Scenic Byways Resolution Rescinded in Upper Makefield

Upper Makefield supervisors unanimously voted last week to rescind a scenic byways resolution that a number of vocal citizens protested would infringe on their land rights.

Upper Makefield officials said in a statement that an official from the group that wished to designate portions of the township as a scenic byway, Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, sent an email in late July stating the group was withdrawing their request to follow through with the scenic byways designation.

The Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor previously had promised that the program would have put portions of the River Road area in the running for grant funding that could pay for beautification projects, BucksLocalNews.com reported.

In April, the Upper Makefield Township Board of Supervisors approved a resolution supporting the designation, David Nyman, interim township manager, said in a letter to residents.

As part of the designation, the township would have to sign a contract that took some zoning control away from the municipality. Nyman said the township did not sign that contract and “it is extremely doubtful the board would have ever signed that contract.”

The byway designation would force some homeowners to get approval from authorities before making some aesthetic changes to their property.

Some Upper Makefield residents felt the contract would take away their rights and mounted an email, phone and door-to-door protest campaign.

Upper Makefield Supervisor Mary Ryan told BucksLocalNews.com that a protest group was distributing misinformation relating to the designation.

Nyman confirmed to residents that the township is no longer pursuing the designation.

Would you approve of a scenic byways program in Newtown? Do you think the program would have infringed on Upper Makefield homeowners' rights? Tell us your thoughts below.

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