Stocking Works II Hearing Continued To Feb. 23

A conditional use hearing for the Stocking Works II proposal that originally began in December and resumed Thursday evening has been continued until Feb. 23.

The hearing in front of Newtown Borough Council is the first step in an approval process for the redevelopment of the former Stockburger Chevrolet site off South State Street. 

Developer Allan Smith has submitted three plans to Newtown Borough for a mixed-use development. The current conditional use hearing is only for Plan A, which includes 121 residential units and 28,900 square feet of commercial space on six acres. That plan also includes a two-deck parking structure for public use as well as underground parking for the residential units.

During Thursday’s hearing, Christopher Green, a landscape architect from Gilmore and Associates, testified on behalf of the applicant. John Koopman, a lawyer representing Newtown Township, questioned Green on various aspects of the plan and how it conforms to borough ordinance.

Newtown Township has been granted “party status” in the hearing. Party status enables the representing attorney to cross-examine witnesses and object to evidence being placed on the record.  The township requested party status when the hearing began in December due to the proximity of the project to its borders.

There was no opportunity for public comment during Thursday’s portion of the hearing.

Smith has also submitted two other plans to the borough for conditional use approval. Plan B features civic amenities such as a creek walk and a public square where the State Store parking lot currently sits off Centre Avenue.

Plan B includes the development of two additional acres -- the State Store property plus the adjacent municipal lot – and includes 109 condos and 42,700 square feet of commercial space. That plan, which isn’t currently being considered because Smith doesn’t own the one-acre municipal parking lot site, also has underground and above-ground parking structures.

The third plan – Plan C -- eliminates the 210-space parking garage that is included in Plan A and B.  Plan C also reduces the number of residential condominiums to 78 and the commercial square footage to 23,155. 

Mixed-use development is permitted in that location under borough ordinance but requires conditional use approval. However, conditional use approval from council doesn’t mean Smith can break ground on the project. It simply allows him to go forward with engineering to prepare a preliminary plan to be submitted to the borough.

The hearing on Thursday, Feb. 23 will begin at 6 p.m. at the