Bedminster Police Chief Matt Phelan to retire

“Retiring from policing for a career opportunity at Upper Bucks County Technical School,” Bedminster Township Police Chief Matt Phelan is stepping down, effective July 30. Phelan read his retirement advisory letter to the board of supervisors at its July meeting.

Ranking officers are to serve as interim command while supervisors determine how to fill the position, with an update promised for their next public meeting on Aug. 14.

In his retirement letter, Phelan noted his new position at UBCTS, which is also in Bedminster Township, would be “training future police officers.” He praised his current uniformed officers for their dedication, high-level capabilities and leadership skills. He also praised Community Relations Specialist/Victim Advocate Laurie Hepler for her development of an innovative program that he expects to become a useful guideline “for the commonwealth.”

Phelan voiced deep gratitude for cooperation and support from supervisors and township staff. He assumed command as chief in 2020, following two years as police chief in neighboring Tinicum Township.

Also at the July 8 meeting, supervisors authorized advertising for an amending of the township zoning ordinance, that features a response to complaints from neighbors of small-lot farm properties regarded as having too many animals for space available.

“It’s just common sense,” observed Township Manager and Zoning Officer Rich Schilling, “to avoid, for example, having only a half-acre of pasture for horses on a 10-acre property that is otherwise taken up by buildings and other impervious surface. Meanwhile, the amending also is designed to help out parents who want to raise chickens on small lots.”

The amending now being advertised includes input from a township planning commission meeting last month, and subsequent revisions to a draft. It includes “adding a definition of dry lot; amending existing agricultural regulations concerning general farming; and revising lot size regulations for intensive agriculture, industrial animal production and equestrian and agricultural retail use.”

In addition, the amending seeks to rectify problems encountered by residents of developments built as a result of court-ordered settlement agreements, where they wish to construct something that is not in compliance with the agreement, but there is no path for them to seek relief from the requirements. Converting the settlement agreement requirements into zoning requirements would enable them to file for a variance from the Zoning Hearing Board.

After the advertising, the proposed amending will go back to the township planning commission for further review, and also go to the county planning commission for its review, before being returned to the supervisors for consideration of adoption.

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