On November 24, 2020, at a Newberry Township Board of Supervisors meeting, a presentation was given during public comment by Jeff Rehmeyer, Attorney with the CGA law firm in York, along with John Runge Jr. President of Gordon L. Brown and Associates., on behalf of their client Jay Patel and his entity (Mr. Patel is the current owner of two businesses located in the Township – Taco Bell and KFC). This presentation was never placed on the official agenda for the public to see by the Newberry Township Board of Supervisors or Township Manager Tony Miller. The public was never made aware of the topic on a formal agenda in 2020.

Mr. Patel is interested in purchasing property located in the Township at 665 Red Mill Road. The property is currently zoned Residential Holding. Mr. Patel and his representatives are asking to rezone the area for Residential Growth because they are interested in building both multi-family (approximately 100-120) and single-family homes (approximately 60).

At the November 24, 2020 meeting it was explained that the change would give them additional density, which would result in a smaller building envelope and permit them to increase the number of potential homes. Mr. Patel's representatives said this is critical in order to get public sewer to the site. To develop the property they said there will be serious costs associated with it, so they want to try to maximize as much as they can with the density on the property. They would likely need variances and at least one on-lot sewer pumping station. This means they want to fill the property with as many units as possible, for the most profits, with as many variances as needed to do so.

They said they had already met with the Townships Zoning Offer and Engineer, but wanted to get a feel from the Board, to see if they would be receptive to their proposal, and then possibly move forward with a formal request for the rezoning.

All Board members to include, Dave Kirkpatrick, Clair Wintermyer, Maxine Kauffman, Brandt Cook, and Mario Eckert said they were open to the rezoning; and agreed the developer could proceed with a formal request for rezoning.

Board members could have said they had no interest in changing zoning in the area or that out of common courtesy they wanted to reach out to residents close to the site first to gain their input or take a survey. But, there was no common courtesy in the matter. It wasn't even placed on the agenda for the public to see. This is much like how the Goodman Logistics mega-warehouses came about in 2015 without 99.9% of the residents in Newberry Township and Fairview Township even knowing about it.

Board members still have not informed or spoken with property owners in the area about the matter. Some neighbors and residents are just finding out, as of January 4, 2021, through word-of-mouth, about the Newberry Township Board of Supervisors intentions to allow for a developer to present a formal request to rezone 665 Red Mill Road.

The project would consume a 30-acre tract of farmland in Newberry Township, York County, Pennsylvania. It would impact Pleasant View Drive, Red Mill Road, and Cartref Road in Newberry Township, as most of the traffic would likely use Pleasant View Drive to travel to I-83 and Walmart on narrow roads or Red Mill Road to an already unimproved intersection at Red Mill Road and Yocumtown Road.

A project of this magnitude has the potential for significant negative impacts - the area already lacks proper infrastructure for more traffic, with narrow roads and a nearby historic one-lane stone bridge.

A development of this size is projected to raise a need for higher taxes, water and sewer bills. There could also be long lasting irreversible effects on the Fishing Creek Water Basin, if the sewer hook-up for the site goes under the stream, and with any storm water run off and waivers. This in addition to the Goodman Warehouses project already in progress, combined with another massive apartment complex called Red Mill Crossing, also on Red Mill Road will all have direct impacts on the Fishing Creek Water Basin in Newberry Township in the future.

There are also the everyday effects, such as increased traffic and overcrowding. This combined with poor negotiations and developer's not fulfilling their promises or taking advantage of variances board grants to circumvent the Comprehensive Plan could serve to be devastating for the way of life many have been used to in the area. This projects by-products do not include other residential construction projects already approved and still in progress, or under legal matters with developers, such as  McNaughton Properties & LLC& Golf Enterprises, Inc. There would also be added police matters (crimes, etc.) and accidents adding to the already ballooning police protection budget taxpayers are already burdened with. Additional officers and services would likely be needed, perhaps even the Regionalization of a police force. With additional wear and tear on water and sewer services, and road maintenance those costs will likely increase.

Join in the petition to STOP THE REZONING OF 665 RED MILL ROAD in Newberry Township, York County, Pennsylvania. SIGN TODAY!

Tell the Newberry Township Board of Supervisors (Dave Kirkpatrick, Clair Wintermyer, Maxine Kauffman, Brandt Cook, and Mario Eckert) to 'SAY NO' to any zoning change request for the property located at 665 Red Mill Road and to maintain the current rural residential holding zoning with single family housing for this property.

Your signature is greatly appreciated. Thank you for your support!