Recap: Newtown's Decision to Change the Proposed Act 537 Plan

Although I was not able to attend Monday’s Board of Supervisors meeting, I have read about the meeting on Marple Newtown Patch and have spoken to residents who attended. It seems the supervisors have made the decision to change the proposed plan to make gravity sewers available to the majority of homes in the township’s Echo Valley neighborhood. 

This proposed change will be made available for a 30-day public comment period.  During that time, any resident can review this proposed plan and provide their comments about it. It also seems that this change caused some at the meeting to applaud the supervisors’ decision. While I understand the relief and appreciation that those who have sought an equitable solution for this neighborhood may have felt, I believe there are still changes to the proposed 537 plan that would make this a better plan for all residents of the township. 

Specifically, this proposed change does not, in my view, speak to the issue of putting pump stations close to residents’ homes. It also does not speak to moving the Springton Pointe Waste Water Treatment plant which is proposed to continue as a very large pumping station out of that neighborhood.

Additionally, it does not propose either moving or making more efficient and less problematic the pump station on Camelot Lane. It also seems to punish those homes that made the responsible decision to replace failing on-site systems by proposing to change the existing opt-out ordinance. It seems to me that all of these issues have a better solution available to the township, but for some reason, only Echo Valley neighbors’ concerns have been addressed.

This latest proposed change does not alleviate the concerns of all of the Echo Valley neighbors. For some residents in this neighborhood, there is a pump station close to their homes with access to the pump from a cul-de-sac.  And, even more distressing is the fact that this pump station was behind one neighbor’s home. 

That neighbor hired an attorney and the next thing to happen without public discussion was the pump station was moved close to another neighbor’s home.  Does everyone in this township have to hire an attorney to have this plan be the best plan for all residents? Should we really have to ask elected officials to direct township employees and agents to communicate these plans to those whose homes are affected negatively. And there can be no argument, I think, that a pump station close to a resident’s home is negative.

Not that this request is anything new and not that it hasn’t been asked previously, but supervisors should, in my view, have location meetings in the Springton Pointe Estates, Springton Pointe Woods’ and Hunt Valley neighborhoods. These neighborhoods’ residents asked the supervisors to look at changing the proposed plan to consider alternatives that would not negatively impact their neighborhoods. 

And it seems it would be possible to make positive changes to the plan given the information provided by Springton Pointe Estates Homeowners’ Association. At prior meetings, they proposed changes that appear to be cost neutral and better environmentally than the current proposal. Yet, there appears to be no logical reason offered for their dismissal as not possible. Residents in Hunt Valley Circle raised concerns and possible relocation of a pump station in their neighborhood.  The proposal to handle the sewage from Melmark may not be the best solution for these neighbors.

Putting aside the fact that township officials’ decisions and actions have been more costly than they should have been and have taken far longer than they should, they are still accountable to provide a plan that is comprehensive and technically competent. 

There is still more to do, in my view, to accomplish this requirement. The supervisors have directed that changes should be made for one neighborhood. They should, in my view, give serious consideration and direct changes for other neighborhoods as has been requested. That way, this plan can be the best plan for all residents of Newtown Township.