Pennsbury Township residents, especially those involved in the decade-long struggle to save three parcels of land adjacent to the Pennsbury Township building from development, received welcome news at the supervisors’ meeting on Wednesday, July 15.
Township manager Kathleen Howley said that after the township purchased the 23 acres from a subsidiary of Toll Bros. Inc. for $5 million in December, it applied for a tax exemption. She said the county granted the tax-exempt status, which technically would go into effect in June of next year.
Despite that date, the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District graciously agreed not to collect the 2015 taxes, she said. Howley added she’s waiting to see whether the county will do the same.
Applauding the tax relief, Supervisors’ Chairman Scotty Scottoline said he believes that the 100-plus homes would have disproportionately burdened the district, ultimately costing more than it would have received in taxes. “I think it’s a better deal for the school district,” he said of the township’s purchase.
Howley said the township is working with David Shields from the Brandywine Conservancy to secure a conservation easement for the parcels. Scottoline said the Pennsbury Land Trust would also be involved in the process, which should be finalized by the end of the year.
In other business during the 25-minute meeting, Scottoline and Supervisor Aaron McIntyre – Wendell Felton was not present – approved a resolution supporting the Brandywine Creek Greenway’s Strategic Action Plan. The greenway is a conservation planning initiative of the Brandywine Conservancy that involves 24 municipalities along the east and west branches of the Brandywine.
In her road report, Howley said the township is working on collecting the data needed to erect a four-way stop sign at Fairville and Cossart roads, and it is seeking a design for a salt shed.
During the public comment segment, Alma Forsythe, a Pennsbury resident and environmental advocate, said she hoped that something could be done to correct a stormwater runoff problem at the Mendenhall farm property. She said a tremendous amount of erosion, even mudflow, is occurring on eased land between the historic house and old barn.
Solicitor Tom Oeste said he believed it would be up to the property owner, not the township, to correct the problem.
(2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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