Procedural Issues Make for Quick Supervisors Meeting on Davis Site

The township supervisors' first hearing on the former Davis Pontiac site was mostly procedural and lasted less than an hour.

Chairperson George Komelasky told the crowd of about 200 that the hearing “would be quasi-judicial and would not be interactive.”

“Only after all testimony has been heard will we hear public comment,” he said, adding that hearings will continue on the second Wednesday of each month at Richboro Intermediate School until a decision has been reached.

Thomas Hecker, attorney for the Dreher group trying to redevelop the property, summarized the previous meetings with the planning commission and then announced the applicant had filed an amended application just yesterday.

By law, a hearing cannot be continued when an amendment has been filed. 

Hecker also sought to disqualify Murray Battleman, owner of the Richboro as a party to the hearing. Heckert said Battleman was interested only in how the competition would affect his store.  Battleman has opposed the Giant Food Store proposed for the site from the beginning, rallying his friends, employees and customers in opposition.

The supervisors dismissed Heckert's request and, after only 50 minutes, Komelasky announced the hearing was over and would be continued on June 8 at 7 PM at .

At the outset, the supervisors announced this special hearing and all future hearings would begin at 7 PM and end no later than 10 PM.

Though those in attendance were not able to comment publicly, most had already staked out their position on the issue.

“I think anyone should be able to develop a property so long as they meet the zoning requirements,” said real estate broker Marge Wiener, Richboro. “It should not be based on how many food stores there are.”

Jack Kauffman, Holland, said this was the first meeting he attended.

“I have watched, read, and talked about it and I am not in favor of the Davis site being developed as a big box food store,” he said.

Linda Debiase and her mother, Lydia, also of Holland were sitting behind Kauffman and nodded in agreement.

Ivyland's John Benner has attended many of the meetings.

“Shop ‘n Bag gives our community a local flavor,” he said, adding that he wondered if the meeting ended quickly because the primary elections are next week.

All the supervisors were in attendance for the hearing, which was recorded by Video Gold and can be viewed on Northampton’s municipal channel.