So you're upset with development in this area. Why can't things be like they used to be...a few homes, a few neighbors, and lots of cows?
To listen to some residents, you would think that Richland, or Milford, or even Haycock, is experiencing a unique phenomenon virtually unknown to civilized man. Every other town is managing development so well, how can we be so stupid?
News flash! The angst of progress isn't limited to our little corner of the universe. As a matter of fact, things are downright nasty just a few miles from here, right across the Montgomery County border.
The three-year-old Upper Perkiomen Regional Planning Commission, which is made up of representatives from six towns, is on the verge of implosion from a controversial housing development proposed in Red Hill. And if you think that one municipality has trouble deciding what-should-be-built-where, multiply that confusion by six.
The regional planning concept probably sounded pretty good for a little while, until the first big development, and big self-interest, arrived.
T.H. Properties plans to construct a 133-townhouse complex called Preston Court in Red Hill. One side of the 16-acre site is 11 th Street. The border between Red Hill and Pennsburg. The increased traffic will certainly impact Pennsburg. The area's emergency services are located in Pennsburg.
So you might well imagine that Pennsburg was not exactly thrilled when THP agreed to build a new borough hall - for Red Hill - and expand the borough's fire hall, in exchange for increased density.
Universal Rule: People are always going to do what is best for themselves. Red Hill is not a wealthy community. Median income about $45,000. Median home value about $115,000. Its borough hall was formerly a service shed. Firefighting equipment is kept in tents. The new townhomes, priced in the $200,000 range, will add immeasurably to the tax base. Council would have been run out of town on a rail if it had turned down THP merely because Pennsburg had issues.
Since the proposed zoning change was not consistent with the commission's comprehensive plan, it needed unanimous approval. And, predictably, Pennsburg nixed the whole idea. With demographics almost identical to Red Hill, Pennsburg wanted its share of THP pie. As did Marlborough Township and Green Lane. East Greenville and Upper Hanover Township sided with Red Hill.
And - surprise! - Pennsburg residents who live just across 11 th Street didn't look forward to 133 new neighbors. They like the open space. "We want to keep it the way it is," said Barbara Lear. " I just don't like change at all," added her husband. Where have we heard those lines before?
Time for some major negotiating. The political give-and-take which occurs every day in governments, large and small. No doubt this would be worked out by reasonable leaders. So how did Red Hill open those discussions? It threatened to drop out of the commission unless the three Montco No's dropped their opposition. Now that's teamwork! Subtle. Very subtle.
OK, just a bad start. After all, this was the first big test of their regional planning concept. Surely East Greenville and Upper Hanover would take their impulsive ally aside and suggest a more diplomatic approach. Employ some of that give-and-take. Demonstrate some of the tact which got the council members elected.
Well, no. The 'Villes and the Ups also threatened to bolt. In fact, UH's supervisors had already voted unanimously to follow whatever Red Hill wanted. Looks like the regional approach to planning may still need some tweaking.
Fortunately, Red Hill graciously left the door open for saving the commission. Actually, that would be very simple, it said. The three nay votes merely had to say "aye" instead. Then the project would pass unanimously, and everything would be hunky dory.
And, oh yeah, in the future no one would have veto power over anyone else.
So if the happy group survives this extortion, what projects are looming down the road to further test the bonds of cooperation?
A proposed CVS pharmacy in Pennsburg. A proposed Eckerd pharmacy in Pennsburg. A proposed Wal-Mart store in Upper Hanover.
A proposed THP housing development, all 714 units of it, on the former 69-acre Upper Perk Golf Course in Upper Hanover, a township which now has over 1300 residential lots proposed, planned, or under construction. No wonder UH agreed with Red Hill.
If Pennsburg is afraid that police, fire, and emergency services will be stretched thin by 133 townhomes, how will the six amigos feel about Wal-Mart, new pharmacies, and 1300 houses? And this will only be the beginning, because Sam Walton, CVS, THP, and Eckerd don't drop in anywhere that doesn't have either a large population, or large expected growth.
The six towns agreed to what one representative called "marriage counseling", but it's the shotgun variety. The Red Hill bunch has already given notice that they are history on December 23 unless their neighbors say "I do".
You may not like what is going on in Upper Bucks, but how would you feel in Milford if your plans were controlled by Richlandtown? Do you folks in Springtown want Quakertown borough to have a say in what you can and can not build? If anyone out there believes that a regional commission would work in this area, I have a YMCA, or an irradiator, to sell you.
And with the twenty-first century descending on the Upper Perkiomen landscape, it's about to become a seller's market there, too.