The Middletown Township Board of Supervisors voted on Monday to approve a development plan for a 66-unit townhome complex on the site of the former Dwight D. Eisenhower Elementary School in Levittown.
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The 4-1 approval by the supervisors for Westrum Development Company follows a settlement reached in February after the company appeal a previous zoning decision that shot down the project.
The new development will be called “Woodbourne Ridge” and will be constructed on Woodbourne Road adjacent to the Cobalt Ridge neighborhood.
The plan includes maintained open space, townhome and guest parking, and a larger-than-initially-proposed setback from the road. The developer also plans a decorative fence approved by neighbors and a new turn lane on Woodbourne Road to ease traffic.
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Robert Gundlach, the attorney for Westrum Development, noted the importance of community feedback in the approval plan, which led to modifications reducing traffic impacts and increasing green space.
He said the revised plan is a result of our dialogue with township officials and the Cobalt Ridge community.
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The 14-acre site, which houses a deteriorating school building currently leased to a nonprofit, will see the old school demolished to make way for the new homes.
The townhomes will feature three bedrooms each and are expected to be priced between $500,000 and $600,000, according to past statements from the developer.
The development plan faced opposition last year when it was initially proposed as a 70-unit, age-targeted community.
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The Middletown Township Zoning Hearing Board denied the proposal due to zoning restrictions. The denial led to the revised application and later settlement.
Resident Eric Bruno voiced concerns about the lack of affordable housing options in the township, while nearby resident Beth Pollack fears the development could alter the community’s character negatively.
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In response to community concerns, the developer has committed to creating a $200,000 trust fund to assist potential homeowners with down payments. Details are still being worked out.
Supervisors Chairperson Mike Ksiazek said the township’s hands are often tied on development issues due to the state laws. He added that the township has limited control over what is built on private grounds.
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Supervisor Dana Kane said the approved plan is better than what was initially proposed, adding the developer worked with each resident that surrounds it.
Supervisor Dawn Quirple noted that the township is concerned about development, but the power of the supervisors related to it is limited.
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