The decision should be obvious

A quick post for tonight and we'll follow-up with more detail soon. Here are some of the highlights from tonight.

1. We learned that if this "Big Box"/Grocery Store is approved, traffic on Sullivan Trail and Uhler Road will increase 100 times current levels, or 10,000%!
2. The Township appears to NOT be applying the new standards for storm-water management to this applicant and which are set forth in the new Pennsylvania and EPA guidelines which MUST be enacted by the township by April of this year. After three devastating floods in less than two years, why not?
3. Supervisor Howell suggested comparing traffic to the proposed Weis Markets to the current Giant Grocery Store. This would amount to comparing apples to oranges. As our expert traffic engineer testified, if a comparison is to be made it must be to a single use (i.e. Wegmans) stand-alone supermarket, not one that shares space and a common driveway with other retail establishments such as Giant.
4. Supervisor Hoff engaged our traffic engineer expert on the impact comparison of this proposed Weis Markerts to the alternate plan of a CVS Pharmacy. The question that begs to be answered is why aren't the Board of Supervisors working with SamCar Realty to attract an occupant that would not bring such horrific traffic and still provide the township with good tax income? Examples include a hotel, office buildings and a satellite college campus.
5. There has been no consultation with the FAA regarding this use. Considering the amount of children and families attracted to large grocery stores and this one would also have gas pumps plus it is adjacent to the airport, why not? The tragedy that recently took the life of prominent local attorney Peter Karoloy, his wife and their pilot happened at an airport just like Braden Airport. God forbid a plane crash like this occurred at a gas station/supermarket!
6. We confirmed tonight that indeed the Forks Police and Fire Department as well as EMS were not asked to submit a report about the impact of this project. Why not? Clearly this large retail center will impact them, and ultimately us as taxpayers.

In the end the decision on this has been postponed till the next Board of Supervisors meeting, which is scheduled for Thursday, February 15th at 7:30pm. Though we believe that the decision to vote NO to this proposal is obvious, we urge you to attend as we must continue to show them that we care and that we are watching.