UPDATE: 13Feb Zone Board meeting cancelled.
Our community is being threatened by non-conforming development!!!
A developer, GennTerra, has submitted plans to include more than TWICE the allowable lots on a parcel at 1348 Sumneytown.
See below for more information
Please be patient as this site continues to be updated. This is the effort of concerned residents, NOT a web developer
Welcome to Save LG!
How to help
* Contact the Lower Gwynedd Township and let them know you oppose the lot size reduction for 1348 Sumneytown Rd. You can send e-mails to pfurber@lowergwynedd.org
* Show up 13 February in opposition! The Zoning Hearing Board meeting will be where this "Special Exception" for the developer is discussed and voted on. Heavy attendance by all those opposed may help sway the decision. Meeting will be from 6:00PM until 7:00 PM. The meeting is located at 1130 North Bethlehem Pk.
What is going on?
1348 Sumneytown is attempting to exploit a loophole in township regulations.
* Developer has proposed 21 houses with lot sizes as small as 0.42 acres. For reference, average lot size in surrounding properties is 2+ acres. This will severely diminish the character of Lower Gwynedd
* This proposed change in area charter has a very real possibility of extending past neighboring and onto Lower Gwynedd as a township. While development would seem to be a net positive, those developments that are strikingly different than the normal could potentially lead to DECREASD PROPERTY VALUES FOR ALL OF LOWER GWYNEDD.
* The developer is attempting to utilize a clause in the LG codes that allows for severely diminished lot sizes in exchange for keeping a historical structure. While historical structures should be preserved, this developer is disingenuous for several reasons:
1) Per communications between township members and the listing realtor, the owners require the historical home to be maintained as part of the purchase agreement. This developer is attempting to seek a "Special Exception" for a house he is likely already contractually obligated to keep.
2) There is no need for such housing density. In fact, this same developer shared plans for a 10 home community on the same space just 6 months ago. This original proposal would fit with the community. We should demand this developer maintain plans to keep the Lower Gwynedd "feel".
3) The land in question is actually 5 distinct lots. Rather than seeking relief on the single parcel that contains the historical house, this developer is seeking relief on all adjacent lots as well. This is both against LG codes in addition to being highly unethical.
4) Tredyffrin Creek runs directly through the land in question. It is a near certainty that this increased density will have catastrophic water management consequences as the creek already overflows w/o the acres of impervious land that are being proposed. Incredibly, no drainage basin to mitigate this was included on the plans submitted.
5) The land in question have significant wetland contained within (nearly 4 acres). This proposal put those wetland in serious jeopardy. Some examples of such are roads going through wetlands, driveways going over/through wetlands, and yards that are almost 100% wetlands other than the house build on them
6) Specifically on Evans Rd, where 2 houses should be permissible the developer is proposing 5 homes with appears to be a mere 30 ft between the houses. The rest of the development mimics this. For reference, homes would be closer than schoolbus length apart from each other.
What efforts are currently underway?
A concerned group of Lower Gwynedd residents have aligned to retain the services of James Garrety (Wisler Pearlstine, LLP) to aid in our opposition. While your voice is the most important contribution that can be made, there is a high probability that this matter will require legal intervention from Lower Gwynedd residents. Please consider contributing what you can to assist in this ongoing battle. E-mail contact@savelg.com for more information, or contribute to the URL below:
Who is GennTerra?
GennTerra is a land developer. You should Google the in order to form opinions, but they seem to specialize in buying parcels of land, and attempting to fit as many properties on them as possible (regardless of township zoning codes). In fact, they are currently attempting the same process in Lower Franklin wherein a plan was submitted in 2018/2019 for 40 homes on a parcel that, per regulations, should have had only 20 permissible. Fortunately Lower Franklin has strong community involvement and township representation to deny such proposal, and more reasonable density plans have yet to be submitted to the township.
View Related Documents
WORK IN PROGRESS:
* Site plan submitted 1/31 by developer (20 lots - which is what we are fighting)
* Site plan proposed from different architectural firm contracted by developer showing 21 lots
* Site plan proposed by developer in May 2024 (never submitted to township)
* Original site plan proposal (2023) including damning denial from township engineer
* Notice to residents within 500ft of proposed development
* Postcard - please download and send to anyone in LG.
* Lower Franklin proposal and applicable meeting minutes (coming soon)
PLEASE LET YOUR VIOCE BE HEARD
Reach out to the township at pfurber@lowergwynedd.org to voice your concern
COME TO THE 13FEB ZHB meeting!!!!!!!
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