Lennar Construction ends quest to build controversial development in Hilltown Township

A Miami-based developer for the time being has ended its bid to build what was proposed as a 174-unit, age-restricted housing development in Hilltown.
Township officials confirmed that Lennar Construction withdrew its request for changes to local zoning law -- changes the developer needed to build the Venue community as envisioned.
The withdrawal came shortly before what was to be a Thursday, Sept. 8, hearing before Hilltown’s Board of Supervisors, which were poised to vote on whether to grant the zoning relief. The hearing was cancelled.
Lennar -- or another builder -- could eventually come forward with another proposal to develop the land, which lies in the area of Swartley Road and Route 309. As of now, there has been no indication of further action, Hilltown Supervisor Caleb Torrice said.
Lennar did not indicate to the township why it was withdrawing its zoning amendment requests. As it pursued approvals necessary to build the planned 55-and-older community, the developer encountered stiff resistance from Hilltown Friends, a community group that opposed the project.
“It’s exciting news,” Michele Tyson, a Hilltown Friends leader, said of Lennar’s withdrawal.

Still, she said the community would remain vigilant. “Lennar has withdrawn their petition at least for now,” Tyson continued. “We will keep (group members) posted for when they come back next time.”
One of Hilltown Friends’ biggest concerns with the proposed project was that Lennar wanted to build much denser housing than current zoning allows. The community group felt that granting zoning changes to allow for the dense development would set a dangerous precedent that other builders could exploit to pack more housing than zoning permits onto properties in Hilltown.
Hilltown Friends also was worried the development could cause road-clogging traffic, excessive stormwater runoff that leads to flooding, environmental hazards, intrusive lighting, the need to hire more police officers and decreased property values for current residents who live near the development.
In a 4-1 vote on June 20, the Hilltown Planning Commission recommended supervisors grant Lennar’s desired zoning relief, provided certain conditions were met.
Those included the suggestion to lessen density to 150 units. Even so, the commission’s recommendation was not binding, and it ultimately would have been up to supervisors on what, if any, zoning relief would be given.

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