Testimony in the Hank’s Place zoning hearing concluded Monday night with testimony from two traffic engineers, and from the lone individual opposing the planned rebuild. A decision from the Chadds Ford Zoning Hearing Board is now due in late August.
The iconic restaurant at Route 1 and Creek Road in Chadds Ford was destroyed in last year’s Sept. 1 flood. Multiple variances are needed to rebuild in the flood plain, and for parking. FEMA won’t allow the restaurant to be rebuilt in the flood plain unless it’s raised at least six feet.
During the July 11 session, Stookey reiterated a comment he made in June, saying he’s not opposed to Hank’s rebuilding, just this plan. He asserted that the larger building with the extra seating capacity would reduce the number of parking spaces available and the “gentleman’s agreement” that owners Anthony and Katie Young have with other restaurants for shared parking would be unenforceable if any of the other owners changed their minds.
“If the Youngs were proposing rebuilding Hank’s like was, I would be out there in the audience supporting it,” Stookey testified noting the packed house in the meeting room. “The issue is the lot won’t support a 98-seat restaurant.”
He went on to say he has sympathy and empathy for what the Youngs have gone through but: “It’s too large a variance. Mr. and Mrs. Young have testified they have financial issues, and they have to be able to fill the largest restaurant possible to generate sufficient income to support their debt service.” 
The Youngs bought the restaurant in 2017, were forced to shut down during COVID restrictions, and weathered that storm when they were able to get permission for outdoor dining, but then the flood hit.
During his testimony, Stookey showed photographs he had taken of the parking lots at Hank’s, Antica, and Brandywine Prime. All showed full or almost full lots. But Lou Colagreco, representing the Youngs, challenged the relevance of those images.
Under cross-examination by Colagreco, Stookey acknowledged that the photos were taken two days in May, in the evening after 7 p.m. while Hank’s was closed. Cologreco’s implication was that those images should have little to no bearing on the matter, that the parking problem was not Hank’s, but that of the other restaurants.
He also pressed Stookey to cite any police or PennDOT report showing there any vehicular or pedestrian accidents, or any unsafe conditions caused by traffic at Hank’s. Stookey said he could not but added that it was “logical” to think the fewer parking spaces and added traffic could cause safety problems.
“It’s a small site; it needs a small restaurant,” Stookey said, adding that any hardship was caused by the Youngs expansion plans. “The hardship here is created because their plans expand the restaurant, which is not a physical requirement.”
Before Stookey’s testimony, the board heard from Nicole Kline and Al Federico, both traffic engineers. Kline was testifying on behalf of the Youngs, Federico for Stookey.
Kline said there are two industry standards for calculating adequate parking for restaurants. One method is to base the number of spaces on square footage, the other on seating capacity. She based her calculations based on a model from The Institute of Transportation Engineers.
The township code calls for two parking spaces for every 100 square feet of gross floor space, while the ITE model uses 1.2 spaces per 100 square feet, she said.
Using ITE’s Parking Generation Manual, she said, Kline calculated the number of spaces needed based on the day of the week. The day requiring the most spaces would be Saturday, she said, and the lot would have to accommodate 37 vehicles. Parking requirements for Monday through Thursday are 28 spaces, according to the ITE model. On Friday and Saturday, 34 spaces are needed. That’s based on a 3009 square foot restaurant.
Basing the calculation on seating for a 98-seat restaurant, Kline said the heaviest traffic date would be Friday and that the calculation shows 48 seats would be needed then. There are 48 spaces shown on the proposed plan, though that number is disputed.
She also followed by saying that during the last 10 years there have been no reportable accidents or pedestrian injuries on Creek Road next to Hank’s Place, and that there are no unsafe conditions present for people to cross Creek Road.
But Kline was challenged during cross-examination by Stookey’s attorney Timothy Sullivan. In response to a question, Kline said the numbers she gave are based on a 50 percentile parking need. Calculations could also be based on a 38 percentile need and an 85 percentile need, but she chose to go with the median need.
Sullivan also noted the “unusual” nature of the hearing in that the room was packed with people in favor of the applicant. He used that to bring out how popular the restaurant has been over the years, and how that might indicate a higher percentile be used for the parking calculation.
“Isn’t that an indication that this is a very popular restaurant?” he asked.
“Clearly, the community supports this restaurant,” Kline answered.
He then asked if using an average calculation of 50 percent skews her presentation for a lower parking demand.
Kline said she used the ITE data to present what’s applicable for the family-style restaurant, given the number of seats and square footage.
Sullivan called Kline’s counterpart, traffic engineer Al Federico to testify. He said he disagreed with the assertion that 48 parking spaces would be available. He said that was the case with the older building, but this new plan would take up at least another nine, possibly bringing the total number to less than 40.
His bottom line was that there is insufficient parking for the size and capacity of the proposed rebuild. 
At one point, ZHB Chairman Bob Reardon asked Anthony Young whether it would make sense to use a shuttle during high peak times so people could park at the Chadds Ford Historical Society, the Brandywine River Museum of Art, or even Chadds Ford Elementary School so they could park and be driven to and from the restaurant.
“It’s possible, but people wouldn’t want to spend $20 for a cup of coffee,” Young said noting that such a service would be an extra cost.
After the testimony, several residents and nonresidents spoke.
Avi Silver, who moved into Chadds Ford with her family six years ago said, “Hank’s has been the best part of Chadds Ford. We’ve never had a problem with parking. This is a staple of the community…I’m appalled that anyone would go against Hank’s.”
Vicki Sylvester is a 27-year employee at Hank’s. She said parking lots at restaurants are full every Friday, and that people go elsewhere if they can’t park. “This parking stuff is bs.”
A Pennsbury resident said there’s ample parking even when there are people standing in line outside, waiting to enter.
Another speaker said, “Chadds Ford isn’t Chadds Ford without Hank’s.”
At the conclusion, ZHB solicitor Stephen Durham said the board has 45 days in which to enter its decision.
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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