Yardley Village News

November 2009

Message from the President

November, one of my favorite months, is here. All of the leaves have turned into a beautiful bouquet of fall colors and, barring heavy winds and rains, they will stay for a little while longer. The weather is starting to cool but there’s always the chance that a beautiful “Indian summer” will come along. But, for me, the best part about November is that it includes Thanksgiving. I’m sure there are many various traditions that revolve around this day in each and every family but whatever they are they always involve family or good friends. The holiday doesn’t seem to be as commercialized as all the rest and it never seems to be as hectic, at least not for the males. So before I get past the salutation, I want to wish you all a happy Thanksgiving and I hope all of us can recognize the many things for which we can be thankful.

As you may know by now, the Board of Supervisors of East Goshen Township rescinded their requirement to have alarms registered by individual homeowners. Unfortunately, this occurred about a week after the original deadline date of September 30. You should be aware, however, that the ordinance including fines has not been rescinded and will remain in effect. The only part that was scrapped was the need for residents with existing alarm systems to register with the Township. Sometimes, it doesn’t pay to be too efficient.

While we continue to try to follow up with United Group on various unfinished items, it seems that nothing ever happens as quickly as we would like. I have recently talked to Mike McCormick from United Group about the need to finish the replanting of gardens that for some reason came to a dead stop. While I am aware of some of these situations, I would like to submit a complete list to United Group so that we can track completion. If you are one of these homeowners, I would appreciate your contacting CSK Management by email at or call 610-687-5686. This also applies to any other items that United Group was supposed to complete but did not. In the latter case, please do so in writing or by email so that we have a clear understanding of exactly what is required.

You will notice that this is a shorter version of the usual monthly tome that I generate. This is due to the fact that I used up my quota of words for the month in the letter that you either received, or will receive soon, regarding the status of the Winfield Hall discussions. Please take the time to read this letter thoroughly and discuss it with your neighbors within or outside the Village. While there are still a lot of details that have to be explored in regard to each of the possibilities, it is extremely important that we can all recognize and appreciate the scope of the problem so that a reasonable resolution can be reached calmly and rationally.

Joe Ciasullo, Council President

In This Issue

Message from the PresidentPage 1

Architecture Committee Page 2

Landscape Committee Page 2Page 2

Social CommitteePage 2

Neighborhood NewsPage 3

Yardley Activity CornerPage 4

Letters to the EditorPage 4

Yardley Web SitePage 4

Council and Committee MembersPage 5

Architecture Committee

No report this month.

Tony Bruno, Chairman

Landscape Committee

Cooler temperatures and lots of rain this past Spring and Summer have contributed to a spectacular display of Fall color this year. Hershey Millers have only to drive or walk through the Mill to be greeted with all this wonderful color.

As you read this month’s newsletter, you are well aware of the rapidly falling leaves and the fading annuals and perennials that need to be put to rest after their blooming season.

Hershey’s Mill Landscape has given us the following information to begin their process of clean up. We, as homeowners, will want to take advantage of the few remaining mild, dry days to start to clear away annuals and cut back or maybe divide some of the perennials and/or bulbs that we have added to planting beds. This will help to improve the bloom for next year. These plantings can be disposed of with our weekly trash pickups. Our efforts will help expedite the process, allowing us to control which plantings we want to have remain or what we choose to get rid of. HML will take care of the leaves.

Fall Clean Up: First of two clean ups will take place during the month of November, obviously weather will play a major role in how fast this process will take place. HML will do their best to have things looking good for Thanksgiving.

Grass cutting: Last scheduled mowing will be the week of November 2. After that, mowing in combination with leaf removal.

Once again, there is excitement in the air as Phillies Red is being added to the swirl of Autumn colors around us. This wonderful color and the anticipation of Spring color, makes the job of clean up a little easier.

Mary Ellen Marra, Chairperson

Social Committee

The November 1st Silent Auction, sponsored by Yardley/Zephyr and Springton Villages, was extremely successful with over 100 people attending. The donations were very well received and bidders were satisfied with their purchases. We thank all of the contributors for their eye- catching wares and for the generous participants who happily gave them a home. A portion of our profit will be donated to Caring Bridge, a free national website where families of critically ill patients can post entries keeping all interested parties informed of the progress of their loved ones.

We will not have the total of our donation until Janet Day, Social Committee Co-Chair, and Joan Gallagher, Springton Committee Treasurer, finish tallying up the proceeds. The amount will be listed in the December Newsletter.

Thank you to both Social Committees for the time and effort put into this event. A special thank-you to Joyce and Rex Cassel who turned the entire lower level of their home into a sorting, pricing station three weeks before the auction.

Both Village committee members transported all the items to Winfield Hall on Sunday, a monumental job. Spouses of Committee members and friend, Gordon Davis, always act as unsung heroes for our events and we would not realize the success we enjoy without their support.

On October 6, twenty Hershey Millers and six friends enjoyed a fabulous New York day trip sponsored by Mel and John Bonder from Hershey’s Mill Travel Club. The group left from the tennis parking lot at 7:30 a.m. arriving at the pier in NYC in time to have a cup of coffee before boarding the New York Bateaux at 11:00 a.m.

While enjoying lunch aboard the ship, our tour guide gave an interesting historical background of the many sites, including The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, as we cruised along the Hudson and East Rivers. The ship has floor to ceiling glass windows affording a spectacular view from every table.

We left the ship at 1:30 and reboarded our motor coach where our new, young guide enthralled us with his wealth of interesting information as we toured the city in comfort. We left the coach to view Ground Zero from a huge glass window in the American Express building adjacent to the site. This is something that I hope every American has the opportunity to see. It was awe-inspiring and silence prevailed as we absorbed the full impact of this horrific American tragedy.

After leaving New York we stopped at a restaurant in North Jersey for a relaxing dinner and to chat about the trip.

We hope to have Mel and John Bonder from Hershey’s Mill Travel Club script another day trip for us and we invite you to join us for a most enjoyable adventure.

Joane McNamara,

Social Committee Co-Chair

Neighborhood News

In her role as an interested citizen, Barbara Reeves-Cohen continues to attend meetings and update us on the progress of the proposed senior apartment facility.

“Traditions” 128-Unit Senior Apartment Building or Independent Living Facility

West Goshen Township Planning Commission met on October 20 and discussed the Conditional Use application from Traditions Development Corporation for construction of a 128-Unit Senior Apartment Building or Independent Living Facility. Yardley Village residents and residents representing several other villages in Hershey’s Mill joined the Fire Department, Greenhill Homeowners Association, residents of Culbertson Circle, and others from East and West Goshen in expressing their concerns about storm water management, traffic, Fire Department and emergency services, and how the structure itself would impact those living on Culbertson Circle and other surrounding areas.

As a result of the discussions held between Planning Commission members and comments from others in East and West Goshen who participated in the open discussion, the West Goshen Township Planning Commission voted unanimously against the project with several solid reasons for their decision. A member of the Planning Commission summed it up as “An acceptable use in a HORRIBLE location!” [The West Goshen Township Planning Commission had voted unanimously (6-0) last November (2008) at the proposal’s inception to deny a Conditional Use amendment to provide for apartment dwelling in R-3 SFH zoning.] Now, for the second time, they unanimously voted (8-0) for denial to their Board of Supervisors for the current “Traditions” Proposal per the plan presented at the October 20, 2009 meeting.

The citations for denial by West Goshen Township Planning Commission are taken directly from Al Zuccarello’s Liaison Report to our own East Goshen Township Planning Commission:

Density and amount of units overpower the site
Height of the building “a monstrosity” (WGT quote) especially for Culbertson Circle folks
Lack of adequate screening against lighting (etc.): 2’-3’ berm and some fencing vs elimination of 40’-45’ existing trees and cover
Loss of property values for Culbertson Circle
Inadequate parking for residents/visitors, especially if demographics change to younger set of residents (mid-60s-70s) moving in to avoid higher school/real estate taxes, assessments, etc. (proximity to Hershey’s Mill makes this very possible for folks wanting to remain close to family/friends vs remote independent living sites)
Total dynamics of sharing property, let alone driveway(s) with Goshen Fire Company
Concern for delays in emergency personnel’s response time when moments count
Traffic problems for entire Boot Road corridor—and future projects (Jerrehian Estate)
Serious storm water management issues for Greenhill Road, East Goshen Township and Hershey’s Mill Villages

A traffic report by Orth-Rodgers, an engineering study by Yerkes, as well as original population and vehicular densities calculations from the R-3 zoning were East Goshen Township supplied—and all indicate for rejection of the proposal.

We have been fortunate in Yardley Village and Hershey’s Mill to have been treated openly by Mark Gordon, Township Zoning Officer of East Goshen Township, who made drawings and information available to us back when he brought “Traditions” to our attention, and for Al Zuccarello’s efforts as a current member of our East Goshen Township Planning Commission, who continues to work with officials of both townships, and provided us with additional background information and understanding of the process. We should also mention a clearly sympathetic East Goshen Township Board of Supervisors, who have come to the aid of Yardley Village before, when petitioned to assist us with expertise for our Yardley Village remediation process. All give us a better perspective of how our local government works as a system to protect the rights and well-being of its citizens.

The “Traditions” proposal and presentation was withdrawn from the October 21 Board of Supervisors meeting and postponed until December. Yardley Village residents and members of the other Hershey’s Mill villages will be notified of the date and time of the West Goshen Board of Supervisors meeting in December and are encouraged to attend. Stay tuned. . . .

Obituaries

Promila Sabharwal, 1697 Yardley

Our neighbor, Promila, 72, originally of Bryn Mawr, PA died Thursday Oct. 8, 2009 at Bryn Mawr Hospital. Born October 19, 1936 in India, she was an elementary school teacher. She is survived by two sons: Dr. Hemant Sabharwal of Indianapolis, IN and Rohit Sabharwal of San Diego, CA and by six grandchildren.

Richard Berkowitz, 1704 Yardley

Richard died last August and a memorial service was held recently. Letty has since moved back to her condo at Oak Knoll in Daylesford .

Lee Gamma

Recycling

No report this month.

Lynn Daniel

Yardley Activity Corner

Yardley Village ROMEO Club

The next Romeo’s meeting is November 2nd at 9 a.m. at our regular meeting place, Nudi’s.

Gordon Davis and Jim Swalm

Yardley Ladies Lunch Bunch

The October luncheon was held at the Desmond Hotel with twenty-two women attending. The next luncheon will be hosted by Ally Ellis and Annette DiGiuseppe in January.

Ally Ellis, Luncheons Chair

Letters to the Editor

Please submit any questions, comments, or items of interest to Lee Gamma at 1692 Yardley or by email to .

Yardley Village Web Site

Submit your data and suggestions in an email to .

Yardley Village Council and Committee Members

Yardley Village CouncilCSK Management, Inc.

Joe Ciasullo, PresidentP. O. Box 775

Joane McNamara, Vice President Devon, PA 19333

Richard Katucki, SecretaryJanet Burgess, Manager

James Swalm, Treasurer610-687-5686

Art DiGiuseppe, Member at LargeFax: 610-687-5083

K. Hovnanian Companies

5 Commerce Way, Suite 200

Hamilton, NJ 08691

Phone: 1-609-570-4700, Fax 1-609-570-4729

Customer Service/Warranty

1-800-396-0633

Fax: 1-609-570-4729

Paula Miller's email: r

Architecture Committee

Anthony Bruno, Chairman

Jim Alexander

Connie Campbell

David Marra

Pat Moyer

Francis Risica

Hank Rubin

Katie Worhacz

Decoration Committee

Katie Worhacz, Chairman

Nancy Hansen

Sandra Loose

Judy Molt

Marian Sweeney

Edward Sweeney

Finance Committee

Jim Swalm, Chairman

John Babiec

Joe Ciasullo

Landscape Committee

Mary Ellen Marra, Chairman

Janet Day

Nancy Hansen

Bob Moyer

Barbara Reeves-Cohen

Frank Risica

Lynn Trump

Val Woodley

Maintenance Committee

Ed Sweeney, Chairman

Gordon Davis, Co-Chairman

John Babiec

Rex Cassel

Tom Day

Jim DiCarlo

Ben Ellis

Roger Fleming

Bob Skemer

Al Zuccarello

Newsletter Committee

Lee Gamma, Chairman

Georgie Brophy

Leslie Kirsch

Social Committee

Janet Day, Co-Chair

Joane McNamara, Co-Chair

Marleen Babiec

Joyce Cassel

Barbara Clancy

Lynne Fleming

Peggy McReynolds

Janet Risica

Marian Sweeney

Web Manager

Roger Fleming