Plans for a 107-unit townhome community advanced on Wednesday, May 13, during a meeting of the Chadds Ford Township Planning Commission.
The developer, K. Hovnanian, needs a zoning change for its 20-plus-acre parcel at 600 Brandywine Drive and has been working with the township for a couple of years. In April, the supervisors requested a more refined plan and asked the applicant to confer with Tom Comitta, who would serve as a land-planning consultant.
Both Comitta and Hovnanian representative John H. Kennedy made presentations, indicating that the supervisors’ concerns had been addressed. The Planning Commission voted to recommend the zoning text amendment, and the Chadds Ford Crossing project will now return to the supervisors’ agenda.
The commission also voted to recommend a zoning text amendment for Ed Morris, who wants to build an assisted living facility on Route 202 at the old C Harry B 4 U Buy location.
The bulk of the nearly three-hour meeting focused on the township’s proposed noise ordinance. Commission Chairman Craig Huffman said the proposal has generated a lot of discussion, and it continued to do so on Wednesday night.
Several residents suggested changes, such as limiting construction noise and imposing different permit requirements for businesses and residents. Bob Banks, the missions pastor at Calvary Chapel, which has generated a number of noise complaints, questioned the intent of the ordinance.
“We do have a feeling the ordinance is directed at us,” Banks said, suggesting that would represent an unfair, discriminatory approach. He said he would challenge the township to make sure whatever is passed would be enforced consistently.
Huffman said the township has received valuable input from a variety of sources, including E. Carr Everbach, a Swarthmore College engineering professor, and Maurice Todd, a former Planning Commission member, who made additional suggestions at the meeting.
“It’s a work in progress,” Huffman said. “I hope to have something we can vote on in June.”
To review the draft, which is available on the township website, go to http://www.chaddsfordpa.gov/public/media/30%20Draft%20Noise%20Ordinance%20-%20ECE%20-%204.29.15.pdf.
In other business, the Planning Commission did not embrace either of the sketch plans presented by Regester Associates, Inc. in behalf of the owner of 52 Woodland Drive.
James E. Fritsch of Regester said the new owner of the property was considering retails shops, which is a permitted use, or an apartment building, which is not but might be preferable to nearby residents.
The board agreed that both concepts posed problems. As proposed, the shops lacked the needed parking spaces, a requirement not likely to be waived. And Hoffman said the township has no need for apartments. “I think that would be a hard sell,” added William Mock of the Planning Commission.
A plan to expand Mongiovi Orthodontics at 4 Woodland Drive also met some resistance.
Eric J. Janetka explained that the practice itself would not expand but simply needed more space to update and modernize. The board had numerous questions about landscaping, lighting and stormwater management.
Huffman recommended that Janetka work on the issues with township engineer Michael Schneider and come back in June.
Finally, the board heard from Township Manager Amanda Serock that the township, despite its hallowed Revolutionary War ground, has no regulation in place to protect its historic resources during excavations. She said the county has recommended adopting an ordinance.
Supervisor Samantha Reiner said Supervisors’ Chairman Frank G. Murphy had requested a copy of Thornbury Township’s ordinance, which could possibly be used as a model.
Huffman, who acknowledged being “a history buff,” said he was concerned about adding layers of expense to developers for archaeological studies. Reiner suggested that perhaps grant money would be available and that a sliding fee scale could be devised, depending on the scope of the development.
The issue will be reviewed without input from the board's vice-chairman, Michael Ashmore. Huffman announced regretfully Wednesday night that Ashmore had submitted his resignation. Huffman expressed gratitude for Ashmore’s tireless efforts over many years.
(3 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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