Woodwinds Buyouts OK'd—With Conditions

Up to 24 Hatboro homeowners could have their residences purchased and demolished, provided that the condominium association agrees to conditions.

Two dozen condominium owners at the flood-prone Woodwinds development in Hatboro could have their properties bought out and demolished. But, before the wrecking ball comes, 80 percent of the 79 homeowners must agree to terms laid out by the state and federal emergency management agencies, along with the Hatboro governing body, according to Borough Manager Fred Zollers.  Chief among the conditions is for the association to deed over to Hatboro the land where the residences currently stand, along with any surrounding common areas, Zollers said.  Barring the borough owning adjacent common property, FEMA and PEMA–the federal and state agencies set to foot 97 percent of the roughly $2 million project–worry that someone at some point could build…

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Hatboro Homeowners Ask Borough for Buyout Help

Several Hatboro residents from the frequently flood-ravaged Woodwinds complex asked the Hatboro Borough Council to chip in 3 percent of the 'local' monies needed for a buyout.

Should your Hatboro municipal tax dollars help support federal and state buyouts for a dozen property owners? The Hatboro Borough Council gave a resounding "no" Monday night as elected officials made clear that the borough would not foot the 3 percent "local" match for 12 Woodwinds homeowners seeking a combined Federal Emergency Management Agency/Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency buyout for their frequently flooded homes, which abut the Pennypack Creek in the north end of town.  Tracy Thatford, a Woodwinds resident of 15 years, said she understood the funding breakdown to be 75 percent from FEMA, 22 percent from PEMA and the remaining 3 percent from the borough. Council President John Zygmont quickly interjected, "from the very …

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Woodwinds Residents Evacuate Ahead of Storm

Many occupants of the 79-unit Woodwinds complex in Hatboro voluntarily evacuated ahead of Hurricane Sandy, an official said.

Joann Gefter has no intention of reliving a near-death situation to leave her flooding Hatboro home. This time, instead of waiting until Pennypack Creek waters are raging and filling the first floor of her home at Woodwinds with water, fish and smelly debris, Gefter, her husband Gary and their 1-year-old daughter, Tatum, left while the going was good, on Sunday. "We learned our lesson the first time," Mrs. Gefter told Patch in an e-mail Monday afternoon. "My family packed up what we needed and went to my parents in Philly. Our neighbors left too." For more Hatboro and Horsham Hurricane Sandy news and updates, subscribe to our free newsletter,"like" us on Facebook or follow @Hatboropatch on Twitter. Mrs. Gefter, Gary and their …

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Should Hatboro Residents Foot Costs for Woodwinds Buyouts?

The Hatboro Borough Council is discussing who should cover the local 3 percent match should 12 Woodwinds condominiums receive buyouts from the federal government.

Hatboro elected officials are wrestling with how to cover roughly $80,000 in local costs in the event the federal government approves buyouts of a dozen flood-damaged units at the Woodwinds complex.  The council led the charge to request that the Federal Emergency Management Agency buy out the flood-ravaged homes, demolish them and return the property to its natural state, but Council President John Zygmont said during a capital budget meeting Monday that elected officials have yet to discuss who would cover the required 3 percent match of the approximate $2 million project. Zygmont suggested that since any federal monies would be paid in a lump sum to Hatboro that the borough use the estimated $160,000 per homeowner to leverage the …

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Hatboro OKs Open Space Agreement for Woodwinds

In the event that the state and federal governments buy out a dozen oft-flooded homes, Hatboro would maintain the space.

While the jury is still out on whether state and federal agencies will purchase 12 Woodwinds condominiums, the Hatboro Borough Council set the wheels in motion for that possibility.  The council, following direction from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, on Monday night approved an open space maintenance agreement that pertains to the area where three buildings are situated on Drummers Way. Originally six buildings – totaling 24 homes within the 79-unit development – were eyed for government buyouts. FEMA and PEMA have whittled the original request down to 12 homes. Borough Manager Fred Zollers said Hatboro was given no timetable as to when buyout decisions will be made.  But, in the …

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Hatboro Advances Woodwinds Buyouts Application

If approved, 12 of 79 units at the condominium development would be purchased and demolished.

The Hatboro Borough Council formalized its support for possible buyouts of a dozen units at the oft-flooded Woodwinds condominium development. The council, during Monday’s meeting, voted in favor of ratifying a revised application to the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency. If approved for its full request, the agencies would provide money to 12 homeowners to purchase and demolish the Drummers Way residences. Acting Borough Manager Fred Zollers said after the meeting that the state and federal agencies have requested damage estimates from the two most recent floods, as well as records from previous flood damage. Zollers said the homeowners are compiling that information now. The amended …

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Manja Remains, Woodwinds May Go

The Hatboro Borough Council will pare down its FEMA buyout application to include 12 condominiums at the oft-flooded development.

Federal government buyouts could be possible for up to a dozen Woodwinds residents – but some fear that neighbors could be the ones paying the price. Originally, six buildings, totaling 24 total units within the community, which abuts Pennypack Creek, were included in an application sent to the state and Federal Emergency Management Agency this spring. Of those, the four units in building No. 4 at 24 Drummers Way, have the “strongest benefit to cost ratio,” according to Fred Zollers, Hatboro’s Public Works superintendent. Zollers, in briefing Hatboro’s governing body, as well as Woodwinds residents in attendance during Monday’s council meeting, said Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency officials gave the borough until July 16 to submit…

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Set to Close Before it Opens?

The owners of Manja Gourmet had no clue their landlord had applied for a government buyout and that the building could be demolished.

The storefront at 332 S. York Road will once again be serving up pizza. For how long is dependent upon the outcome of a federal buyout that the property owner is seeking.  The future home of Manja Gourmet – and former site of Quig’s Pizza – is one of 26 structures under consideration for a government buyout, according to Hatboro Superintendent of Public Works, Fred Zollers.  The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program is a federal program that provides funding to states to help "implement long-term hazard mitigation measures after a major disaster declaration," according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Web site.  If received, the grant would allow the borough to “acquire and demolish” the properties, said Zollers. All have sustained …

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Anastasia Sampaio

11:42 am on Tuesday, April 17, 2012

thank you Amy.   more ›

Buyouts Possible for Woodwinds Residents

Two dozen homeowners could qualify for a joint state and federal buyout.

Tracy Thatford has been there, done that – twice – and hopes not to make it a third time.  Thatford, of Drummers Way, in the oft-flooded Woodwinds condominium development, said she’d jump at the chance to leave her flood-ravaged home for good. “I would like a buyout. I’ve been flooded twice,” Thatford, a Woodwinds homeowner of 11 years, said following a discussion during Monday night’s Hatboro Borough Council meeting regarding a joint state and federal buyout program. “This last flood was pretty bad.” Hatboro Emergency Management Coordinator Fred Zollers said 24 of the 79 Woodwinds units would qualify for buyouts resulting from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. But, the catch, he said, is that all of the building’s residents would …

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Photo of the Day: January 26

Grant funds for Woodwinds flooding dry up.

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