Chadds Ford Township supervisors held a hearing on a proposed zoning and text change, but tabled action because there was no specific plan in front of them.
The hearing, held during the board’s June 10 meeting, concerned a change in zoning for the former Bunch Auction House property at Hillman Drive and Route 202. The property sits in a split zoned, part is in a POC district, and another part is in an LI district. The land development aspect is still before the township Planning Commission.
A developer, the 1720 Wilmington Pike Group, wants to construct a 24/7 veterinary hospital of 20,000 square feet, and a bank of 3,400 square feet on the property.
Specifically, the hearing focused on parking regulations for the proposed bank. The proposed change would add “banks and similar financial institutions without drive-through lanes” as a permitted use in the POC zoning district; and add “banks and similar financial institutions with drive-through lanes” as a conditional use in the POC zoning district.
Having a drive-up ATM would not be considered a drive-through because there’s no stopping or queuing.
It would also rezone the entire property in a POC district, reduce the number of parking spaces required for banks, and amend some of the landscaping requirements.
Township solicitor Mike Maddren read the particulars of the proposed changes, but there were no public comments. There were, however, comments from supervisors and from Maddren.
“Obviously, over the years,” Maddren said, “the number of people actually attending a brick-and-mortar bank to do their banking has decreased, so it made sense to decrease the parking.”
Supervisors’ Chairman Timotha Trigg corroborated Maddren’s comments, saying that “The Planning Commission noted that banks aren’t the way they were all considerably younger.”
Supervisor Samantha Reiner clarified for the public that this was with an eye on developing the Bunch property but said tabling a decision on the hearing is because “We don’t have a plan to approve, so I’m not ready to act on the ordinance.”
No date was set for further action.
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.
