Hotel application goes to supervisors

Posted by Rich Schwartzman on September 12, 2019

It will be up to the Chadds Ford Township supervisors to approve or disapprove a proposed hotel on Route 202 when they meet next month. The township Planning Commission voted Wednesday night to recommend the supervisors deny the plan, but also voted to recommend almost two dozen conditions should the board approve the development.

Planning commissions ae recommending bodies. As such they do not approve or disapprove development plans. Rather, they recommend certain actions to supervisors.

The proposed hotel — a Fairfield Inn by Marriott — would be four stories high and situated between Keystone Plaza and The Residences at Chadds Ford. Homeowners from Longview and Summit Drive had already spoken against the plan citing increased traffic and quality of life issues. However, the commission vote to recommend denial was for a different reason.

Commission Chairman Craig Huffman said the problem was that the applicant has no access to the public sewer system so far. The subdivision/land development plan — SALDO — can’t be approved until a sewer connection is secured, Huffman said.

Attorney Lou Colagreco said his client can get access but getting it is a matter of finding out who holds easements to access. He said there were two entities holding easements, one has been identified but he is still trying to identify the other.

Hotels are permitted in that PBC Zoning District, but only with conditional use approval. While the commission voted to recommend denial of the SALDO, it voted to recommend 20 conditions should the supervisors vote in favor of the plan.

Some of the conditions recommended are that there should be no deliveries or trash pickup between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., there shall be construction and maintenance of a sidewalk, that there shall be no outdoor activities, installation of privacy fencing is required and the applicant must maintain a berm between the hotel and residential streets.

The application and conditional use hearing are scheduled for Oct. 2 during the Board of Supervisors next regular meeting.

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.