Newtown Township Supervisors Deny Toll Brothers Plan

Toll Bros. Twining Bridge Road Development Decision

The Newtown Township Board of Supervisors completed hearings on a conditional use application (“Application”) submitted by Toll PA XVIII, LP involving the development of land located along Route 413 (Durham Road) & Twining Bridge Road proposing the construction of 45 new single-family homes on approximately 150 acres. At this meeting, the BOS made its final decision regarding this conditional use application.

On August 26, 2020, the Newtown Twp Board of Supervisors vote unanimously to deny Toll Bros' "Condition Use" application to build 45 homes in Conservation District along Twining Bridge Road. Residents who attended the public meeting voiced their opposition to the plan.

This meeting was requested by Toll Bros. who originally agreed to wait until the first live meeting for a decision. In the 10-minute audio snippet from the July 22, 2020, BOS meeting embedded below, Board members discuss when and under what conditions - via Zoom or live public meeting - the BOS will make its final decision regarding the Toll Bros conditional use application. Also discussed were the following questions: If via Zoom, will the public be invited to attend? Is there a possibility that Toll Bros will "bypass" the BOS and submit a "by right plan"? How many housing units are possible under a by right plan?

At the August 5 meeting, the consensus of supervisors was that it was important for residents to submit comments in person, which would not be possible via Zoom. Consequently, it was decided that the August 26 meeting will be live.

Many people have already submitted comments that were read at the Aug 5 meeting or sent directly to Supervisors. One resident had this to say about the current "conditional use" plan versus a possible "by right" plan:

“The community has been told that if the current plans are not approved Toll Brothers can sue to reverse the decision or develop the land 'by right', both of which are supposedly a worse situation. To be very honest, this is false threat. The reality is that the current plans ARE the worst-case scenario. What could be substantially worse than wiping out 65 acres of farmland by building 40+ homes, while simultaneously eliminating all views of current open space and replacing it with a largely inaccessible and hidden “open space”? We need to stand up for what is right for our community and not settle for less based on some perceived threat.”

Related Content:

• “Residents Urge Newtown Supervisors to Abide by Spirit of Conservation Management Zoning Ordinance”
• “Newtown Supervisors Declined to Vote on Toll Brothers New Plan for 45 Homes to Be Built in Conservation Management District Along Twining Bridge Road. What's Next?”
• “Toll Bros Trash Original Plan for 41 "Luxury" Homes That Included a "Community Septic Field." Submits a New Plan with 45 Homes and Connection to Public Sewer”
• [Video] “Residents Dissatisfied with Notice by Toll Bros of Conditional Use Hearing”