Wednesday
September 18, 2024 
The makeup of a large proposed housing development that would replace one of Lower Makefield's last remaining farms could be changing.
Representatives of the estate of Harry M. Torbert Jr. have filed a plan for 78 single-family houses on minimum one-acre lots at the site of the 105-acre Torbert Farm near Newtown-Yardley and Creamery roads.
At the end of a roughly two-hour review of that plan at a June 12 township planning commission meeting, members voted to neither recommend or not recommend it to the supervisors. Instead the commission directed Torbert representatives to enter into discussions with township officials on possibly changing the plan to a cluster concept.
That would involve grouping the houses closer together on smaller lots with the idea of preserving larger areas of open space. Ed Murphy who, along with fellow attorney Joe Blackburn and engineer Justin Geonnotti, represented the Torbert estate at the meeting, said he and the other representatives were willing to have such a discussion.
"We're happy to sit down and have a good faith conversation on what that would look like," Murphy said of changing the plan concept.
He emphasized, however, that any discussion could not center around keeping the same number of houses.
"Reducing the size of the lots reduces each lot's value so there would need to be more lots to offset that," Murphy said.
Both the planning commission and Torbert estate representatives came away from Monday's meeting with the understanding that if discussions with township officials on changing the plan are not productive, the estate representatives would be back before the planning commission for a “yes” or “no” vote on recommending preliminary subdivision approval of the 78-home plan to the supervisors. That plan is "by right" in the R-1 residential low density zoning district where the farm is located, meaning that it does not require any zoning variances.
Murphy said the estate, which includes three beneficiaries including Harry Torbert's widow Virginia, is in the process of selling the farm and he expected a sale to be finalized sometime during the summer. A housing plan of some kind would then be pursued by the new owner, Murphy said, and added that the township opted not to buy the property.
When asked by planning commission member Colin Coyle if the Torbert estate would be willing to wait until after the November election for a sale, Murphy said “no.” Coyle's idea was that a referendum could possibly be put on the ballot asking Lower Makefield voters if they wanted the township to borrow money to buy the farm.
Murphy said in response to a question from planning commission Chairman Adrian Costello that there are no plans to preserve any of the existing buildings on the farm.
"No one thinks there is any great historical value in the buildings, including Mrs. Torbert," Murphy stated.
In going over review letters on the current 78-home plan from township Engineer Andy Pockl, the Bucks County Planning Commission and others, township planning commission members expressed no major objections, including to the requested waivers from some of the requirements of the township's subdivision and land development ordinance.
"On its face, it seems largely in compliance," Coyle said.
"Nothing unacceptable here," added Costello.
Only three people were in the audience at Monday night's meeting, with two of them speaking during public comment.
"Our lives will drastically, drastically change with this development," said Chris Laquidara, a resident of the nearby Ridings development. "The neighborhood was hoping a portion of the farm would be preserved to help retain the setting we enjoy. The biggest concern is drainage. It's an absolute huge issue with us."
Geonnotti responded that a stormwater management system that is part of the plan would improve drainage and slow the rate of water runoff from the property.
Another resident was not enthusiastic about a cluster concept she said would create open space that would only be used by residents of the new development and not by the general public.
"It's not like there will be a public park or anything," she said.
Murphy acknowledged at Monday's meeting that a possible future realignment of Creamery Road would cause changes in the current plan. The likelihood of that realignment and how soon it might happen was unclear at the meeting. All exits and entrances in the current plan are proposed from Creamery Road, with none from Newtown-Yardley Road.
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