A plan to bring 23 luxury townhomes to Doylestown Township that has been in the works since 2021 is slowly moving closer to final approval.
The project from Warminster-based County Builders was back in front of the planning commission Monday night where they initially sought final plan approval but left with a number of suggestions to work on before bringing the project back for consideration later this year.
The neighborhood would be accessed by residents turning from Ferry Road onto a long driveway leading to the loop of homes that functions as a long, thin cul-de-sac. The public amenity spaces will likely feature a centralized gazebo or pavilion with benches and landscaping stretching down the center of the boulevard between the homes, according to County Builders vice president Kevin Reilly.
The neighborhood would also be surrounded by trees to serve as a buffer between the homes and Swamp Road (Route 313) to the rear of the property.
The two story homes will include a basement, two-car garage and a two-car driveway, Reilly said. Homebuyers will also have the choice to have electric vehicle charging stations built into in their garages.
They only recently began the design development process for the advanced renderings of the townhomes, Reilly said, but he did point to a similar project of theirs, Walden Square in Newtown, that features natural stone or brick facades as an example of what these homes might look like.
"We do expect it to be something that the township is proud of and something that we're proud of," Reilly said.
Once built, the townhomes are expected to sell for around $900,000, he said.
Reilly presented this neighborhood as a connection to the nearby Valley Square and Fountainville Village shopping centers they constructed over the years that include restaurants, stores, medical offices and more.
During the discussion, some commissioners raised concerns about traffic along Ferry Road — which they said already backs up from the intersection during busy travel times. A traffic review showed that the new development would generate 11 trips during the morning peak hours and 13 trips during the evening peak hours.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is still reviewing the project, Reilly said.
"I think the layout is a good project, I like the facades — there's nothing about this I have a problem with I just want to have few details ironed out," said commissioner Michael Kracht.
County Builders are expected to be back in front of the Planning Commission later this year with a more complete design that includes an exact number of trees on the site, recreation spaces, traffic measures and more.
Lacey Latch is the development reporter for the Bucks County Courier Times and The Intelligencer. She can be reached at.