Gateway Vote on Monday

Monday May 19, 2008. 7:30 P.M. at Borough Hall, Union Street.

Borough council to vote on Gateway Center proposal

Developers still need 2,000 square feet of land from the borough for the building to fit.

By DANNY ADLER STAFF WRITER

Morrisville’s council has scheduled a vote for Monday on the controversial Morrisville Gateway Center.

Such a motion would not make the project a shoo-in, however. It would simply say that the council likes the concept or it doesn’t. The developer would still have to go through the borough’s regular planning process, officials said.

But Penn Jersey Real Properties needs the borough vote because the project will require some borough-owned land and the developer can’t submit plans for land it doesn’t own.

The proposed Gateway Center on East Bridge Street between North Delmorr and Central avenues, if approved, is expected to bring about 180 jobs to the borough, Penn Jersey’s Dan Jones said. The 49,680-square-foot building would need at least 2,000 square feet of borough-owned land.

The developer would also need an agreement to either purchase or lease another 2 acres of borough land at the south end of Williamson Park for a parking lot, or to build a parking lot for the borough there and then license it from the borough.

The borough council met Tuesday night with the developer and the Morrisville economic development corporation at an agenda meeting, where it agreed to put a motion on next week’s agenda.

“Let’s not drag it out,” said EDC attorney John Warenda. “If you don’t like it, just say no.”

David Truelove, an attorney representing Penn Jersey, asked a similar question: “Do you want it to move forward or not?”

Morrisville’s borough solicitor, James Downey III, urged the council not to vote on anything more than “I like it or I don’t like it.”

On April 14, Morrisville’s EDC and the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission came to an agreement of sale for 1 acre of bridge commission land on East Bridge Street, where most of the actual building will be built.

According to the agreement with the bridge commis sion, Penn Jersey needs to submit plans to the borough by mid-June and needs all borough approvals within 180 days after that, EDC officials said. If these restrictions are not met, the agreement is void and the land goes back to the bridge commission.

Some Morrisville residents have praised the proposed center, saying it could assist in Morrisville’s revitalization and bring in more tax money. Opponents are against the developer’s request to buy or lease about 2 acres of unused land at the south end of Williamson Park and are concerned about traffic and environmental issues.

Resident Patricia Schell urged the council not to sell any borough land to Penn Jersey. “If you sell the land, you give someone else control of the land,” she said.

Johanny Manning, a resident and former school board member, said the building would help the community.

“We need that building on that spot,” Manning said.

Morrisville’s regular council meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. Monday at borough hall, 35 Union St.