Frequently Asked Questions
We are happy to answer any questions you may have regarding our expansion plans.
Our goal is to simplify our communication and provide clarity to our neighbors. There has been some misinformation and confusion around Creamery Acres.
Below we’ve listed the most recurring questions. Feel free to contact us with any other inquiries.
Question:
What does the Creamery Acres expansion entail, and how will it impact me?
Answer:
There is one building that will be constructed on our land. We will be using the building for manufacturing, similar to what we currently do here, and flex space that will house training facilities, suppliers, and manufacturing businesses that do similar things as we do. We will have interior roads that allow for easy access to all buildings. Again, this traffic will be internal to our property.
Question:
I keep seeing signs for “Say No to Light Industrial” with a smokestack image. Will there be billowing smoke coming from your facilities?
Answer:
No. These signs are misleading. We are already doing light industrial work. The expansion is simply an extension of the manufacturing we are currently doing at both our Trumbauersville and Quakertown facilities on the property we own.
Question:
Why is expanding businesses like yours important for our community?
Answer:
Manufacturing is the backbone of the US economy. Manufacturing businesses create good-paying jobs. We employ over 150 members of our local community and offer apprenticeship programs and cohort training with high schools and secondary schools that are teaching our next generation of makers.
Question:
Why does this matter? Why are you expanding?
Answer:
Manufacturing is coming back to America! And we are feeling the need to expand.
What we do matters. Manufacturing supports the things in your everyday life. From automobiles to airplanes, defense and military, to firearms and tactical gear, to the tractors you mow your lawn with, to large agricultural machines, to the motorcycles and home appliances you use. Our precision component parts are in just about everything you see every day. We aren’t increasing the scope of what we do – we are just doing more of it to employ more people right here in our communities, in a safe, clean and healthy environment.
Question:
Will this expansion create more traffic?
Answer:
In 2023, we did a traffic study. It showed an increase in traffic would be de minimis (too small to be meaningful or have a meaningful impact). Our current truck traffic is 7-8 per day, this would increase, but not double. We do not receive deliveries before 7AM or after 6PM M-F and we don’t have any deliveries on the weekends or holidays. By bringing our Quakertown operation here as well as some of our key suppliers, traffic to and from their locations would be avoided.
Question:
Will the storm water issues in Trumbauersville worsen with this expansion?
Answer:
In tandem with our expansion, we will have a storm water management plan. This plan will need to be approved by Trumbauersville council members and engineers. Our storm water management plan ensures we manage all the run-off water from the new and existing buildings and parking lots. Did you know Allentown Road is a state road? Once approved, we will work with the state to help ensure their road is also mitigating storm water issues. Long-time residents know, this road had a large culvert that they replaced with a 36” pipe causing water issues for our community. Our goal is to have them remedy this area with a better water run-off solution.
Question:
I heard that there is well water contamination and you are a reason why that exists. Is that true?
Answer:
No. We control our emissions. The well is contaminated outside of what we do. Take a look at the municipality’s well-water document. You’ll see where the issue started and how they are rectifying it.
Capacity of water is not a problem in Trumbauersville, per the Milford Township Sewer and Water supervisor. Additionally, Trumbauersville has 3 interconnections from Milford in case of an emergency, Trumbauersville will get water from Milford Township.
Question:
Is the culvert water contaminated? Water that passes under Allentown Road West of Oak Drive or on this side of Oak Drive.
Answer:
It was brought to our attention that the water that drains into the culvert was contaminated. We took it upon ourselves to investigate the matter and have the water tested. Our testing showed no issues of note based on the standard testing methods. There are 2 inputs that had readings slightly above the human health criteria. Those elements are common with asphalt roofs as well as blacktop roads and driveways.
Question:
What is the difference between zoning and a variance?
Answer:
- Zoning is a local government process that designates land for specific uses to promote orderly development, protect property values, and ensure the health and safety of residents.
- Variance is a legal exception to zoning regulations, allowing a property owner to deviate from strict requirements when unique circumstances create an undue hardship, enabling a reasonable use of the property.
Question:
Why do you want to be rezoned? Won’t that impact our community in a negative way?
Answer:
We need to be rezoned for a few reasons:
- First is the safety and security of our neighbors, employees, and those who visit our business and community. The first rule of being a good neighbor is being compliant. Rezoning ensures that a business follows the standards set in the municipality.
- Rezoning allows for restrictions on all businesses, which means there is a specific level to which all businesses must operate.
- Zoning didn’t exist when our founder started the business more than 75 years ago.
Question:
Are you trying to make Trumbauersville into an industrial area?
Answer:
No, we are not. Rezoning or zoning is done on a case-by-case basis. Anyone trying to open a business would need to file, be approved, and then comply with the zoning ordinances. LI zoned tracks of land need to be a minimum of 10-20 acres or like the firehouse, have no other zoning that fits. There is not many tracks of land in Tville that qualify for LI Zoning.
Question:
What if there is a fire? Will our town have enough water to cover your expansion?
Answer:
Not only do we have state-of-the-art fire detection and fire remediation currently on our site, but we will also add water tanks in case of an emergency (35K gallons of water) or what is currently required by the municipality.
Question:
Why not build more houses on the property?
Answer:
We need to expand the business to meet the needs of our customers. Housing creates additional challenges for our community. Traffic patterns would certainly increase as each house would have automobiles coming and going from the property multiple times a day, seven days per week. Residential houses do not ease the tax burden on the community while a business like ours helps fund borough and community improvements as well as employ and support other community businesses.
Question:
What happens if light industrial zoning is not approved? Will you leave the land undeveloped?
Answer:
No. This land will not go undeveloped. The current plan is to develop 10 acres of land and keep the other 10 acres as green space for future community use. If light industrial zoning is not approved, we plan on developing the full 20 acres into either a residential plan (which will include approximately 25 homes), a trailer park or a convalescent home.
Question:
Are your emissions or VOC levels dangerous?
Answer:
For us, VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds) come from solvents used to clean parts, rust proofing, and emissions from our propane forklifts and our natural gas heaters.
VOC emissions are regulated by the EPA and we have an air permit which limits our VOC emissions.
We are permitted for 7.4 tons of VOC emissions per year. For example in 2024, our VOC emissions were 2.9 tons and we are trending down. In 2025 our VOC emissions per year will be closer to 2 tons, which is less than 30% of the allowable permitted emissions!
Question:
What is the time frame?
Answer:
We expect to start the expansion in 2026.
Question:
Can you reduce some of the traffic noise and move the entrance?
Answer:
Yes. We are looking to move our employee and truck entrance down W Creamery Road beyond the houses and closer to lower Trumbauersville Road.
Question:
Don’t you think you have outgrown Trumbauersville?
Answer:
No, we have not. We have been here since 1950. To move would be cost prohibitive. If this land would become housing, it would allow 35 homes on the site and fill up the entire 20 acres. What we are proposing to do only takes 50% of the land.
Question:
What is the Difference Between Lower Bucks and Upper Bucks?
Answer:
- Bucks county planning commission understands that Upper Bucks county needs to have a balance of industry and housing
- The farmland that used to occupy upper bucks is being converted to housing developments which is creating pressure on our schools and municipalities
- We need Light Industrial companies in upper bucks to keep our taxes under control
- Bottom line is that having Light Industrial zoning in Trumbauersville will improve the community here for all of us
- And the proper zoning provides the controls to ensure that industry follows guidelines set by the members of our borough council
Question:
What happens to a local economy without industry?
Answer:
Look at towns similar to Trumbauersville.
- Huntingdon, Indiana
- Mansfield, Ohio
- Pittsfield, Massachusetts
- Rockford, Illinois
- Duluth, Minnesota
These towns all lost their light industrial manufacturing base and faced economic challenges. Loss of local services, infrastructure, increased unemployment, and service business closures. These examples highlight the critical role that manufacturing plays in the economic health of small communities.
Question:
What is the impact of Light Industrial vs. Residential on taxes?
Answer:
Taxes go down when industry is part of the community you live in.
- We have employees and pay taxes which generates revenue for the community and the borough
- We create good paying jobs right here in our community, we have employees that walk to work
- We stimulate the local economy, businesses here benefit from us
- We make contributions to the infrastructure in the Tville borough
Question:
Will this expansion create more noise?
Answer:
No. We had a problem 20 years ago and we fixed it. We always listen to our neighbors and find solutions that benefit the community. We have performed noise studies from 50 feet around our building and our findings are approximately 55-58 dB (decibels). That equates to the same noise as someone having a conversation with another person or about as loud as an electric toothbrush. This is a sophisticated quiet business.