Board Votes Unanimous 'No' to Addisville Commons

As the supervisors each voted "no," the board room in the that was overflowing with people erupted in applause and cheers to the Board's decision.

After months of hearings, public comment and testimony by several parties, the Addisville Commons Conditional Use Application was shot down at the meeting Wednesday night.

"I'm elated," said owner Murray Battleman. "It's a proper decision ... and it's great."

Battleman was who filed their own opposition to the Addisville Commons plan, the second one submitted, which would put a Giant food store and a few other small shops on seven acres of property in the heart of Richboro.

The stores were to be built on the Davis Pontiac site, owned by Glenn Davis, which is no longer in use and has become overgrown and unkempt. The Dreher Group was in agreement to buy the land and develop it, should a plan be approved.

Davis said the Board's decision was "beyond ridiculous." 

"I’m getting tired of being jerked around by Northampton Township," Davis said.

The original plan included a wider variety of shops and also apartments, but required a zoning change and the Zoning Board recommended that the Board of Supervisors deny that plan after four hearings more than a year ago. They have not yet considered it.

At the meeting, each supervisor was given the chance to voice his/her comments regarding the conditional use application. Many congratulated both sides on their well-constructed arguments and presentation of the information, but ultimately, each supervisor stated that he/she would be voting against the plan.

"You can't shoehorn a supermarket into a C-2 district," Supervisor Frank Rothermel said, referring to the mixed-use commercial zoning district.

Rothermel said one resident put it well with the analogy, "You're taking a size 12 project and trying to shoehorn it into a size 8 area."

He also said one of his main concerns was the increased traffic times, citing examples where wait times to make left turns doubled and even tripled during peak driving times.

Both Supervisors Vincent Deon and George Komelasky said that something does need to go in the space.

"This will be a hot spot for years to come," Deon said.

Komelasky said he doesn't want the village of Richboro to be another place that people just blow through.

"Something is going to go in there. Something is going to bring traffic and something has to be done," Komelasky said. "What's going to get done at this site is going to impact everyone."

Township Solicitor Barbara Kirk has until Jan. 15 to submit the Board's official written decision.