Read the full article: phillyburbs.com
By Lacey Latch – Bucks County Courier Times
Aug. 7, 2025
Not long after US Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick got involved in a local development issue in Lower Makefield, officials have partially approved the requested zoning variances for a proposed townhome project.
Developers were initially seeking two zoning variances to move forward with their plan for an age-qualified community: one that permits 16 total homes, compared to the 15 currently allowed, in addition to a variance that governs the variety of home type built.
The zoning hearing board ultimately approved the housing type variance, which means that all of the townhomes can be connected to at least one other home — a variance that they said was previously granted for the neighboring Regency at Yardley neighborhood.
At the same time, the board declined to approve the second variance seeking higher density in favor of the 15 new homes that are already permitted on the site under the current zoning, a decision that board chair James Dougherty characterized as a compromise with the site’s surrounding neighbors.
“I’m all for 15 townhomes just so we can throw everybody in this room a bone and we get rid of one of these variances,” Dougherty said in a packed meeting room Tuesday night.
The site is currently zoned C-3, General Business Industrial, which includes a wide variety of uses including autobody shop, day care center, cemetary, convenience store, hospitals, kennels, large retail stores, drive-thru restaurants and many more. The only residential use identified in this zoning classificiation is for an age-qualified community.
“This is probably the highest and best use which means its the maximally productive use for this lot,” Dougherty said.
The 3.55-acre parcel is currently home to a single house that was initially supposed to be demolished and replaced by 16 age-qualified townhouses from Trinity Realty Cos. and D.R. Horton, according to plans submitted to township officials.
The townhomes would be built along a private road off Old Oxford Valley Road that ends in a cul-de sac near Cypress Way, according to the zoning plan. Following the zoning decision, the developers are now permitted to build 15 new townhomes and can maintain the existing structure as they see fit.
A thick landscape buffer is to loop around the perimeter of the property to create a defined buffer between the new townhomes and existing neighbors.
Moving forward, the developers will eventually present their revised plan to the Planning Commission as they continue with the land development process with the township.
