Toll Bros. proposed development of Crebilly Farms in Westtown Township has now led the West Chester Area School District to seek $645,000 per year from Toll. The money would be used to help offset added expense to the district should the 317-new home development go forward.
WCASD directors approved a resolution to ask for the money during its March 27 meeting. The resolution said the new homes would add $2.4 million to the district’s expenses while generating $1.8 million in revenue.
It also authorized School Superintendent James Scanlon and board member Gary Bevilacqua to provide testimony and public comment during the conditional use hearing that is underway for the proposed development and said the $645,000 per year request is for a minimum of five years.
In a letter to the community, Scanlon said the district has determined that the development would bring a minimum of 172 extra students into the district.
“It is common practice for school districts to request impact fees from developers when a large development is proposed. Simply put, a public school district cannot fairly shoulder the entire cost of a huge surge of students at one time. We will need to find additional space in our schools with modular units or additions, we will need to hire additional teachers and other staff, and we will need to provide additional transportation,” Scanlon said in the letter.
He added that the district is required by law to provide transportation for students who choose to attend private schools located within 10 miles of district borders, and that the district anticipates 56 such students to be living in the proposed development.
Patrick McKenna, solicitor for Westtown Township, and Gregg Adelman, the attorney representing Toll Bros., acknowledged the receipt of the resolution and granted party status to the school district at the start of the March 29 session of the conditional use hearing.
After the housekeeping matters regarding party status requests that weren’t settled in February’s session, two of last month’s witnesses were cross-examined and one additional witness testified.
Those with party status first cross-examined Emily Stewart, Toll’s landscape architect. She was asked why there was no connector road planned to run through the development between W. Pleasant Grove Road and Route 926, even though the township’s comprehensive plan calls for one. Stewart said such a road would not improve traffic conditions.
She also reaffirmed her earlier testimony that, while an access road directly to and from Route 202 is still shown on the plans, Toll would be willing to eliminate the road.
Stewart also reaffirmed that there would be more than 190 acres of open space left on the 322-acre property. That open acreage includes 93 acres of undisturbed space, 25.5 aces for effluent spray and 8 acres for infiltration.
She said no on-street parking is planned, but that overflow parking could be provided within the rights of way.
The other witness brought back for cross-examination was Jeff Madden, who testified in February on stormwater issues. He said there are nine infiltration basins planned for the property, basins that would drain within three days of a storm. The future homeowners’ association would own and maintain the basins.
Madden was asked whether the basins would continue to function even if maintenance was lax. he said it should.
The new witness was Paul Scott, a hydro-geologist, who tested soils on the property for use as a drip irrigation system as part of a possible on-site wastewater treatment system. He said the soils were suitable for that type of use.
Scott also said the drip irrigation systems are below ground, that they’ve been installed in the backyards of residential properties before and that people can walk and play in those areas.
He testified that the system would not have any negative effect on the Quarry Swimming Association on the west side of South New Street, the western edge of the property.
Township Supervisor Carol DeWolf asked Scott whether horses would be kept on the property. Scott said he couldn’t answer that.
The hearing was continued to 6 p.m. April 19, at the Westtown School.
About Rich Schwartzman
Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.
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