The Amity Township Board of Supervisors unanimously granted conditional final approval on July 19 to developers of a new Auto Zone planned for Route 422 in Douglassville.
Bill Rountree, director of development at Wright Partners, Philadelphia, and representing 1123 Douglassville LLC, said the conditional approval allows him to purchase the five-acre property at 1123 Benjamin Franklin Highway on the July 31 settlement date.
Without the conditional final approval, Rountree was in jeopardy of losing the land and the deal.
“Our job is to represent the taxpayers,” said Supervisor Terry L. Jones, adding, “We need some kind of agreement to keep it moving forward.”
Rountree agreed on July 19 to comply with all terms and conditions of the township engineer’s July 7 review letter.
He will also submit to the Planning Commission each month items received and completed, as well as revised land development plans.
“We don’t like to be the referee of five pages of notes, but if you don’t [conditionally approve] they will lose the deal,” said township Solicitor Brian F. Boland to the board.
The Auto Zone (phase I) – and two other commercial businesses – will be located on the five acres that are west of Maplewood Drive and in between the east and westbound lanes of Route 422.
Rountree said recently that one of the other commercial businesses will be a QSR – quick service restaurant.
The land development approval process for the entire parcel has been stalled while Rountree waits for the completion of easement agreements and permits from state agencies.
“You could move dirt when the financial security agreement is submitted,” said Boland.
The board and Planning Commission previously approved waivers for the relocation of 11 trees, a reduction in the number of parking spaces from 49 to 25, a two-foot reduction in the size of some parking spaces, an increase in overall sign area from 160 square feet to 302 square feet, to allow public water and sewer, and also for the improvement setback/buffer to be zero feet instead of the specified 10 feet.
In other business, the supervisors hired Caleb Edwards as a wastewater laborer/equipment operator at the probationary rate of $20.77 an hour, effective July 31.
Township Manager Troy Bingaman said a $100,000, 24-inch pipe will be added to the Leaf Creek Interceptor sewer line being designed for Route 662.
He said the pipe will run parallel to the current pipe and will provide for larger sewer capacity.
“It will be a solution forever,” said Bingaman, adding, “we don’t see capacity exceeding that.”
The board unanimously approved Police Directive 9, which has new policies for Amity Police Department officers’ use of social media and networking.
“This is about how they should conduct themselves when they are not working — there is not a lot of expectation to privacy,” said Chief Andrew J. Kensey.
The board appointed its newest member, Kevin Keifrider, to head the planning committee for the township’s 300th Anniversary Celebration in 2019.
Board members said the celebration will include all local civic groups: the Lions Club, Rotary Club, Optimist Club, as well as local churches, and the Monarch and Amity fire departments.
“What do we want? A carnival, community days?” asked Jones.
“After 300 years, we should have one of the best fireworks display ever seen.”
Boland suggested that some celebration ideas could be gleaned from the book compiled for the township’s 250th anniversary in 1969.
