Artist’s rendering of “Solebury Square” concept presented in June
The Solebury Township Board of Supervisors will attempt to “reset” their conversation with constituents over a proposed development plan for the Route 202 corridor during a community meeting Tuesday.
Dubbed “Solebury Square,” the residential and commercial complex was intended to address “the inevitability of additional building along 202 while not increasing the burden on the roadway itself,” according to the township’s July newsletter. The project as proposed would have virtually double commercial space in the immediate area — from the New Hope Lodge on Route 179 to Hermitage Drive on Route 202 — and added hundreds of residential apartments.
A June presentation of the visual concept encountered stiff resistance from the public, largely on the basis of the aesthetics of the proposed development, along with the potential impact on road traffic and water resources.
Map of Solebury Square presented in June
Town supervisors say the presentation was misunderstood — their traffic consultants were merely offering “visual imagery of a possible approach” to managing growth along Route 202 “by making changes to road design.” Supervisors say that they never “endorsed” the Solebury Square concept, but were using it instead as a starting point for future discussions with the community. Solebury Township is “on the verge of receiving multiple proposals for new construction in the 202 corridor,” they say, and “doing nothing is not an option.”
A meeting to discuss Route 202 issues has been scheduled for Tuesday, from 7 to 9 p.m., at the Solebury Township building on Sugan Road, following the regularly-scheduled 6 p.m. Board of Supervisors meeting. Comments can also be emailed to the township manager.
I live off of rt.202 on a private lane opposite Reeder rd. Since I lack representation,I hope my voice will not be ignored when discussing remediation of a serious and dangerous traffic problem which has become even worse with the growing development in the area. I cannot make a left hand turn onto 202 without nearly getting clipped by 18 wheelers and speeding cars which cannot see me as the pass on the right to stopped cars making a left onto Reeder rd. There are two other individuals on this lane. I need a) sign indicating a hidden driveway and/or b)cleared brush so visibility is ameliorated, or c) shoulder improvement near the entrance to my lane. At present I am forced to make only a Right turn and illegally make a left onto the County Row parking lot to get back onto 202. Monkey Hill is the lane on my immediate right and also shares the same dilemma.
Please Solebury, do NOT become New Jersey.
How are you going to address the waste water a plant will cost about 20 million and the same for a water plant and plant operators.
I don’t believe most people were upset by the aesthetics of the proposal, I think they were concerned about traffic, water management, soil management and current empty commercial buildings already built. Aesthetics at this point is just trivial. It will be gridlock. Let’s look at reconsidering the bypass to route drive through traffic off the “local” roadway.
Not to mention what the implications of adding 600+ housing units will mean for the school. An even greater tax increase to cope with an influx in students isn’t worth a PF Changs or any of the other chain businesses that crop up in these type of developments.