There was some reluctance on the part of the Solebury Township Board of Supervisors to accept the Environmental Advisory Council’s recommendation that the township hold an Electronic Waste Recycling event.
The township held a similar drop-off collection a few years ago.
“If I recall correctly, it cost the township around $15,000 because we did not charge any fees for the recycled materials,” said supervisor Chair Mark Baum Baicker. “It was a resounding success in terms of public participation but it presented a number of issues...”
These included:
• It “created a major traffic backup on Sugan (Road) in both directions but most importantly, across (Route) 263”;
• It took the time of a number of Public Works employees and policy personnel;
• “The event had a limited time period but at the end of that time there were still long lines, leaving many individuals who had waited for quite some time understandably frustrated.”
• “It was apparent that many of those who participated were not Solebury residents”;
“We can’t support all those other communities. We need resident verification,” said Supervisor Kevin Morrissey.
Chair Mark Baum Baicker asked township Manager Chris Garges to come up with a plan.
“To do it again, we have a lot of details that would need to be worked out,” Baum Baicker said.
In other business on Jan. 16, the Solebury Supervisors heard a request to create a Bed and Breakfast/Short-Term Lodging Facility at 3515 Windy Bush Road. Ellen DeMasi, who has lived at the 3-acre property since 2017, said she proposes short-term rentals for one four-member family at a time.
The property is owned by DeMasi and her mother, Anna Mae Cashin, who lives in Hoboken, N.J.
One neighbor, Thomas Reilly, testified he has been a resident for 30 years and fears the conversion would decrease property values as well as his privacy.
The township Planning Commission has recommended to the board that the plan be approved. The supervisors, however, put off a decision until the Feb. 6 meeting.
The board also heard about plans for developing a 13-acre property at the former flea market located between Reeder Road and the Logan Square Giant Foods along Route 202.
Nancy Stock-Allen, chair of the 202 Property Advisory Committee, presented the group’s final report on the project. The next step is to draft a proposal based on submitted ideas suggested by the residents in a survey for the tract, so far, being called Solebury Park.
Suggestions include trails, environmental center, sculpture garden, pavilion, amphitheater, teen sports area, and all to be surrounded by trees on two sides.
On the advice of former Parks and Recreation Board member Barbara Zietchick, the supervisors also unanimously voted to start the process of getting the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to approve installation of additional lighting at the corner of Route 202 and Lower Mountain Road.
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