Rydal-Meadowbrook Civic Association

Candidate for Commissioner - Abington Township Ward 1 Map

Download a PDF with responses by Republican candidate James R. Reeves and Democrat Steven N. Kline. RMCA is pleased to present responses from this candidate running for Commissioner. These are the opinions of the candidate and RMCA is not responsible for the accuracy of the statements or typographic errors.

RMCA: Abington’s Comprehensive Plan appears to represent a major redevelopment and revitalization effort. Consistent with that plan, the Fairway Transit District (FTD) was adopted. These plans are intended to impact the quality of life and tax base in Abington. If elected, how would you spend the next four years implementing or changing these plans? Please name three concrete steps you would take.

Jim Reeves: The Comprehensive Plan follows the recommendations of the Old York Road Corridor Study: promote the development of transit oriented retail/residential districts in the proximity of the Noble train station. While expansion of parking at the Noble station and proposed increased service on the West Trenton Line will offload the demand at Jenkintown—especially since the citizens of Jenkintown won their battle to prevent a parking structure in their backyard—it is questionable as to the effect of drawing more permanent residents into Abington. Furthermore, the Plan (and therefore the Fairway Transit District ordinance) disregards the infrastructure required to support such expansion. Even the Montgomery County Planning Commission cited its concerns over infrastructure—specifically traffic—in its provisional approval of the FTD. The suggestion of decreased traffic in the Baederwood area because the apartment dwellers will eschew their automobiles for Septa is not realistic.

• I would introduce and fight for zoning changes to remove the provision for apartments/multiplex buildings from the current Planned Business (PB) districts. Existing properties with low-density residential units would be grandfathered into these districts. Future FTD zones would be moot.

• I would introduce and strongly push for the development of a mixed-use (M) zone to allow for high-density residential development mixed with business. Applications for a zoning change to M require an accompanying environmental impact study (including but not limited to traffic, storm water management and demands on the other “systems” (e.g. schools, waste management, sewers…) in the Township). Board of Commissioner approval depends upon their acceptance of the study findings and proposed resolution to issues. Existing high-density residential/mixed-use structures (the Plaza, for example) would automatically be included in this new zoning classification. The existing FTD would convert to this zone; however, the same environmental impact study requirement would apply during the building permit process prior to the construction any new high-density residential buildings.

• I would introduce H-5 zoning for the purpose of high-density residential buildings only. Applications must include an environmental impact study (including but not limited to traffic, storm water management and demands on the systems in the Township) prior to final consideration. Existing high-density residential structures would be included in this new zone.

RMCA: Abington sponsored a traffic study in 2007 and identified nine failing intersections in the Township. The Comprehensive Plan calls for educational efforts and an increased use of public transit to impact traffic levels. How would you spend the next four years to improve infrastructure, traffic lights, street signs and crosswalks to reduce congestion, auto collisions and deaths? Please be specific about your priorities.

Jim Reeves: As development continues around and especially north of Abington, not only our main thoroughfares but also our residential neighborhood streets are becoming more congested. Safety is threatened by this congestion as well as speeding and/or distracted drivers. The Commonwealth has placed restrictions on townships’ authority to regulate traffic, and the first priority is to join forces with other townships to lobby Harrisburg for more home rule on this issue. During this lobbying effort,
the Township must also investigate all options and technologies for traffic calming as well as for increasing pedestrian as well as driver awareness. But first, we must conduct another comprehensive traffic study. Much has changed in four years; we need to identify the current danger zones as well as
bottlenecks before we can build a comprehensive plan to fix the problem. We must also look to other municipalities and research best practices to resolve our traffic and safety problems including pedestrian AND driver awareness. And we must look at different technologies to resolve our traffic problems.
While currently prohibited from Township use by the folks in Harrisburg, radar alone won’t fix our speeding problem.

RMCA: A large number of residents have expressed dissatisfaction with 48 foot long billboards potentially being built in the midst of our community. In response, Abington Commissioners have entered into litigation with the sign company to stop or slow them down. How would you modify existing ordinances or craft future ordinances to avoid getting into similar situations with outside entities? Do you believe that we need to review all of our ordinances to ensure that they comply with current Commonwealth law?

Jim Reeves: I very strongly agree with the need for the Township to study its ordinances to see if any are in conflict with Pennsylvania law. The investment required to perform the study will help prevent costly battles in the future, and we must know where the vulnerabilities exist so they can be fixed and the Township protected. As for the billboards specifically, we must have a two-pronged attack. Once again, we must lobby the state legislature to allow townships the authority to restrict billboards for aesthetic as well as safety issues. We must also begin crafting restrictions on any billboard placement in the event the outside entity wins the legal battle and Harrisburg doesn’t legislate to protect our rights: no billboards within the proximity (distance to be determined) of an intersection with a crosswalk, nothing within eyesight of residential property AND within the proximity of residential property, no operation between sundown and sunup, for example. We must be as clever as those who want to encroach on the safety and values of Abington in order to make a buck.

Jim Reeves
Republican
Candidate for Ward 1 Commissioner
Bio: http://reeves4ward1.com