A national home building company hopes to develop a 43-acre parcel, identified by municipal officials as the Demeno Property, in Upper Hanover. On Tuesday, an attorney representing D.R. Horton, Inc., was scheduled to appear before the township's board of supervisors during a rezoning public hearing.

            However, Solicitor Joseph E. Bresnan announced that the hearing was postponed until Feb. 8. According to Bresnan, the applicant's lead attorney could not attend due to concerns over COVID-19. He said two replacement attorneys both recently tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

            The applicant an Arlington, Texas based company describes itself as the largest homebuilder by volume in the nation.  They seek to change the zoning of the vacant parcel that fronts Gravel Pike, located near the border with Red Hill and adjacent to Marlborough, from LIC-1 to R2.

            According to Supervisor B. Stefan Laessig, the developer hopes to build up to 84 homes on the property. He estimated the average lot size as 10,000 square feet.

            The current zoning allows for the construction of a large warehouse, according to Laessig. After the public meeting, he described the residential option as the lesser evil for the municipality and its residents.

            The developer has presented a sketch plan to the township's planning commission, according to Laessig, who is a member. He said after the meeting that the builder had agreed to limit the construction to 2.2 dwelling units per developable acre. During the meeting, Laessig said the planning commission favors the submitted sketch plan, so long as the developer constructs what has been proposed.

            Demeno Properties LP, with a mailing address of 102 Caspian Lane in Eagleville, owns the property. It purchased the land in April of 2005, from Skippack Self Storage LP, for $1. The parcel has been appraised at $190,000, according to information posted on Montgomery County property records.

            The board directed municipal engineer John Weber to proceed with a plan to replace a stormwater drain in the 1100 block of Graber Road. He told the members that a 12-inch pipe, currently in use, is unable to contain the runoff that washes over the road and will likely be replaced with an 18-inch pipe.

            According to the engineer, digging up the pipe would affect a private driveway. Weber said he would begin the process by contacting the impacted resident. The engineer estimated the cost of implementing 25 feet of pipe at a couple of thousand dollars.

            Vice Chairman Ben R. Fiorito announced the 2022 budget for The Upper Hanover Authority at $1.7 million. He estimated the annual budget for the township's Water Committee at $1.3 million.

            Authority officials are working to resolve infiltration and inflow issues related to the gravity system, according to Fiorito. He said flooding concerns have impacted the Palm section of the township.

            Weber received approval from the board to file a notice of violation in the Red Hill court of District Judge Maureen Coggins against a property owner in the unit block of Gravel Pike. He told the supervisors that "a good bit of junk" has accumulated on the property directly across the street from the court.

            Several warning letters sent to the property owner did not generate a response, according to Weber. He said he has received several complaints about the property from the court.

            Supervisor Dorothy Diehl participated in the meeting by phone.