As summer winds down and Pennsbury residents savor the last few weeks of sunshine, local government hasn’t hit pause. While the community is still in vacation mode, the wheels of bureaucracy keep turning—including at the Falls Township Planning Commission.
Falls Township Tentative Vote Turns Into Repeat Feedback Session
The liberal media has had a field day unpacking the July 22, 2025 debacle. The Falls Township Planning Commission came prepared to scrutinize the Pennsbury proposal—only to be told by district reps that they weren’t seeking a vote, just feedback. And the plan? Virtually identical to the one they pitched months ago.
You can read the news story from Levittown Now for full details of the meeting and that calamity that occurred:
Planning Commission Chair John Haney clarified that the presentation was merely an overview—not a formal submission requiring a vote. Odd, considering Falls Township had already sent Pennsbury a memo outlining the necessary corrections for approval. “This is basically sketch plan version two. You don’t want to vote tonight, because it is hard for me to vote on anything with the amount of items that are missing,” Haney remarked. Despite receiving a detailed review letter from the township engineer back on June 17, Pennsbury apparently took a pass on fixing the errors. Sketch Plan v2.0? More like Copy-Paste v1.1.
And just when you thought the planning was confined to one township, it turns out part of the proposed site actually falls within Bristol Township. Pennsbury now says they’ll coordinate with Bristol’s planning commission—eventually. Because what’s one more jurisdiction when you’re already seem to be winging it?
Stormwater Drainage Becomes A Major Concern
If you live in Falls Township, you know the drill: when the rain pours, the stormwater struggles to keep up. It’s a familiar headache for many, especially those in the Pennsbury neighborhood. Longtime residents still remember the flooding back in the late 1960s that led to the creation of Lake Caroline and its dam at Hood Boulevard and Oxford Valley Road—just a half mile from the site of a new proposed development.
That history isn’t lost on planners or those that live downstream in Bristol Township. Stormwater management is a major focus of the Pennsbury HS project, with a system designed to handle runoff and reduce flood risk. The plan includes five above-ground detention basins and six underground ones, plus two more underground basins added specifically to meet Falls Township’s stormwater ordinance. Given the lack of proper documentation from Pennsbury, there are question marks as to whether or not their plans will be sufficient.
It’s a layered approach aimed at keeping water where it belongs—and keeping the neighborhood dry when the skies open up. But for anyone that attended the prom parade after the torrential downpour, they may still be searching for their sneakers if they made the decision to walk across the property that is the planned construction site area.
What Was In The Letter From Falls Township Engineer?
A letter from Jones Engineering Associates, the contracted engineering firm for Falls Township, was submitted to Pennsbury and signed by Township Engineer Joseph Jones on June 17, 2025. Jones detailed a litany of mistakes and lacking information in Pennsbury’s Land Development Application, totaling 19 pages in feedback.
The preliminary/final land development plans for the Pennsbury High School redevelopment raise several critical issues related to zoning compliance, stormwater management, traffic impact, and site design. The Township Engineer notes that the proposed building heights, accessory uses, and buffer zones require clarification and verification to meet zoning ordinance standards. There are also concerns about the adequacy of landscaping, screening, and architectural elevations—particularly around bus maintenance facilities and refuse collection areas—to ensure aesthetic compatibility and compliance with township regulations.
Stormwater management is a central focus, with the review identifying discrepancies in runoff calculations, basin designs, and emergency spillway provisions. The engineer emphasizes the need for revised grading and drainage plans to prevent increased runoff into adjacent residential areas, especially along Hanford Road and S. Queen Anne Drive. Additionally, the document calls for detailed construction phasing plans to ensure that stormwater systems remain functional throughout the buildout and that pedestrian safety and school operations are maintained.
Traffic and access-related concerns are also prominent. The review calls for a comprehensive traffic impact study to assess changes in student population, vehicle flow, and pedestrian routes. It highlights potential conflicts in internal circulation, driveway access, and intersection design—particularly near Hanford Road and Village Turn. Coordination with the Fire Marshal and Traffic Engineer is required to address emergency access and fire protection needs. Overall, the document underscores the need for more detailed documentation, revised plans, and multiple permits and agreements to ensure the project meets all township standards and mitigates potential impacts on the surrounding community.
Trust Us — Even If We Forgot the Details
With a $270 million price tag dangling from this redevelopment like a golden tassel, you’d think the Pennsbury School District might have triple-checked their homework. Instead, they turned in a submission riddled with missing calculations, zoning missteps, vague traffic plans, and stormwater designs that seem to defy gravity—and not in a good way. From forgetting to label accessory buildings to proposing runoff that could flood neighboring streets, it’s clear the district’s grasp of “final” plans is about as firm as a wet blueprint.
If this is the level of precision we’re getting before a single shovel hits the ground, it’s fair to ask: what happens when the real money starts flowing? Trusting a $270 million build to a team that can’t distinguish between a buffer zone and a bus garage feels less like progress and more like a very expensive gamble. Falls Township residents deserve better than a plan that reads like a first draft—and a school district that treats oversight like an elective.