The Newtown-Bucks County Joint Municipal Authority plans to seek court permission to sell the 17-acre parcel once slated for a now-canceled wastewater treatment plant, writes Lacey Latch for the Bucks County Courier Times.
Situated on the border with Middletown Township, the site drew nearly a year of complaints from Middletown residents in the densely populated area about potential impacts that would primarily affect them, including odor and declining property values, from the proposed $128 million plant.
Following months of public opposition, the authority decided in November to scrap the project. It had purchased the undeveloped parcel through eminent domain in May 2024 for $9 million.
After canceling the plans, the authority was required to offer the land back to the previous owners, 42 University LLC, who had 90 days to respond.
“There was no acceptance of the authority’s offer for the $11.5 million and so the authority is moving forward to ask the court’s permission to sell the property,” said solicitor Jessica VanderKam.
A proposal had been made to donate the land to the township to keep it undeveloped, but board Chair Jerry Schenkman explained that the authority could not pursue that option for financial reasons.
Read more about Newtown-Bucks County Joint Municipal Authority’s plan to sell the property in the Bucks County Courier Times.
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