Trailer Park Facing Opposition on Facebook

Newtown residents have taken to Facebook in their fight against a proposed trailer park at the Newtown Swim Club property.

A Facebook page, No Newtown Mobile Home Park, was started Sunday. As of Tuesday morning, 29 people have liked the page.

"No Newtown Mobile Home Park is here to take a stand for residents of Newtown, PA opposed to the proposed plans for a mobile home park," the page describes itself in the "about" section.

The application for a 56-pad trailer park was on the Planning Commission agenda for Feb. 5, however that review was postponed due to a scheduling conflict on the part of the applicant, County Builders. Instead, a continuance was requested.The Planning Commission review has not yet been rescheduled.

The township is still awaiting word from VanLuvanee regarding the probability of County Builders resubmitting plans for townhouses on the 16-acre property instead of a 56-pad trailer park. 

According to Board of Supervisors Chairman Mike Gallagher, township solicitor Jeffrey Garton has reached out to County Builders to see if it would again consider a townhome plan instead of a trailer park.

The application for a mobile home park was submitted in December after the Newtown Township Board of Supervisors voted to send its solicitor to the Zoning Hearing Board to defend the township's zoning regulations with regards to County Builders' 52-townhome proposal.

The townhome proposal required a variance because it exceeded the housing density permitted in that zoning district.

Board members Rob Ciervo, Matt Benchener and Phil Calabro voted in favor of sending the solicitor to represent the township. Since then, in response to the community’s outrage over the trailer park proposal, board member Matt Benchener said he would now support townhomes.