UPPER POTTSGROVE — New details have emerged regarding renewed discussions surrounding the previously halted Kummerer Road development project (400 units), prompting concern among residents and raising questions about the township’s direction on growth and zoning.
In a prior report, the Upper Pottsgrove Journal cited accounts that Commissioners Elwood Taylor and Cathy Paretti have been meeting in closed-door sessions with developers about potentially restarting the massive project. Readers may recall that the previous Board of Commissioners (BOC) stopped this project after extensive legal proceedings. At a recent BOC meeting, residents pressed the commissioners to acknowledge that such meetings had taken place and that legal counsel representing both parties was present. The BOC confirmed that these closed-door sessions did in fact happen.
The Kummerer Road project, as originally proposed, included plans for a significantly higher-density residential development comprising hundreds of homes and townhouses. The prior BOC opposed the project, citing zoning inconsistencies. After a series of legal challenges, the township ultimately prevailed in court, effectively halting the development.
The apparent reopening of discussions has drawn criticism from many residents, who argue that the matter had already been decisively settled. Many contend that revisiting the proposal contradicts both prior legal outcomes and longstanding community preferences regarding development.
Concerns have also been raised about Taylor’s past involvement in the project. Critics point to Taylor’s earlier support of the development project during his prior tour as a township commissioner, despite objections from professional staff at the time. Taylor also sued the township concerning his position on the township’s planning commission, employing the same attorney that the Kummerer Road (Artisan Construction) developer used when they sued the township concerning the project.
Community response has been particularly strong among residents in the Summer Grove area, where an organized group has been actively voicing opposition to any changes that would allow development beyond the property’s current R-80 zoning designation, which permits approximately one dwelling per two acres. “One thing we can all agree on and have always agreed on is we do not want to see our township overdeveloped,” said one resident who has regularly attended township meetings.
The township’s Zoning Hearing Board has also come into focus. Widely regarded by some residents as a stabilizing force in prior proceedings, the board previously played a key role in decisions that contributed to stopping the development. The current BOC has attempted changes to the zoning board’s legal counsel following those rulings, though no formal action has been confirmed after pushback from residents.
The Upper Pottsgrove Journal reports that additional information related to the matter is being gathered and may be released in future coverage. The publication also noted the role of residents who have continued to attend meetings, submit information requests, and communicate directly with township officials in order to get as much information as possible.
As discussions continue, the issue is likely to remain a focal point for both township leadership and the community in the months ahead. Commissioners said at the meeting they want to have full transparency on this project, but in the very same sentence, said they cannot share any of the information on the status of this project with the public.