June 8, 2017

Despite objections and some suggestions from residents, Chadds Ford Township supervisors last night voted 3-0 to enact a new ordinance for planned residential developments. The new ordinance increases the minimum acreage required for a PRD.

That increase calls for changing the requirements for a PRD-1 from 50 acres to 100 acres, and a road may not bisect the property. For a PRD-2, the minimum acreage goes from 25 acres to 50 acres. The difference between PRD-1 and PRD-2 is the underlying zoning district, either R-1, 2-acre minimum or R-2, 1-acre minimum.

Speaking out against the change, as they did during the May hearing, were George Watkins and Robert Craig. Both men repeated comments from last month, with Craig now calling the amended ordinance “a pernicious taking.”

Craig said he felt his property was being singled out because his family farm is 107 acres but is bisected by Harvey Road. He asked the board how many other 100-plus acre properties were in that category,

Supervisors’ Chairman Frank Murphy responded by saying he didn’t know if there were any other, “but that doesn’t mean there could be some in the future.” He added that the ordinance change wasn’t aimed at Craig’s property.

Murphy also said the reason for the change was that there are too many PRDs in the township that don’t function as PRDs. He specifically mentioned The Estates at Chadds Ford, which was approved as a PRD.

“Beautiful houses, lovely people and nice streets, but there’s not a lot that’s PRD about, though,” Murphy said. “But that’s what that [previous] ordinance allowed, and that’s what we’re trying to consider amending.”

Watkins owns a 36-acre property bordered by Route 202 and Oakland Road, which is split into two zoning districts, PBC, or Planned Business Center, and R-1, also objected. He said the change would remove the best possible use of the property.

“A member of the Planning Commission recommended not increasing the PRD minimum acreage requirement. That was deemed not necessary due to its undesirable effect it would have on existing landowners,” Watkins said.

He then asked the board to delay its decision on the PRD change until the township worked out a proposed TND, a traditional neighborhood development with mixed use zoning.

Doing the TND first, he said, “would offset any potential difficulties with the pending ordinance. The TND ordinance would provide for flexible transitional zoning concepts such as cluster development, lot averaging and traditional neighborhood design, allowing a mix of housing types…What’s the rush? Allowing the TND to mature, would eliminate any premature action by the board.”

Planning Commission member Tom Singer echoed Watkins sentiments saying that waiting for the TND would be a better approach.

“The concepts embodied in the current PRD are going to be carried over into a more flexible development plan that we think is more reasonable and practical,” Singer said. “Mr. Watkins has a point. What’s the hurry?”

Murphy responded by saying the board is looking at a TND that may satisfy resident concerns, but that is still pending.

Specifically addressing the question of hurrying, Murphy said, “It’s always a fair question to ask what’s the hurry about something, but I would respectfully submit that there isn’t a hurry. We’ve been at this for quite sometime.”

After the unanimous vote to approve the change, Supervisor Noelle Barbone said, “It’s very difficult to sit up here and make decisions. “We care. We do the homework and try to make the best decision.”

Other business

Barbone presented a $2,500 check to Chuck Ulmann, curator of the Sanderson Museum.

“Chadds Ford Township really appreciates organizations like the Sanderson Museum that add to the cultural profile of our township,” she said.

Ulmann accepted the check saying the museum already has plans for the money.