Yardley won’t appeal variance allowing Tannery Taproom Restaurant

Yardley Borough’s council will not appeal a controversial variance granted to the Tannery Taproom that will allow the brewery/bar to also become a full-fledged restaurant.
Council President David Bria’s motion to appeal the variance granted by the borough’s zoning hearing board died for lack of a second at the Aug. 3 meeting, where council also approved the hiring of two new part-time police officers, replaced the company that does building inspections and applied for funding for the third and final phase of the North Main Street sidewalk installation project.
The variance granted by the ZHB on June 28 for the Taproom on West College Avenue allows for the installation of a small kitchen addition – including a barbecue smoker – that will enable the establishment to cook and prepare food on the premises instead of shipping it in from other restaurants.
The move was protested by many nearby residents, who said it will lead to more traffic, noise and other problems and sets a bad precedent by allowing a restaurant in a section of the borough that doesn’t have any.
In making his motion to appeal, Bria called the Taproom a “wonderful business” but added that the variance holds negative long-term planning and zoning implications. His call for a second was greeted with silence from the remaining council members.
“I am obviously thrilled with the council’s decision not to appeal the zoning hearing board’s decision to approve our zoning request,” Taproom Managing General Partner Jim Cain said after the meeting.
“This will allow us to develop a first-class authentic barbecue destination, giving more residents in Bucks County one more reason to visit our amazing town.”
Heather Carnivale, of Middletown Township, and Lower Makefield Township resident Andrew Nagle were sworn in as the borough’s new part-time police officers by Mayor Chris Harding at the meeting.
Carnivale has a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Arcadia University, graduated from the Montgomery County Police Academy and has done internships at police departments in Montgomery and Philadelphia counties.
Nagle has a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Rutgers University and graduated from the Temple University Police Academy. He’s worked as a volunteer emergency medical technician in New Jersey, and did an internship at a police department in Mercer County in that state.

The two hires bring the department up to 15 total officers, 10 part-time and five full-time, including Police Chief Joseph D. Kelly III. He expects one of the part-time officers to soon take a full-time job at a department in another municipality, which will bring Yardley’s force down to the recommended level of 14 total officers.
“In a time when law enforcement recruiting has never been more challenging, we are excited to add two very qualified candidates to our YBPD ranks,” Kelly said.
“The quality of these new officers, evidenced by the depth of their character and diverse experiences, will ensure the borough is protected by men and women committed to our core values of integrity, respect, loyalty and courage.”
On the recommendation of borough Manager Paula Johnson, the council voted to replace the third-party vendor that does its building inspections, Building Inspection Underwriters, with Barry Isett & Associates.
Johnson said she didn’t have confidence the building code official assigned to the borough by BIU could handle some big upcoming projects, including the elevation of 10 more homes near the Delaware River and Canal to protect them from flooding.
“There were some issues, and BIU couldn’t provide another person,” she said.
The Isett firm, which also employs the borough’s zoning officer, will be paid 50 percent of all building permit fees under the new arrangement. The BIU firm collected 45 percent of the fees, Johnson said.
Council also approved applying to PennDOT’s Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside program for $573,000 to fund installation of Phase III of North Main Street sidewalks.
The final phase involves 1,200 feet of sidewalk to be installed on the east side of North Main, stretching from the Mary Yardley Bridge easement to Dolington Road, one of the borough’s borders with Lower Makefield Township.
Johnson said the borough should soon go out to bid on the project’s second phase, also comprised of 1,200 feet of sidewalk being funded with a $312,147 PennDOT grant.

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