Testimony began Wednesday night in a hearing for a proposed planned residential development along Oakland Road in Chadds Ford Township.

The project, known as Wonderland Farms, calls for 22 new single-family homes along the west side of Oakland at the former Goodman property, and another six twin-home buildings on the east side of Oakland. Harrier LLC, a Grace family business, is the developer.

The west side site is zoned for two-acre minimum lots, but under the law for planned residential developments, smaller lots sizes are permitted as long as the total number of units is the same as if they were on two-acre parcels.

During testimony, Chadds Ford resident and former Planning Commission member Mike Ashmore said the plan meets township code with respect to preservation of open space, historic and natural resources.

Ashmore became a consultant on the project six months after he left the commission.

“This plan is designed to preserve open space,”Ashmore said.

That open space is 26.78 acres of walking and running trails, and open field, he said.

Supervisors’ Vice Chairman Samantha Reiner questioned him about having twin homes in the historic district, saying such use isn’t permitted, but Ashmore said the code can’t restrict use and that there are already twin homes in that district.

A second witness, Martin Eustace of Eustace Engineering, said there is actually 32 acres of open space, but five acres is deeded to the Dennigan family.

Eustace said both sides of the development would use public water, but on-site septic.

Residents in the audience had a number of questions regarding stormwater runoff, the location of the septic fields, traffic, and the idea of having a planned residential development instead of standard two-acre minimum lots.

Polly Teti of Webb Road asked why there should be such a development at all.

“Why not have two-acre lots like the rest of us?” she asked, adding that the development is not in keeping with the nature of Chadds Ford.

Ashmore said PRDs are designed to preserve open space and Supervisors’ Chairman Frank Murphy said it’s a subjective decision.

“It’s like chocolate and vanilla,” Murphy said. “Some people like smaller lots with more open space, some people like larger lots with less open space.”

Another Webb Road resident, Leonard Smith, questioned the location of three of the proposed single-family dwellings because they were so close to his property line and on relatively small lots. He suggested moving one of those units to another area on the site, giving the other two units a larger lot size.

He said he was also concerned with the location of the septic area for those homes because of their proximity to his property line.

Oakland Road resident Shelly Green, whose property is about 400 feet from the entrance to the development, said she wants some strong traffic controls at the site because so many motorists speed along Oakland.

Eustace said a speed table, a larger and longer speed hump, is planned for that entrance area.

Two other residents, Katie Horan and Christina Iacono, questioned stormwater management.

Eustace said the management plan meets the requirement of reducing runoff, volume and flow, by 50 percent of current runoff. That would be accomplished by a series of swales, inlets and basins that reduce the runoff and recharge ground water.

Murphy said he had more questions, but because of the hour, he continued the hearing to 6 p.m. on Aug. 31.

Other business

Prior to the hearing, Murphy and Reiner presented former Supervisor George Thorpe with a $10,000 check for the Brandywine Battlefield Park Associates.

Murphy said that while the park is owned by the state, it doesn’t get sufficient support from the commonwealth.

The Brandywine Battlefield Park Associates is the park’s friends group that handles day-to-day operations. Thorpe has been active with the group for many years.

He said that after a $100,000 renovation project, the group realized they needed audio/visual equipment. The donation from the township would let the associates get what they need.

Thorpe also announced there would be a 9/11 ceremony at 6 p.m. on that date.