Excess light, signs and dirt have residents, officials frustrated by developer
By Mike McGann, Editor, UnionvilleTimes.com
This model home for Toll Brothers' The Preserve development is sparking anger from local residents and officials due what is termed excessive lighting.—Mike McGann photo
POCOPSON — “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.”
Township officials said in no uncertain terms Monday night that Toll Brothers is seen as a whole lot less divine, however, and is insisting that the housing developer crank down the lighting on the model home for its development, The Preserve.
This comes after a summer of angry complaints by neighbors on Corrine Road about dust, noise and various alleged violations of township ordinances regarding working too early in the morning and too late into the evening. And in addition to the issue with the lights — township officials are angry about signs for the Preserve, which have been popping up all over the township.
The initial phases of construction for The Preserve has sparked dozens of complaints from local residents about the Toll Brothers development.
“I’m fed up with Toll Brothers” Township Supervsor Georgia Brutscher said Monday night. She confirmed that the model house was excessively brightly lit up and that the lights were on 24 hours a day. Apparently, after a previous township complaint, the lights were turned off for a day, but then the beacon-like light display in the formerly dark and quiet section of the township resumed. A number of residents complained about the lights on the model home, which is located near Corrine Road and can be clearly seen from a number of long-standing residences.
A quick check Tuesday morning confirmed that the lights in the model home were again dark — but that may not be enough to spare Toll Brothers fines from the township. Township officials are expected to conduct a measurement of lumens — one way to quantify light output — at the property line. If the house is emitting too much light, Toll Brothers will be forced to make changes to the lighting system of the house and could be subject to fines.
For months, local residents have been complaining about excessive dust from the construction site — and Toll Brothers’ failure to use water trucks to wet down the exposed surfaces created during construction of what was open farm land. Although a water truck tanker was parked at the entrance of the development Tuesday morning, dust and dirt were evident throughout the immediate area, including along Corrine Road. An open field near Corrine Road had large patches of open dirt, some of which appeared to have dried at various times and blown all over the immediate neighbors’ properties. More dirt has been spread by construction vehicles.
Township officials say they will continue to monitor these issues and will take up the complaints with Toll Brothers again.
