Date: Fri 20-Dec-1996

By ANDY GOROSKO

Published: Aug 11, 1999 12:00 am

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

Borough-zoning-regulations

Full Text:

Borough Zoning Revises Its Regulations

B Y A NDREW G OROSKO

The Borough Zoning Commission has approved a set of revisions to the borough

zoning regulations, which take effect January 1.

Borough Zoning Commission members approved the revisions at a December 18

session following a public hearing.

The last major revision to the borough zoning rules came in the early 1970s.

Borough zoners have adopted the town's zoning regulations as borough zoning

regulations wherever applicable. The borough is a governmental and tax

district in central Newtown which has its own zoning commission and zoning

board of appeals.

The borough zoning rule changes include new rules, revised regulations and

some deleted rules.

The new borough rules incorporate the various zoning amendments which have

been made since the regulations were last revised.

The new regulations exclude restaurant drive-throughs due to traffic safety

concerns. The rules also seek to foster harmonious commercial signs. The

proposals prohibit neon signs. An applicant would need Borough Zoning Board of

Appeals approval to erect an internally-lit commercial sign.

The Borough Zoning Commission also has added references to the Americans With

Disabilities Act to its proposed regulations. The act specifies rules on

providing physically disabled people with access to buildings.

The borough zoning changes: specify rules on landscaping; more explicitly

define the term "personal services"; and update the zoning application fee

schedule to have it conform with the P&Z's fee schedule.

The new rules eliminate the bulk storage of paint and tobacco as permitted

land uses.

Also, the rules delete a provision which allows an applicant to use the more

liberal of two sets of zone rules when the applicant's property lies within

two different land use zones.

The new regulations: modify the definition of the "minimum square" for lot

planning purposes; alter the list of permitted land uses; change building

setback distances and lot coverage requirements for new construction; change

the rules on commercial signs; alter parking requirements for non-residential

land uses; change buffering requirements; alter the separating distances among

alcoholic beverage outlets; provide for interior building lots; modify the

requirements for the reconstruction of non-conforming buildings after damage

or destruction; and make various technical revisions, among other changes.

At a recent Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) meeting, James Gaston of Main

Street, a borough burgess, told P&Z members "The Borough Zoning Commission has

done a great job" in revising the regulations. Mr Gaston said he supports the

revisions because the changes seek to protect the borough's character.

Similarly, P&Z members said the revisions represent valuable changes to land

use rules for the center of town.

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Well that is some spin. The Democrats have a super majority on the LC and passed the Education Budget without serious consideration of if the voters could afford the multi million dollar increase. "Was the request justified?" rather than "is this needed?" and "can the voters shoulder yet another large increase?" The voters rightly sent it back. Then for some reason all the discussion around reductions to the increase seemed to be coming from the classroom, rather than administration and overhead costs. Is this a coercive tactic to manipulate parents into supporting the budget like tacit threat of cutting freshman sports was two years ago? Who believes the Democrats did not caucus privately before the meeting and came in with a number already worked out? This is the Dems budget, they own it.

Education Cuts: Who Voted For What

I think it is important that we do not villainize every black box seen around a home, business, farm, or municipal property. A black exterior station does not always mean rat poison is being used. These stations can hold a number of different products, including monitoring blocks, snap traps, non-toxic bait, anti-tick bait stations, organic salt- or cornmeal-based control products, and newer fertility-control approaches intended to reduce rodent populations without traditional poisons. The better conversation, in my opinion, is not simply “black boxes are bad,” but rather: what is inside them, who is maintaining them, and whether the rodent issue is being managed responsibly. Exclusion, sanitation, trapping, habitat reduction, and careful monitoring should all be part of a responsible IPM strategy. To be fair, on my own property I do use rodenticides, including Bromethalin and Bromadiolone, in secured bait stations. But that is a choice I make for my property, based on my circumstances and the risk I am trying to manage. I also believe property owners should understand the tradeoffs and be encouraged to use the least harmful effective method whenever possible. I support protecting Newtown’s wildlife. I also support giving residents accurate information and not assuming that every black box represents reckless or unsafe pest control. The goal should be responsible rodent management, not fear of the box itself.

Discusses Policy Against Rodenticides

Debora, thank you! I accidentally doubled the project prices by adding the bond to the appropriation. Thank you so much for catching that and pointing it out. With the corrected numbers, the voters approved a combined $1.32 million for a salt shed ($600k) and library pavement ($720k), while rejecting the $1.12 million replacement turf. Regarding the 80s, I truly respect the hurdle of 14% mortgage rates. My point is simply that the math has shifted: in 1980, while the rates were higher, the price of a home relative to earnings was significantly lower. We are facing a different, but equally crushing, financial wall. Ultimately, it is disheartening that voters who recognized safe sidewalks and parking lots as essential, dismissed a playing field in the exact same condition. The turf has passed its life cycle and is just as much of a liability as the library’s pavement, the only difference is that this safety concern affects thousands of children who, coincidentally, cannot vote. These are apples-to-apples needs. I was hopeful our community would agree that all Newtown residents deserve safe conditions, regardless of which facility they utilize. Again, I would be remiss not to mention that when 82% of residents don’t show up, we have to deal with the interests of those who did. Hopefully, the next referendum will have a bigger turnout.

The ‘Me’ Generation

Thanks for the reply. I meant the numbers you presented in your letter. I found one place where other numbers were listed: https://www.newtownbee.com/04232026/get-out-and-vote-on-the-2026-27-proposed-municipal-and-school-budgets/?q=\\\%22advisory%20questions\\\%22. In that article, the numbers were cited as: Treadwell field: $1,125,000 Library: $720,000 Salt Storage: $600,000 As one who started out in the early 80's when inflation was double digits, my 1985 mortgage rate was 14%, and child care costs were comparable (in present value), I shared your grief but never considered the voters ironic or shameful. PS. I agree college tuition is ridiculous. Thankfully, universities are offering (or considering) waiving all or most tuition for middle class families (upwards of $200,000 incomes). Hopefully, they'll also reconsider their need for those funds in the first place.

Sure! Child care costs: https://www.ffyf.org/2022/10/13/data-child-care-prices-continue-to-rise-ahead-of-midterm-elections-outpacing-inflation/ (also from 2021-2025 we had 2 children in a local daycare in Newtown and it cost us $3200 a month, so that's a number I am very familiar with) Home price / median price vs income source: https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/home-price-income-ratios Tuition increase vs inflation: https://feed.georgetown.edu/access-affordability/noting-a-decline-in-middle-class-students-colleges-provide-more-aid/ Hope this helps :)

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Date: Fri 20-Dec-1996

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