NEWS & UPDATES

This morning I sent the following email to County Commissioner Gene DiGirolamo:

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Dear Commissioner Gene DiGirolamo:

 

We are contacting you in relation to the warehouse development currently being proposed in Buckingham Township on a property that is known as the DiGirolamo tract.

 

You may not be aware , but there is a groundswell of concern in Buckingham and neighboring townships regarding the submitted developer plans for this warehouse. As a result, a community action group has been formed to oppose the approval of this development project.

 

We are writing this letter to you out of respect from the community as you are an elected official representing the very community that this project would affect. 

 

It is our understanding that you are co-owner of this property along with your uncle, Joseph.(public deeds show an equal 50/50 split), in Buckingham (TMP 06-004-017-001 and TMP 06-004–016). 

 

Many people in the community would appreciate hearing from you about this project, specifically on a number of points which are outline below:

 

1. It is well documented that during your years in elected office you have a history of trying to preserve land and keep the environment safe. So much so that in your 2023 Patch.com candidate profile you led with this statement as to why you were running: "Keeping Bucks County a wonderful place to live, work, and raise our families is, and always will be, my highest priority. We can do this in many ways, including preserving our open space and farm land, making sure that the services the County provides are nothing short of exceptional, and protecting our most vulnerable citizens." 

2. In the County's current fight against oil companies, you are quoted as saying:“These companies have known since at least the 1950s that their ways of doing business were having calamitous effects on our planet, and rather than change what they were doing or raise the alarm, they lied to all of us. The taxpayers should not have to foot the bill for these companies and their greed.”

 

We believe that  the juxtaposition between your recent quotes, when politics are in play, and the current actions being taken by you and your uncle in private real estate matters is hypocritical at best.

 

For the purpose of ensuring clarity, in your first quote you clearly want to keep Bucks County a wonderful and safe place through, in part, preserving farmland and open space. The land that we are concerned about is currently dozens of acres of open space and farmed land right in the middle of approximately 2,500 homes. These are the homes of senior citizens with heart issues, the homes of children learning how to ride their bikes and all people in between- many of these would be considered our most vulnerable citizens, the very ones you are quoted as wanting to protect. 

 

This proposed warehouse project will gravely endanger the lives of not only the citizens living along the proposed truck path, but many other people in the community as it has been proven time and again that it is simply not possible to contain tractor trailers to a "preferred route". The roads in this area are simply not built to sustain the type of traffic that this warehouse would invite on a daily basis. It’s only a matter of time before someone could get injured or even killed from these industrial 18-wheeler trucks.

 

In addition, your recent quote discussing the oil companies says that taxpayers should not be the ones to foot the bill due to others' greed. This is exactly what will happen in this instance if this warehouse project is approved. The burden is going to fall to the taxpayers in Buckingham to improve infrastructure at a great cost simply because you are supporting buildinjeffg a warehouse that, quite frankly, does not belong anywhere near this plot of land. It is our understanding, from Buckingham Township solicitor and supervisors, that they have reached out on "many occasions" in an effort to partner with you and your uncle on this land in a fitting way, all of which had been met with a "no", but instead opting to sell your land to a developer that will bring danger to our streets and hurt the constituents who elected you to protect them from this very issue. 

 

We understand and agree that every landowner has the right to make money off of their land. But at the same time that person should also take into account the viability of the project in that area and the rights of the people that live in the surrounding community. You are obviously aware that this land is zoned as PI-2.

This zoning designation provides ample possible uses beyond the current proposal that will not have the disastrous neighborhood impact that this project will. 

 

This project will in our estimation 

 

• bring dangerous vehicles to the local roads that are not built for them

• bring pollution from constant trucks endangering the health and well-being of neighbors

• destroy local infrastructure

• devalue the property of people anywhere near this land.

 

 

We humbly request a short in person meeting with you so we can better understand your motivations,  your seeming unwillingness to work with Buckingham Township, and any thoughts about looking for an alternate use of this property that will keep massive 18-wheelers off the narrow local roads. 

Our schedules can be flexible such that we are willing to work with your schedule to secure a meeting and a cordial conversation.

 

We thank you for your years of public service and we hope that you seriously consider our request for a discussion.

 

Sincerely,

Mike Bateman, Chair of Stop the Buckingham Warehouse: A Central Bucks Coalition

Jeff Glauber, Vice-Chair of Stop the Buckingham Warehouse: A Central Bucks Coalition