Is housing coming near Dunkin' in Langhorne? Why the township says property needs work

A stalled housing development next to a busy Dunkin’ Donuts in Middletown is a tree stump-ridden mess according to a neighbor, and the township has told the owner to clean it up.

The property, at 628 W. Maple Avenue in Langhorne, adjoins the doughnut shop, and is pocked with large, deep craters from tree stump excavations. The stumps were left behind and the property, with a dilapidated house and outbuilding, is out of compliance with township rules along the heavily traveled highway.

“In February they came and pulled all the (tree) stumps out, and just left them,” said Donna Lorenz, whose property adjoins the site.

Watching it for you Drive-thru, more parking and (maybe) houses coming to Langhorne Dunkin' Donuts

Lorenz, who has lived next door since 2018, said the property is not only an eyesore, but poses danger.

“People cut through here. Someone can fall into one of these holes,” she said, pointing to one maybe 8 to 10 feet deep. “Teenagers walk through here all the time. Deer come through. If one of the fawns fell into one of these holes, they might not be able to get out.”

The uninhabited house and outbuilding are unsecured and attract vandals, the neighbor said.

“I see them up there throwing rocks at the windows, breaking them. I’ve called police on them,” she said.

The property is owned by M Properties LLC of Ewing, New Jersey, which also owns the Dunkin' franchise. Nash Patel and Mitesh Patel own the adjoining property. The company has an unpublished phone number and could not be reached for comment.

The township has been in touch with the owner, who wants to build five single family homes on the parcel. Previously, Middletown’s zoners granted variances for construction, but the township supervisors turned down all but one — a drive-through at the Dunkin'.

The proposed houses would be on a cul-de-sac, raising safety concerns by officials and neighbors, such as how to get fire trucks and other emergency equipment in and out of the property.

Jim Ennis, Middletown’s director of Building and Zoning, said the owner received violation notices last February for non-compliance in stabilizing and securing the property. The township and the Bucks County Conservation District have advised on how to do this, he said.

“The property owner caused considerable earth disturbance at the property without receiving the necessary approvals and permits. There have been meetings with the property owner at the township administrative offices and at the property in effort to remedy the earth disturbance issues,” he said in an email. “The property owner has placed erosion and sedimentation controls at the site, but is still in violation for not demonstrating compliance with the plans submitted to the Bucks County Conservation District and the township engineer.”

The owner has until early June to comply, he said.

“The township will act accordingly dependent on how everything is addressed at that time,” he said. “If the property owner demonstrates compliance with all necessary requirements, then the site stabilization, which includes filling in the large holes and reseeding, can begin.

“How everything will be resolved is dependent on if the property owner addresses the issues by early June. The necessary steps will be discussed at that time,” he said.

JD Mullane can be reached at 215-949-5745 or at jmullane@couriertimes.com.

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Is housing coming near Dunkin' in Langhorne? Why the township says property needs work