someone advertising
"Abortion Counseling" Advertising should stay in the
commercial districts . Our homes should be free of
commerce. If low impact home businesses do not allow
clients or people working there - why do they need signs ?
Our rights as homeowners are being sold to the highest bidders.
GENERATORS
( for power outages ) especially those that need to be
tested every few weeks or months were regulated with
a recently passed ordinance . I imagine this has not changed
TREES
- maintenance or cutting down & replacing . Ordinaces are
needed to dictate the care of trees in bad condition that
are at risk of falling on or threatening other homes,
yards or electric wires - but I don't think that's in here
either .
CHICKENS AND
OTHER LIVESTOCK , BEEKEEPING, FISH PONDS etc.
The rules have changed for some of
these - but have you been notified? You should have
been .
SOLICITATION IN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS
-Residents choose NOT
to be in commercial zones, and one reason was safety.
Safety is one of the
grounds upon which solicitation
in residential areas can be prevented Local townships
allowing commercial solicitation have had IMMEDIATE safety
issues . Residents do not want solicitation at their homes and
on hte grounds of safety can avaid it . Despite the police
having ample reports of safety violations from solicitation,
they are not supporting residents in this safety measure. The little "baggies" in the driveway mark houses whose
owners are away & violate litter laws - police know
that this is more dangerous as they have warned people not to
let thier hoses be marked by cancelling mail and subscriptions.
Yet they do not help us by providing testimony about safety that
allows us to avaid the solicitation in our neighborhoods.
WHY DON'T YOU KNOW THIS STUFF
WHERE’S YOUR
CIVIC ASSOCIATION we should be appalled they are not
telling you about these changes and asking your input as a group
. They should be compiling lists of concerns and desired zoning
-- and they should be pushing for side by side comparisons and
FAQ pages with ANSWERS for the questions
Why HASN’T YOUR
COMMISSIONER ALERTED YOU - I have even recently seen
newsletters go out where none of the issues are discussed.
Now is the time for us to join our
voices. Get your neighborhood linked in - so that all can
learn the facts and be notified when meetings are coming up.
Sign up to
receive our periodic Newsloop to stay informed
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BEGIN TO PUT YOUR TOOLS TO USE ...
see our "tools" page
Ask your Commissioners and your Township manager
specifically to :
1) post a webpage for each issue that has
the links to find meetings,
lastest updates & all the plans etc
2) tape all meetings on the topic & air them on
our public channel -
so you can review or if you missed a meeting. This is actually
important .
The devil is really in the details
3) post all
the taped meetings on-line with time reference points and
fast forward features
4) notify
everyone in the township
that there is a list for updates on this subject-
invite ALL residents to get onto the list
5) provide a meeting space ( already paid by your taxes
) for neighbors
to hold their own open discussions
whenever they choose -
to share information and formulate
questions- not moderated by authorities.
6) to provide
residents with any changes that are being proposed in summary
form
- preferably in "2 column /compare " style
7) please make
your meetings open to all - If you try to limit
transparency for others
and then you will be perpetuating the system where others can
limit you
Email me if you need
help contacting others. I also have a great deal of information about
how our processes work and what is happening elsewhere in the
Township that might be helpful to your situation.
Meeting Minutes - Please let us know if you would like
some of the the documents ( Maps and
Minutes) that are available to see these issues for
yourselves. Just
contact us & mention your street
____________________
WHAT ARE THE VARIOUS FACETS OF THE
RE-ZONING
UNDERWAY
TOWNSHIP-WIDE?
All info should be
checked out with your Commissioner &
if I have made any errors,
please be kind enough to
get back to me
Sign up to
receive our periodic Newsloop to stay informed
Prong 1
The
Old York Corridor Rd plan
-
See in particular Chapter 4
- http://abingtonpa.gov/downloads/OYR/Chapter_4.pdf
4 particular nodes in this plan:
*** Noble train & The Fairway
area---(the FTD is already a horrific example of what's to come
*** Susquehanna & Old York Rd area-
***
London Center by Target & Giant -
billboards/ hotels and a host of issues
*** Roy Rubicam area .
CONSEQUENCES OF THE CHANGES
*** Increasing traffic on the busy
York Rd thoroughfare up to 17,500 trips a day
(5000 in any given area) *** Increase Commercial impact on our township in no small way.
*** Your Township is not
"building" these elements ( Hotel, Parking Garage etc
) but even worse: these are in their
"vision" for development and they are putting into place
the
zoning mechanisms that would allow for them.
By the time there is a developer at the door, it will be too
late. He will have zoning rights
Residents don't know what to protest because they can't see it .
The Old York Rd Study --- a
VERY few of the issues include :
------ p 119
rewriting our sign ordinance ?
------- p 117 - adding additional 17500 vehicle trips on Old
York Rd ? ( and that is just a very fractional
count of what is
underway in the OVERALL vision for the township.)
----- p 113 taking business FROM the mall - the same
mall that is possibly being considered for 10
years of tax abatements
for help ???? How can this make sense?
------ p 137 " if the road is 60 feet high the buildings should
be 60 ft hi " ( 4-5 stories???) "and sited right
up to the sidewalk "
--- When you increase traffic on a road and then
bring the buildings in closer
to the street, the
change that you are creating is unmistakable.
---- Take just ONE example from the
proposals - the vision presented in this study for
the London Rd /Target/
Giant shopping area
considers the possibility of a parking garage, hotel AND apartment buildings,
retail
and
twins . Consider the already numerous vacant
properties , consider that this is not a plan to make an
area
more pedestrian friendly to the
current residents - it is ADDING residents for whom no
drive to the area is
necessary. For current
residents, they would instead now have to park in the parking
garage - quite distant from
certain stores they may want to
visit. when
there are so many vacant properties where these elements could
already be built without
over-building here. Residents requests to NOT increase density
and to NOT install
parking garages ( from
testimony heard at various prior meetings ) have not been heard
.
In the
suburbs, we LIKE pulling up to the
stores where we shop. That's why we live in the suburbs
rather than a
mile or two away in
the city where
these features
abound.
----
Still no movie theater in the vision……? Is it
possible there is one coming to the Willow Grove area?
After the prior surveys where this was a very,
very frequent request, one might hope that we would have
this issue addressed.
Prong 2 Other
Commercial areas all over the Township are being considered
for changes & up-grades to more intense uses or more
varieties of usage. A couple of areas might be somewhat downsized. It would be difficult to even try to
calculate the traffic impact and other consequences of these
many changes. They will happen over a period of years - but,
again, the
zoning changes that will allow them are happening right
now.
Prong 3 Residences near
Commercial Zoning rewrites are being discussed in some residential areas where the residential might meet up
with high level commercial use. But instead of tree lined
buffers or other changes to the commercial entities, what is being discussed is the creation
of "transition zones" where the houses nearest the construction
might be rezoned to allow offices, or condos or apartments or
twins or other "light
commercial" use. The theory seems to be that by going from
heavy commercial to lighter commercial, it will create a buffer
zone or transition zone. This will, in my opinion, only
increase commercial presence and actually bring some form
of commercial closer to the properties further in, rather
than "buffering" anything.
Prong 4 Rewrites
to the zoning of all residential areas (R1 thru R4 )are
under way. We have not been able to get a summary -
but for instance, possibly Municipal Complex might be
added as a "right" rather than a conditional use - so you might
have no say in their ability to build next door to you. And will
trucks with advertizing be allowed to park on your street....?
And possibly "overlay" zones like Land Preservation
Development overlays would be rewritten and allowed to increase
residential density on (one section of) a property.
Theoretically this would leave large green areas for group
or public use - but sometimes these get sold off or given a
variance later on, when memories have faded or no one is paying
attention. So these various changes are important to people -
and they should know in time to understand and have a say in the
FORMULATION process of the zoning changes - in a time
early enough for the word to spread, for neighborhood
discussions and for them to inform themselves before they are
brought to a hearing to speak.
WHAT DO WE MEAN BY ZONING RE-WRITE
?
The discussions underway to re-write our zoning code do not mean
someone will be bulldozing your house. Instead, the zoning will
take place now and the actual changes will take place over a
period of years. When your neighbor sells, will the new
owner have the right to build an office? Residential districts
through-out the township R1, R2, R3 or R4 may find themselves in
an overlay area- or with slight zoning changes that they barely
notice. But if, for instance, they don't appreciate trucks with
signage
parked on their street, and if that is one of the changes being
proposed, they should be aware this is happening. Their comments and
feelings should be helping Committee members in the process.
After changes have been formulated and agreed on by the
committee, it may be more of a challenge to convince the
committee what the constituents actually want. And many neighborhoods next to
commercial areas have had red-lines drawn around them and
are also under discussion for changes. In the words of the head of
the Re-write Committee these reflect “an
ongoing process examining all possibilities to deal with the
consistent conflict between certain residential communities and
commercial/institutional/industrial areas throughout the
township”. But if your
house is in a conflict or "transition area" that might
be re-zoned from strictly residential to allow offices,
condos, apartments or another higher density
use, you might not appreciate the manner in which the conflict
is being resolved. And I personally am perplexed by watching
another area be developed where residential is being purposely
sandwiched between the commercial uses . Are we creating
new conflict zones?
If our current vacancies ( like the
Baederwood Shopping Center, the Williard) were filled
to their allotment - our traffic would increase . Additional zoning
allowances will create another level of traffic
entirely. Will a heavily trafficked
throughway might have you sitting a lot longer in traffic to get
to the soccer game . Or will your sunny open suburban street
have 5 story buildings built right up to the sidewalk -
more of a city feel? Yes of course we want better shopping and
nicer districts. But how much? And how do our voices get
recognized? I don't recall seeing a movie theater yet? Is
one in the plan? And what
are the consequences of the stronger commercial "voice" .
Originally I was told they were trying to
possibly finalize this by September 09. If so, the main hearings then would likely be held in July & August
when the majority of residents are on vacation or cherishing
summer time with
their kids. These are well-known "low turn-out" months.
Commissioner Kline tells me that there is no timetable on the
process other than as soon as possible. The
Committee has been at this for over a year & the Commissioners
have had the R1 through R4 draft for several months now, allowing them time
to absorb & question. But residents will have to get up to
speed quickly when they finally are notified &
nearly no one I have spoken to has a clue yet that this is
underway.
WILL I BE NOTIFIED ? WHY DIDN'T I KNOW ABOUT THIS?
Yes, of course , there is
notification to residents and an opportunity for them to speak
in all Township affairs - and especially in ones that might
change their property rights. Nobody is claiming there are
or were "secret meetings" or "conspiracies"
--- words thrown into the mix to
discredit those getting the word out. But the open, public
meetings have been going on since at least March of 2008 and virtually
no one I have met in the township was aware of them. That
includes folks whose houses are under discussion to be rezoned
or who live adjacent to areas that will be re-zoned rather
dramatically. These are
complicated issues. They involve many facets of Zoning &
Planning that Township personnel & Commissioners have gotten up
to speed on little by little- and already were much more
conversant in. Understanding the overall, interactive
consequences of this is a task that will not be easy for
residents. In addition, should they want to unite their voices,
that is a task that takes another great length of
time - and is rarely accomplished unless a few dedicated people
invest fully to do it. Further, residents comments are limited
and they rarely understand the whole issue, so precious comment
time is often spent asking questions. And by waiting until
the whole comprehensive township wide plan is "unveiled",
a situation will be created at the presentation meeting where no
individual section will be focused on, diluting the
ability to make a certain area's desires really known. Changed
meeting times & dates, etc etc - there are a thousand reasons
that residents in each area should have been informed more
specifically about what was going on in the early stages, when
effecting a change in the process is much more likely. The
Eminent Domain meetings in Roslyn that were going on since early 09 or
before, might have been of much more interest to those who might
stand , in the overall scheme, to have their properties re-zoned
as part of such an overall "revitalization".
It is really important to get as many informed
as possible, to know when the meetings are and how to unite your
voices. And please share back with me anything that you learn
that should be on this site.
WHERE ARE THE SOME OF THE AREAS UNDER DISCUSSION ?
The 4 main areas of the Old York Rd Corridor improvement
are :
Noble train & The Fairway area---//// Susquehanna & Old York
Rd area-- //// London Center by Target & Giant -////
Roy Rubicam & the Crestmont train area
Then these are largely the areas where residences meet
commercial that were red circled
1 Abington Library area Old Orchard
Canterbury Woodcrest Harte hilltop Wyndale Baeder Rd
2
Ardsley between Mt
Carmel, Jenkintown & North Hills Ave - Cricket Tennis Maple
Central Hamel Elm
3 Ardsley Station area Jenkintown Road ---Maple
Hamel Monroe Harrison Jackson
4 Willow Grove - Blinds To Go area Moreland
Old York
Strafford Rockwell
5 Willow Grove - Moreland Road near Fleming
Osborne Lukens Coolidge
6 Willow Grove Mall area Old Welsh Reservoir
Rubicam and Easton Road
7 Willow Grove - Crestmont Station area
Ferndale Roy Rubicam Hamilton Tremont Rockwell old Welsh
8
Abington Hospital Area - Highland and Wheatsheaf from
Susquehanna to Old York Rd -
Keith Rockwell key woodland Horace Wheatsheaf Susquehanna
9 Hollywood Shady Lane Berkeley San
Diego Gibson Redondo Los Angeles Fox Chase
10 Glenside Jenkintown Rd & continuing
up Easton Rd to Tague Cross
& a little more
11 Glenside Keswick area Oakdale Woodlyn Fairhill
12 Elkins Park Hospital area- Township Line Holme Barry Perry Runner Ray
Church Susan Rolling Hill
13 McKinley Cyprus Lime West Cadwalader Tupelhocken
Huron Odessa high school Road
14
Roslyn - Avondale Radcliffe Lafayette Independence Colonial
Brookdale Woodland Arlington Norwood
Kenderton Bradfield
-- and they have just voted to take the property on
Easton Rd from an elderly
owner by Eminent Domain to make a nice
"Town Center " in this neighborhood.
15 Abington - from Susquehanna to the hospital along old York
Road- Guernsey Eckard Horace
16 Rockledge -Cedar Road Henrietta Huntington Pike old Huntington
Pike Longstreth
17 Jenkintown - Township line Gordon Lenox Wyncote
+ ......Additional Maps
exist of :
Glenside -Easton- Menlo /Mt Carmel area -
Glenside Geneva Weldon
Willow Grove - Ferndale & Rockwell near Welsh
and there are 4 maps thus far of business districts in my
possession
_______________
WHY DOES THIS MATTER ?
The impact of these many, many changes will undoubtedly change
our township dramatically over the course of the next decades
--- and residents should understand & have
a reasonable opportunity to have input. These changes are
underway now - and I do not know if there is any possibility of
reversing them once they are in place.
Do residents know that the York Rd Plan suggests that where
streets are 60 feet wide, buildings should be 60 feet wide (4-5
stories ) and that is is being recommended that they be
built right up to the sidewalk in places along Old York Rd .
That would create a "city" feel - and in fact would prohibit any
widening or addition of a public transportation lane when the
traffic became oppressive years down the road . In my opinion
bonuses should be given to those who move back from the road and
allow for adjustments to that busy corridor. There is much talk
about "undeveloped areas" - well that's why some of us
like living here - because the (old) zoning didn't allow for
every square inch to be developed. We don't all want the zoning
changed. I don't think these little details, that make so
much difference, are being highlighted.
If you live in a neighborhood
"under discussion" to be a
transitional area, you
may feel the greatest impact as the zoning changes might affect
what is all around you in the coming years. In 10 years
will your area still have a "residential" feel - will it
still be largely a neighborhood of homeowners or will it
be landlords and tenants ? How are some residences
being chosen for transition zones because residential use
conflicts with commercial, yet just down the road residential
units are being PLANNED to be smack in the middle of the
commercial.
All residents of this
Township should be aware of the impact these changes could have
on traffic, noise, infrastructure improvements, the need
for increased services, and perhaps most importantly of all the
increased Commercial voice in our Township that may be heard
above the Residential voice . Residents are the voters.
But Commercial interests have an over-representation on our
Boards including the Economic Development Board which voted in
the consideration of the abatements. The residents
are the ones who voted the officials into office to safeguard their
interests. But all too often we see Commercial interests
being put ahead of our own. This is our
Township- and taking care of it requires our attention.
Traffic changes on the Old York Road Corridor alone might see
an increase of 17,500 trips a day. It may be impossible to
calculate the additional trips from the many, many other changes
being proposed elsewhere along Old York.
Who is paying for street lighting, sidewalk repairs,
landscaping , wastewater treatment up-grades, etc . You
might be surprised to see some of the expenses that residents
have borne. And who might be getting up to 10 years of tax
abatements, leaving residents to shoulder more than their share
of the burdens of the services received by newly improved
businesses (in certain areas that fall under guidelines of the
LERTA laws?)
HOW DID THIS COME ABOUT ?
In 2007, a Comprehensive Plan update was completed & approved
for Abington Township.
In conjunction with that and in conjunction with other
development issues on-going in the Township, ( like the more
than 10 million dollar Old York Rd Revitalization Project), your Commissioners
and others are re-writing zoning codes, theoretically to meet
the needs expressed in the new Comprehensive Plan.
(But, as I recall, there was no real input from neighborhoods on
that either - not of the significant kind that we are trying to
establish - where your voice is the one that guides the
"authorities" rather than the other way around.
There were opportunities for residents to speak but little was
done to gather communities to have a say in their futures
So, in the Comprehensive Plan,
they may have identified a shortage of multi-family
dwellings and apartments in Abington, or senior units. So they are aiming to
amend that --- by simply allowing for more units than we
currently have . Between you and me, the lower density is one of the treasured
features appreciated by residents of our township. Many of us moved here because of the
lack of congestion and the green space and the beautiful single
family homes in strictly residential neighborhoods. There are
plenty of "mixed use neighborhoods" right in the
Northeast. But we chose Abington instead.
WHAT'S THE LATEST UPDATE
6-23-09Zoning Ordinance Rewrite Committee
meeting - many of the transition zones were discussed -
Commercial areas continue to be discussed as desirable when
mixed use including residential is considered while other areas
are considered "in conflict" when residential is in close
proximity to commercial. One reason offered to
explain this was that these new "planned" units will be
occupied by people who "know" they are buying in a commercial
district. But didn't the others know that they were buying "next
to" a commercial district --??? That knowledge didn't create
harmony........ Other residents in attendance questioned
why we were changing residential areas to commercial, however
light , and increasing commercial areas when we had so many
unoccupied and unutilized.
6-3-09 Presentation to Commissioners by the hired consultants of
the Old York Rd Corridor study -after which residents spoke We
offered some of the "downsides" that had not been shared, and
residents asked about the plans on their properties and
registered strongly against rezoning their residential
properties. While I was accused of offering misinformation,
I asked again for help understanding whatever had been
misunderstood . Some residents were given "indirect
answers" about whether their house was or was not being
considered for re-zoning. Misinformation and
false accusations were made from the dais . For example: a woman from Rydal did NOT
write the anonymous letter . The Hospital Rep who sits on the
zoning re-write Committee DID, in fact, make comments about
expansion. (They can be seen in the minutes which I will gladly
email you.) The Old York Rd. plan DOES include
specific recommendations about re-zoning, contrary to one
Commissioner's assertions. And the answer that should have been
given to a resident who asked if his house was under
consideration for rezoning would rightfully have been a
simple "yes" . That's just a smattering of what came from
the dais. No lies or slander were spread by those of us hoping
to get the message out. We were alerting people that this was
going on, & advised that it might take a while to get up to
speed - which included running all information by their
Commissioner - as this site also directs. We all have to
recognize that at times people misunderstand, or our words may
not be chosen carefully enough not to have more than one meaning. But when
Commissioners bash the messenger, while simultaneously leaving
their residents uniformed ( or misinform them) about meetings &
details that might be important to them, we
have a problem that needs to be fixed.
Still have received no summary of the R1 -R4 changes.
6-2-09 Mr. Matteo has promised a summary of the R1 - R4 changes
so we can discern what's new about the Draft Revisions.
The Zoning Rewrite Committee today discussed form-based &
hybrid zoning and talked about using two test areas
as examples of this - among other things.
6-1-09 My Commissioner - who earlier said he would not share with
me the info needed to understand the R1 through R4 changes until
AFTER the meeting, is now suggesting he may not do so at all.
5-23-09 I got the
R1, R2, R3 & R4 notes today -in the form of Draft Revisions
to the Ordinance. This is the part that was discussed Mar 08 to
Nov 08. Now I just need to know what parts were CHANGED -
or I would tediously have to compare them to the current
ordinance to know. And I got the April minutes.
5-21-09 Got all 17 maps today -actually 21 altogether . Still
need April meetings and the summary or notes from Mar 08 to
October 08 .
5-21-09 I had information that a summary had been issued -
but I think that had been confused with the Old York Road
Corridor Summary . I have just received some more maps
that I'll download tonight and April's minutes . But
I find it a travesty that the residents don't know what is
happening in their own neighborhoods. Commissioners making
great noises about communication need to communicate vital
information when our property rights are at stake. I have been trying for a year to get
this information . I was told that the
plans were to perhaps try to finalize it by September - that
means that in the summer - with kids home and family vacations
when no one wants to hunker down to business, the hearings would
be held. Can anyone say foul play?
May 17th 09
I have been to about six neighborhoods, talked to many many
people and found not ONE who knew about these re-writes.
May 09 We finally have in our hands some information ---
neighborhoods in Abington are being "circled" and scheduled for
rezoning. Residents need to know about this . Nearly
no one in any of the circled areas I visited was aware their
home was included . Are their Commissioners aware this has
been happening for over a year? Or have they just not
informed their residents? .
December 08 - Commissioner, we find out later have been given a
summary or the R1 R2 R3 R4 changes. We are not afforded the
privilege - we do not find out til May that these exist.
June 08 - April 09 The meetings are open to the public -
but the "report" to the Commissioners at public meetings includes
nothing that informs us about the kinds of changes being
discussed - so people are not alerted to the importance of these
meetings.
6-08 We have not yet gotten word of what changes exactly are
being done but we will try to update you when we know.
Knowing about these changes is an important part in having
a voice in preserving the things we love about our township.
If you and your neighbors are unaware of what changes might
affect your ward, call your
Commissioner
to find out ---- and then
let us know, too,
please so we can update others. You can point your
neighbors here to learn & share more.
May 27th, 2008 was the 3rd Zoning Re-Write meeting . We began to ask
what they were encompassing. An idea of the scope & what
was to be re-zoned.....
_______________________________________
WHEN ARE ZONING REWRITE MEETINGS ?
Regular Zoning Re-write
meetings
are being held 5 pm every the fourth Tuesday .
They are held at the Township Building ( Planning Commission Meetings are
held at 7:30 after these meetings) Please double check
with your Township
(267-536-1000 ) or the website to check for changes, which have
been frequent .
Or ask your
Commissioner .
The final Old York Rd Corridor presentations
was to have been the one Nov 5 2009 - then the language
was to be "tweaked" with the results and it would be expected to
be scheduled for approval by your Commissioners).
_______________________________
Our codebook is in 2 parts
Part 1
Township's
Codebook except for zoning
Part 2
Zoning Portion of Township Codebook
or go to
http://www.abingtonpa.gov/info/newcodebook.htm
BEGIN TO PUT YOUR TOOLS TO USE ...
see our "tools" page
Ask your Commissioners and your Township manager
specifically to :
1) post a webpage for each issue that has
the links to find meetings,
lastest updates & all the plans etc
2) tape all meetings on the topic & air them on
our public channel -
so you can review or if you missed a meeting. This is actually
important .
The devil is really in the details
3) post all
the taped meetings on-line with time reference points and
fast forward features
4) notify
everyone in the township
that there is a list for updates on this subject-
invite ALL residents to get onto the list
5) provide a meeting space ( already paid by your taxes
) for neighbors
to hold their own open discussions
whenever they choose -
to share information and formulate
questions- not moderated by authorities.
6) to provide
residents with any changes that are being proposed in summary
form
- preferably in "2 column /compare " style
7) please make
your meetings open to all - If you try to limit
transparency for others
and then you will be perpetuating the system where others can
limit you
Email me if you need
help contacting others. I also have a great deal of information about
how our processes work and what is happening elsewhere in the
Township that might be helpful to your situation.
__________________________
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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