Mixed-Use Development Eyed For Part Of Woods Services Site

Part of the property along Maple Avenue where the development is proposed on Monday.
Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com

A mixed-use development with apartments and some retail space is being considered for part of the Woods Services’ property in Middletown Township.

Woods Services, a nonprofit provider of services for individuals with disabilities, has petitioned Middletown Township for a zoning overlay on its 200-acre property to better align with its current operations and future plans, according to the proposal.

The plan was presented to the Board of Supervisors last week and includes potential development of a 20-acre parcel by BET Investments for mixed-use retail and residential apartments.

Michael Meginniss, the attorney representing Woods Services, explained that the organization’s properties, which total over 200 acres, are currently zoned R1, which is designed primarily for single-family detached dwellings. The zoning does not reflect Woods’ historical development or current operations.

“The R1 does not make sense, I would submit for Woods,” McGinnis said. “And the reality is it has created a litany of issues whenever Woods has made any changes whatsoever to the campus.”

Woods Services provides vocational and adult day services, health and wellness services, neurorehab facilities, medical services, dental services, and housing for individuals with disabilities. McGinnis noted that no single zoning district in the township adequately captures Woods’ historic usage.

Woods has agreed to sell a 20-acre parcel to BET Investments for an undisclosed use, which plans to develop it as the mixed-use development.

The developer is interested in the parcel that sits along Maple Avenue and North Flowers Mill Road. It is presently almost entirely wooded.

Michael Markman, president of BET Investments, outlined the company’s vision for the site.

“Our intention would be to develop that particular property as a mixed-use property containing some retail and some residential apartments on the property combination,” Markman said. “Kind of a, you know, live, shop situation where people could go and live in a building and shop on the same parcel.”

The proposal faced scrutiny from some residents during the public comment period.

Eric Bruno, a Levittown resident, expressed concerns about rezoning for development purposes.

“If we’re talking strictly about rezoning, again with respect to Woods and the great works they do, I don’t see why there’s no reason to rezone unless it is absolutely impeding the work of the actual work, not the well, we want to sell off this property,” Bruno said.

Another resident, Christopher Nowakowski, urged caution for the supervisors, noting BET Investments’ large-scale projects in other municipalities.

“I would urge. Wait a little bit. See how they operate with everybody else. See what the other boards and authorities have to say. See if they’re operating in good faith,” Nowakowski said.

Despite these concerns, the supervisors voted 3-1 to authorize advertisement of the zoning overlay petition.

The decision allows the proposal to move forward to the Bucks County Planning Commission and Middletown Planning Commission for review, which is expected to take place next month.

The next steps in the process will include presentations to the planning commissions and a subsequent presentation to the supervisors. McGinnis emphasized that they were not seeking final approval at this meeting, but rather authorization to begin the review process.

“We will then at subsequent public meetings, both at the planning commission. Hopefully, I think December 4th, we will be able to do a full presentation, go through the ordinance, go through the vision that both BET has and Woods has,” McGinnis said.

Woods Services had previously looked to construct a multi-story building with 42 attainable/affordable apartments on the same land as the Beechwood NeuroRehab. That plan was placed on hold after pushback from residents.

Woods Services had planned to sell unused land in Langhorne Borough to Toll Brothers to construct 60 townhomes, but the borough’s zoning hearing board shot that plan down.

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