Residents Continue to Oppose McDonald's

Residents continued to mobilize against a new McDonald’s at Village of Newtown East during a Newtown Township Planning Commission meeting Tuesday.

Approximately 25 residents, many from Clivedon Estates, attended the meeting to express concerns about the traffic, lighting, and noise that would result from a McDonald's. Clivedon Estates is across the street from the site of the potential fast food chain.

McDonald’s has announced plans to put a restaurant on the site of Office Place East, a building adjacent to Wachovia Bank. However, Newtown Township Engineer Michele Fountain said McDonald’s has not yet filed a formal land development application with the township.

The plan is currently conceptual in nature, she said, adding that McDonald’s representatives have requested to be included on the March 9 Board of Supervisors agenda to provide an informal presentation of their plans.

But residents have already begun mobilizing against the proposal, saying it will increase traffic in an already busy location. Lighting, signage, and buffering is also a concern for many in the nearby neighborhood.

“It’s already a nightmare driving through that development at peak times. We are very, very concerned,” said Clivedon Estates resident Wendy Mallis.

Supervisor Jerry Schenkman encouraged residents to continue expressing their concerns early, even prior to the filing of a formal land development application. That way, the issue will be a “dialogue not a monologue.”

The concerned residents have created a Facebook page to aid in their efforts. The page, “Say No to McDonald’s at Village of Newtown East,” had 125 “likes” as of Tuesday night.