UPPER POTTSGROVE — Tensions are rising in Upper Pottsgrove as residents push back against what they describe as a sudden and aggressive shift toward high-density development under the township’s newly seated Board of Commissioners.
During the April 29th meeting, development dominated the proceedings—from a packed agenda to an overwhelming share of public comment. For many residents, the volume and pace of proposals signaled a sharp break from the township’s recent past.
Over the last eight years, large-scale development had effectively been held in check. The previous board consistently enforced existing zoning ordinances, preventing dense housing projects from moving forward. That approach, residents say, is now being reversed.
Since January, when the new board took office, multiple previously rejected or stalled development concepts have resurfaced, including the 400-unit near Kummerer Rd. The agenda alone included several items tied to zoning exceptions and ordinance waivers—mechanisms that would allow developers to bypass existing restrictions.
When residents pressed for details on the scope of those waiver requests, board members acknowledged the list was extensive but could not fully outline it during the meeting. Even the township engineer did not have a complete summary readily available. Despite that, the matters continued to advance through the review process.
For many in attendance, that moment underscored a deeper concern: decisions of long-term consequence appear to be moving forward without full public clarity.
Former commissioner Don Read, who attended the meeting, voiced concern during public comment. Read was part of the prior board that defended the township in a series of legal battles against developers—and won.
“I came to understand why developments that were already defeated are suddenly back on the table,” Read said. “What I saw instead was a process that should concern every taxpayer in this township.”
Read emphasized that the township had invested substantial time and taxpayer money defending its zoning decisions in court, ultimately prevailing in every case. Those victories, he said, left developers with little realistic path forward.
He then raised concerns that have drawn some of the strongest reactions from residents: confirmed private meetings between current commissioners—Paretti and Taylor—and developers to discuss potential settlements (see prior article,https://upperpottsgrovejournal.com/commissioners-taylor-and-paretti-admit-to-closed-door-meeting-with-developers/)
“It is deeply troubling to hear about settlement discussions on cases the township already won,” Read said. “There was nothing left to settle.”
Township officials have acknowledged those meetings in prior sessions, stating they were part of legal discussions. At the meeting, it was again indicated that conversations were tied to resolving cases—despite the township’s prior legal success.
Residents are now openly questioning not only the direction of the board, but its commitment to transparency. Several pointed out what they see as a contradiction: repeated assurances of openness alongside refusals to disclose key details about negotiations and development proposals.
“It raises the obvious question—what isn’t being shared, and why?” one resident asked following the meeting.
Read urged the board to return to a straightforward and legally sound principle known as “by-right” development, which limits construction to what is already permitted under existing zoning laws.
Much of the land currently under discussion is zoned R-80, allowing for one home per two acres. Any increase in density would require the board to approve zoning changes, variances, or waivers.
“The path to overdevelopment is simple,” Read said. “It only happens if this board chooses to grant exceptions. Without that, it doesn’t happen.”
As frustration grows, residents are calling for greater accountability—and action.
The message emerging from Monday’s meeting was unmistakable: this issue is far from settled, and public pressure is building.