Newtown vs Montessori Parking Safety Battle

An early childhood education center named Apple Montessori Schools is proposing to repurpose a vacant Rite Aid pharmacy in Newtown, Pennsylvania, into a new school. The project involves converting the building into a facility for 142 students and replacing a section of the parking lot with a fenced playground and pool. While the property owner believes the school is a compatible tenant for the Goodnoe Corner Shopping Center, local officials have expressed significant safety and traffic concerns. Supervisors argue that the existing parking lot is already hazardous and suggest that the school consider a more suitable business district location instead. Despite these objections, the school maintains that its staggered schedule and strict security measures will prevent congestion and ensure student protection. The proposal is currently moving through the township planning commission and awaits a formal conditional use hearing.