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Under review

Officially submitted Sept. 8, 2026. Still under Township review, and the Township hasn't received all the review letters. Not on the Oct 20 agenda. The next Planning Commission meeting is Tue, Nov 17, 7:30 p.m. That's the earliest it could be heard. We'll text when it's scheduled.

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Lafayette One: 4 homes proposed at the end of Lafayette Street

Penn Street and the end of Lafayette Street, Newtown Township (tax parcels 29-010-032 and 29-010-032-002)
A proposal from DeLuca Design Build, now called DC at Lafayette by the Township.
Last updated: October 15, 2026

In short

Aerial map of the Lafayette One site, outlined in yellow, between Penn St and the end of Lafayette StTap for interactive map

At a glance

ApplicantDC at Lafayette LLC. Builder: DeLuca Design Build. The spring 2026 sketch plan was filed under the name Lafayette One, LLC.
EngineerDynamic Engineering Consultants, PC
SiteTwo parcels, 4.95 acres total (215,438 sq. ft.), to be combined and subdivided
Lots4 single-family homes. Lot sizes: 30,000, 49,025, 35,140 and 38,034 sq. ft. Plus one open space lot and one stormwater basin lot.
Street accessLafayette Street would be extended about 220 feet into the site, ending in a cul-de-sac. Proposed as a public street, 22 feet wide. No access from Penn Street, though the plans use Penn Street as the construction entrance.
Open space21,543.8 sq. ft. (0.49 acres), exactly 10% of the tract. Fronts Penn Street only. No improvements proposed.
StormwaterTwo basins: a managed release basin on its own lot in the southeast corner, and an infiltration basin on Lot 4. Runoff would discharge to an existing inlet on a Grant Street property through a drainage easement the applicant says it will obtain.
ZoningR-2 High Density Residential. Single-family homes on lots of at least 30,000 sq. ft. with public water and sewer. 10% minimum open space. 13% maximum impervious surface.
Review deadlineThe applicant waived the Township's 90-day review deadline on Sept. 15, 2026, with no end date.

Where it stands

What happens next

  1. Township reviews. The Township Engineer and Township Planner review the formal plans. The applicant must respond in writing before a meeting is scheduled.
  2. Planning Commission (advisory). Reviews the plan, hears public comment, and makes a recommendation. The Nov. 3 meeting is canceled for Election Day. The next meeting is Tue, Nov. 17, 7:30 p.m., the earliest it could be heard.
  3. Waivers. The applicant says it will request waivers from several Township requirements. Waivers are decided by the Board of Supervisors.
  4. Board of Supervisors. Makes the final decision. Because this was filed as Preliminary/Final, preliminary and final approval would be decided together.

Our view

The entrance belongs on Penn Street, not at the end of Lafayette.

With the street coming in from Lafayette, the site fits three lots. The plan squeezes in four. That's why the street extension needs waivers for a sharper curve and a smaller cul-de-sac than Township rules allow, why Lot 1 includes what the Township Planner called a remnant, and why the open space is left as a strip along Penn Street at exactly the 10% minimum, with no connection to Lafayette or the new street and no improvements proposed.

Lafayette is a narrow, no-outlet residential street. The site already fronts Penn Street, and the applicant's own plans use it as the construction entrance.

We're asking the Planning Commission to request a layout with access from Penn Street. We're also asking that all construction traffic be limited to Penn Street as a written condition, and that the open space be something neighbors can reach and use.

Our concerns

Each concern quotes public records. No reviewer has commented on the September formal plans yet, so the reviewer quotes are from the spring 2026 sketch plan reviews. The applicant's responses are from its September 8, 2026 formal submission.

Jump to a concern

  1. The street extension only works with waivers
  2. Lot 1 includes what the Township Planner called a remnant
  3. The open space is a strip on Penn Street with nothing on it
  4. Runoff would drain onto a Grant Street property
  5. Mature trees come down, and buffers aren't settled
  6. The County's review hasn't been answered

1. The street extension only works with waivers

The facts

You could say or write

"The Lafayette Street extension needs waivers for a sharper curve and a smaller cul-de-sac than Township rules allow. The site already fronts Penn Street."

2. Lot 1 includes what the Township Planner called a remnant

The facts

You could say or write

"The Township Planner called part of Lot 1 a remnant of land, and remnants of land shall not be created with a subdivision."

3. The open space is a strip on Penn Street with nothing on it

The facts

You could say or write

"The open space is a 0.49-acre strip that fronts only Penn Street, with no improvements proposed."

4. Runoff would drain onto a Grant Street property

The facts

You could say or write

"Runoff would drain to an inlet on a Grant Street property, through an easement the applicant says it will obtain from the neighbors."

5. Mature trees come down, and buffers aren't settled

The facts

You could say or write

"Reviewers asked to keep the wooded edges and buffer the Grant Street yards. The applicant left buffers for future Township meetings."

6. The County's review hasn't been answered

The facts

You could say or write

"The applicant's response letter doesn't answer the Bucks County Planning Commission review, including how it will meet the park and recreation requirement."

What you can do

Send a comment

Email the Township at info@newtownpa.gov and ask that it be shared with the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors, and that they confirm it was received and forwarded. Include your name and street, with "Lafayette One (DC at Lafayette LLC)" in the subject.

Email the Township

Here's a starting point. Personal letters carry more weight than identical ones.

Dear Planning Commission members, My name is [your name] and I live on [your street]. Please share this with the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors, and reply to confirm you've received and forwarded it. I'm writing about Lafayette One (DC at Lafayette LLC), the proposed subdivision at the end of Lafayette Street. [One or two points that matter to you.] The site already fronts Penn Street, and the plans already use Penn Street as the construction entrance. I ask the Planning Commission to request a layout with access from Penn Street before any waivers tied to the Lafayette Street extension are considered. Thank you, [your name] [your address]

Documents and sources

Formal application (September 2026)

Sketch plan reviews (spring 2026)

Ordinance sections cited above

The full 31-sheet plan set is available from Newtown Township through a Right-to-Know request.

Updates

Oct 15, 2026: The Township now calls this proposal DC at Lafayette. It's still under review, and the Township hasn't received all the review letters, so it is not on the Oct 20 agenda. The Nov. 3 Planning Commission meeting is canceled for Election Day. The next meeting is Tue, Nov. 17, 7:30 p.m. That's the earliest it could be heard. We'll text when it's scheduled.

Oct 14, 2026: Township reviews of the formal plans are still in progress, so Lafayette One is not expected on the Oct 20 agenda. The Nov. 3 meeting is canceled for Election Day, making Nov. 17 the earliest likely date. Added the formal application documents and the spring reviews. We'll text when it's scheduled.

September 23, 2026: DeLuca Design Build (operating as DC at Lafayette LLC) has submitted a formal Subdivision & Land Development Application for the site (tax parcels 29-010-032 and 29-010-032-002, +/- 4.95 acres). Preliminary and final plans are now under review by Newtown Township, and public meetings on them were expected in the coming weeks. Plans can be reviewed at the Township Administration Building, 100 Municipal Drive. Copies are now posted under Documents and sources.

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