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Home Care In Buckingham Township, PA

Home Care Buckingham Township, PA

They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.

However, as seniors grow older, completing daily tasks like showering and enjoying activities such as visiting the historic Buckingham Lumber & Millwork Co gets harder without someone by their side. Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.

Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in Buckingham Township, PA is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.

 In-Home Care Buckingham Township, PA

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The Always Best Care Difference

Since 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.

Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.

The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.

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“I couldn’t thank this Company enough for the services my Father had, it’s difficult to trust others yet Always Best Care of Philadelphia did it with ease. We happily recommend them to our family and friends. Bryant and Co. truly care as if it was their own family. God Bless and May all your Staff be safe, they are in my prayers.”

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“The highlights for me is The boss man Bryant Greene, and most of his awesome staff. Mr. Greene, his brother Al Billz and staff always looked out for me even when I was ill. I love them and Always Best Care to the moon and back!”

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“first of all the owner Brian Greene is an amazing person to work for/with. Hes very compassionate to his workers and staff. If we need help and there's no caregiver available. Brian will step in. We also give our clients the best care possible. So proud to say Brian just opened up another office in Delaware. Doing an amazing job. I started work with this agency in 2012 when my mom became I'll. A good environment. I definitely would recommend this place of employment.”

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“first of all the owner Brian Greene is an amazing person to work for/with. Hes very compassionate to his workers and staff. If we need help and there's no caregiver available. Brian will step in. We also give our clients the best care possible. So proud to say Brian just opened up another office in Delaware. Doing an amazing job. I started work with this agency in 2012 when my mom became I'll. A good environment. I definitely would recommend this place of employment.”

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“Always Best Care Senior Services of Philadelphia abides by the highest standards in the provision of in-home care.”

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“Always Best Care has been tremendous. The caregivers are well trained and very considerate. Thanks to my infirmity, I have unique care needs but ABC has been able to provide that care and even go above and beyond in their efforts to care for me. I don’t know what I would do without them. If you’re in need of care, this is the agency to call.”

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“Always Best is truly a company that distinguishes itself from the other companies in its personal attention to make the client totally satisfied. Excellent communication is another reason you feel so secure. I never had a moment of frustration or worry. I can't recommend David and his staff enough!!! Karen in Plymouth Meeting”

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What is Non-Medical Senior Care in Buckingham Township, PA?

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Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.

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When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.

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The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.

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At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.

 Senior Care Buckingham Township, PA

Types of Elderly Care in Buckingham Township, PA

To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:

Personal Care

Personal Care Services

If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.

Common personal care services include assistance with:

  • Eating
  • Mobility Issues
  • Incontinence
  • Bathing
  • Dressing
  • Grooming

Respite Care Buckingham Township, PA
Home Helper

Home Helper Services

Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.

Common home helper care services include assistance with:

  • Medication Reminders
  • Meal Preparation
  • Pet Care
  • Prescription Refills
  • Morning Wake-Up
  • Walking
  • Reading
 Caregivers Buckingham Township, PA
Companionship Services

Companionship Services

Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors. That way, older adults can enjoy their favorite local activities, such as visiting Hansell Park with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.

Common companionship services include:

  • Grocery Shopping
  • Transportation to Appointments
  • Nutritional Assistance
  • Conversation
  • Planning Outings
  • Completing Errands
  • Transportation to Community
  • Events and Social Outings
Home Care Buckingham Township, PA
Respite Care

Respite Care Services

According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. So, if you've always wanted to eat at the local Baci Ristorante & Heart of Oak Pub or visit Holicong Village Historic District, don't feel bad. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.

At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.

If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.

 In-Home Care Buckingham Township, PA

Benefits of Home Care in Buckingham Township, PA

Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:

Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.

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Aging in Place: The Preferred Choice for Most Seniors

While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.

In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.

Here are just a few of the reasons why older men and women prefer to age at home:

How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?

A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.

With the help of elderly care in Buckingham Township, PA, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.

Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.

Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.

For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.

More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.

In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.

With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.

 Elderly Care Buckingham Township, PA

Affordable Care

In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.

Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.

At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.

In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:

If your loved one qualifies, Medicaid may help reduce in-home care costs. Review your PA's Medicaid program laws and benefits, and make sure your senior's financial and medical needs meet Medicaid eligibility requirements.
Attendance and aid benefits through military service can cover a portion of the costs associated with in-home care for veterans and their spouses.
Many senior care services like in-home care are included in long-term care insurance options. Research different long-term care solutions to find a plan that provides coverage for senior care.
Home care can be included as part of a senior's private insurance plan. Read over your loved one's insurance policy carefully or speak with their insurance provider to determine if in-home care is covered.
Depending on the life insurance plan, you may be able to apply your policy toward long-term care. You may be able to use long-term-care coverage to help pay for in-home elderly care.
 Senior Care Buckingham Township, PA

Compassionate Care. Trusted Caregivers.

When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.

Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.

At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in Buckingham Township, PA understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.

Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.

Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.

Assisted Living Referral Services

While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.

Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.


Respite Care Buckingham Township, PA

At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.

Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:

  • Housekeeping
  • Laundry
  • Recreational Activities
  • Social Outings
  • Emergency Medical Response
  • Medication Monitoring
  • Family Visitation
  • Personal Care
 Caregivers Buckingham Township, PA

At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.

Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.

Some of the most popular assisted living communities to consider in our area include the following:

  • A Place For Mom - Senior Living Advisor Ellen Daubenspeck
  • Buckingham Valley Rehabilitation and Nursing Center
  • Golden LivingCenter - Doylestown
  • Wesley Enhanced Living Doylestown
  • Pine Run Village Lakeview Personal Care
  • Heartis Bucks County Assisted Living
Home Care Buckingham Township, PA

For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.

 In-Home Care Buckingham Township, PA

Taking the First Step with Always Best Care

The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:

A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way

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A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive

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Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider

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Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.

If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.

At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in Buckingham Township, PA 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.

When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.

 Elderly Care Buckingham Township, PA

Latest News in Buckingham Township, PA

Zoning Board Denies Request To Quash No Buckingham Warehouse Appeal

Residents group grants continuance in zoning board matter pending the outcome of its court appeals.Patch Staff|Updated Tue, Oct 29, 2024 at 8:09 am ETBUCKINGHAM TOWNSHIP, PA — A developer seeking to build a warehouse in the township but was denied by the board of supervisors in July tried unsuccessfully to quash a zoning appeal by the grassroots group, No Buckingham Warehouse, on Monday night.No Buckingham Warehouse and its lawyer, H. Peter Nelson, appeared before the zoning board ready to argue its appeal...

Residents group grants continuance in zoning board matter pending the outcome of its court appeals.

Patch Staff

|Updated Tue, Oct 29, 2024 at 8:09 am ET

BUCKINGHAM TOWNSHIP, PA — A developer seeking to build a warehouse in the township but was denied by the board of supervisors in July tried unsuccessfully to quash a zoning appeal by the grassroots group, No Buckingham Warehouse, on Monday night.

No Buckingham Warehouse and its lawyer, H. Peter Nelson, appeared before the zoning board ready to argue its appeal of a determination by the township's zoning officer that what the developer was proposing back in July was a truck terminal and not a warehouse.

While the township denied plans for the 150,000 square foot warehouse in July citing more than 20 reasons, the grassroots citizens group has taken court action to ensure the denial is upheld in court. They are worried that the township's denial will not hold up during the appeals process.

As part of that process, No Buckingham Warehouse filed its appeal seeking a determination from the zoning board to take to the Court of Court of Common Pleas to bolster its case in Doylestown.

No Buckingham Warehouse argues that the projected 90 anticipated tractor trailer trips per day (representing over 23,000 truck trips per year) clearly shows that the proposed building was not being constructed for warehouse storage, but as a truck terminal.

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Land development attorney Ed Murphy, representing J.G. Petrucci, the equitable owner of the property bordered by Cold Spring Creamery Road, Stony Lane, Burnt House Hill Road and Landisville Road, asked the zoning to quash the appeal. Murphy, however, found no support on the zoning board to prevent the appeal from moving forward.

Craig Smith, the township's lawyer suggested “a stay” of the appeal pending a decision by the Bucks County Court of Common Pleas on whether the township’s rejection of the plan for 20 plus reasons is valid.

“If it is, we will be spending a lot of time and money on something we don’t need to be doing," said Smith of the zoning board appeal. "And if it turns out the court finds the turn down of the plan wasn’t valid, at that point you can go to the zoning board and decide what the use is. If we did that then this would be a real issue because it would be determinative as to whether this proposed use is allowed in this district.

"Right now it’s purely superfluous," he said. "These are protective actions taken just to have Mr. Nelson's clients to have the ability to fall back on this in the unexpected case that a judge finds that the township's turn down of this application was not valid. To go through all this now seems over lawyered and a waste of time and money."

Nelson said what Smith is saying makes sense and is the quicker, cheaper way to go, but he questioned what happens if the court rules in Mr. Murphy's favor and upholds his appeal.

"All the sudden we're going to spend a lot more time and money coming back here and going through this whole thing and then bringing that back to court and then re-litigating whether or not the denial should be upheld or thrown out," said Nelson.

Smith said the township is willing to stipulate that "Mr. Nelson's bases are covered by either holding this (the appeal) in abeyance or reserving him the right, if he needs to, that if it turns out our denial was insufficient, then this issue would be preserved."

After some discussion, Nelson agreed to grant the zoning board a continuance in order to meet with Smith and Murphy to see what they can come up with that will preserve the rights of his clients with regard to the zoning appeal.

"Mr. Nelson is concern that by not moving forward with this appeal he'll be waiving his clients' rights," said Smith. "What we're saying as a township is that we would agree to stipulate that he doesn't waive those rights and he doesn't have to come before the zoning board to preserve those rights. He will still have those rights in court in Doylestown."

During the talks with the other two lawyers, Nelson said he'll be looking for a consolidation of the court cases and language that holds the zoning board appeal in abeyance.

"If that's the case, we'll deal with the county court cases and we won't be coming back before the zoning board unless the court rules in Murphy's favor and we have to come back here (to the zoning board)," he said.

Buckingham Rejects Warehouse Proposal: A Look at the Reasons Why

GovernmentThe 150,000 square foot building near the Doylestown Airport would have generated 90 truck trips a day to the township’s narrow roads.Residents gather on the front lawn of the Buckingham Township building on July 24, 2024, to view a hearing on a proposed warehouse near the Doylestown Airport at a meeting.Residents applaud the decision by Buckingham Townshi...

Government

The 150,000 square foot building near the Doylestown Airport would have generated 90 truck trips a day to the township’s narrow roads.

Residents gather on the front lawn of the Buckingham Township building on July 24, 2024, to view a hearing on a proposed warehouse near the Doylestown Airport at a meeting.

Residents applaud the decision by Buckingham Township to reject a proposed warehouse near the Doylestown Airport at a meeting on July 24, 2024.Photo Credit: Ed Doyle

Residents gather on the front lawn of the Buckingham Township building on July 24, 2024, to view a hearing on a proposed warehouse near the Doylestown Airport at a meeting.Photo Credit: Ed Doyle

Residents applaud the decision by Buckingham Township to reject a proposed warehouse near the Doylestown Airport at a meeting on July 24, 2024.Photo Credit: Ed Doyle

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By Ed Doyle

Published July 25, 2024 at 1:05 PM

Last updated July 25, 2024 at 1:05 PM

DOYLESTOWN TOWNSHIP, PA—In front of hundreds of residents both inside and outside of the township building, Buckingham officials on Wednesday night rejected a proposal to put a warehouse in a field near the Doylestown Airport.

The 150,000-square-foot warehouse was proposed for a parcel of land bounded by Stony Lane, Cold Spring Creamery Road, Burnt House Hill Road and Landisville Road. The developer projected that 45 trucks making 90 trips a day would have used those roads to access the building.

The township’s board of supervisors held a hearing last night to determine the fate of the proposal. During a nearly five-hour meeting, it was standing-room only in the township’s large meeting room, and 100-plus more residents were on the front lawn of the building in folding chairs, where they watched the proceedings on a large TV.

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For months, Buckingham residents have warned that the warehouse would flood the township’s country roads with truck traffic. They said truck traffic would not only clog the roads but pose a threat to motorists, pedestrians, runners and cyclists, all of whom use the streets.

Critics of the proposal added that having so much truck traffic streaming down narrow, residential roads would destroy the rural character of the township, ruining their way of life and crashing property values.

Residents also warned that the warehouse would affect not just Buckingham, but neighboring townships like Plumstead and Doylestown, as truck traffic rolled through all of those communities to get on or off larger roads.

One problem with those arguments is that property near the Doylestown Airport is zoned for industrial uses like warehouses. Township officials repeatedly cited that fact as they seemed to get behind the proposal. And when the developer behind the project, J.G. Petrucci Company Inc., planned to leave more than half of the property undeveloped, that helped build support among township officials.

The developer made other promises to sweeten the terms of the deal. It has promised to make improvements to some local roads, including widening Stony Lane to make room for truck traffic coming in and out of the building. And at last night’s meeting, the developer said it would agree to reduce the number of loading docks in the building and make other changes to address residents’ concerns.

For residents who viewed the warehouse and the truck traffic it would produce as an existential threat to the character of Buckingham, none of that was enough. When the warehouse seemed like it was on a fast track to being approved, critics found a new way to fight back.

At a May 1 meeting, the community group Stop the Buckingham Warehouse argued that a review of the plans showed that the building would not be used as a traditional warehouse, where goods are delivered and stored. The building would instead be used as a trucking terminal, or a place to unload trucks, sort the merchandise and then ship it out quickly.

While the Buckingham facility would have been a little small to function as an Amazon warehouse, an early rumor about the building, it could be a good solution for a larger retailer that was looking to deliver goods to its stores in the region. The building would address “last-mile delivery,” a warehousing term that describes how to get merchandise off over-the-road trucks and deliver it to stores and homes.

Community residents who have worked in warehousing and logistics who spoke at Wednesday night’s meeting said that last-mile delivery facilities tend to produce much higher levels of truck traffic because vehicles are constantly coming and going. Township resident Tim Cathers, who said he’s worked in transportation and logistics for more than 30 years, said the difference between a warehouse and a truck terminal is important because inventory in truck terminals “moves in and out of the building at a much faster rate than at a storage warehouse.”

Cathers said these terminals tend to have more doors than traditional warehouses—like the Buckingham proposal—and a much higher volume of what he called “throughput,” or the movement of goods. “More doors means more throughput and more trucks,” Cathers said.

The difference between a warehouse and a trucking terminal is significant because of zoning laws. Buckingham’s zoning regulations, for example, require truck terminals to be 1,000 feet from private wells. The well for one house is only 57 feet away from the edge of the property.

Buckingham’s zoning regulations also require truck terminals to have “immediate access” to arterial roads like routes 313, 413, 202 and 263, not narrow country roads like Stony Lane and Landisville Road.

Because the proposed building can’t meet those rules, residents argued that township officials had to reject it.

Several township officials countered that they didn’t think that the building meets the definition of a truck terminal, which typically has facilities to repair and store vehicles. Representatives from the developer also disputed that the building was being built as a truck terminal.

But Cathers said that a search of Petrucci buildings similar to the one being proposed in Buckingham found ads that specifically referred to the buildings as “ideal for last-mile delivery.” He said that none of the ads he saw said the buildings could be used for long-term storage or warehousing.

Cathers’ presentation fired up the crowd. When the meeting was opened up to public comment at about 11:30 p.m., the crowd had thinned out. Those who remained rallied, making impassioned pleas to township officials to stop the project.

Several said that Buckingham is notorious for resisting development, even when it comes to requests from residents to put additions on houses. They implored township officials to use that same rigor in screening the warehouse proposal.

Many speakers begged township officials to put the brakes on the proposal and accused them of not doing enough to scrutinize the plans. Mike Bateman, an organizer of the group Stop the Buckingham Warehouse, complained that one of the plans for one of the largest buildings in township history “was on cruise control.”

Other residents said they couldn’t understand how a township that has done such a great job of preserving open space would move forward with a proposal that would change the community.

It was after midnight when the township’s three supervisors began the process of making a decision on whether to vote for or against the proposal. Two of the three supervisors said they thought the project would in fact function like a warehouse, not a truck terminal. Many in the audience gasped at that decision, thinking it was laying the grounds for the supervisors to approve the project.

But minutes later, when it came time to vote up or down on the project, the mood shifted. Two of the three supervisors voted against moving the project forward, leading to thunderous applause from the audience.

In announcing his decision to vote against the proposal, Chairman Paul Calderaio said that he had heard feedback from the community and was taking it seriously.

“There are simply too many unaddressed concerns to warrant allowing this plan in my opinion to move forward,” Calderaio said. Board member Jon Forest similarly voted against the proposal after saying that he thought the proposal would function as a truck terminal.

Vice Chairman Maggie Rash explained that she voted in favor of the proposal because it seemed like the least bad option for developing the site. In 2000, the township approved a much larger warehouse that would develop much more of the land on the site. The current developers could opt to build that size facility with relatively few restrictions since it was already approved by the township.

Rash said she appreciated the fact that in the current project, the developers had proposed keeping so much of the property undeveloped and had offered to reduce the number of loading docks in the project. She warned that the next proposal could be bigger and much worse for the township.

Rash also predicted that the current proposal will likely wind up in court. “Where it goes from here I’m guessing is up to the courts in Doylestown,” she said.

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