|
Newtown Area Joint Planning Commission and Newtown
Area Joint Zoning Council
The Newtown Area Joint Planning Commission and Newtown Area Joint Zoning Council (Newtown Jointure) consists of three municipalities (Newtown, Wrightstown and Upper Makefield townships) that joined together on a regional basis for the purposes of unified land use planning and zoning. Before the Jointure, each municipality acted independently and was legally required to provide land for all uses in each township. The Jointure allows the three townships to provide for heavy residential, commercial and light development in one area, Newtown, while conserving Upper Makefield and Wrightstown for open space and farmland. This arrangement allows the municipalities to resist court challenges and maintain green space. Because of urban sprawl, only two farms remain in Newtown Township. Without the protection of the Jointure, the population density of the three townships was projected to double. The Jointure, in effect, uses the expected (and accepted) growth of Newtown to stabilize the developmental impact on the other two municipalities. The area is now viewed as a healthy mix of urban, rural and suburban environments instead of three unrelated units. Through this coordinated planning, the Jointure has reduced the amount of roads and sewers required if all three townships were developed, saving $34.8 million. The infrastructure reductions also reduce the amount of highway automobile traffic and their resultant air emissions. The five shopping centers needed for the Jointure members are all located within a 0.8 square mile area of Newtown, and, since the Jointure began in 1996, the area has seen property values climb and businesses move into the area.
|
Newtown Area Joint
|
