PALMER TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION
TUESDAY, FERUARY 11, 2003
The regular monthly meeting of the Palmer Township Planning Commission was held on Tuesday, February 11, 2003 at 7:00 p.m. with all members in attendance. Also in attendance was Planning Director Ted Sales, Solicitor Charles Bruno, Engineer Brian Dillman, Zoning Administrator Liz Protchko and Supervisor Bob Lammi. Chairman Smith opened the meeting and led those present in the Pledge to the Flag.
MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING – Stoneback noted a change on page 5 under Easton LLC. The one condition required on the approval should state “all properties to be secured from the present owners”. Bruno noted a few changes. The end of page 2 under Crossing Court – “On motion by Wilkins, seconded by Fuller to table action on this plan….; page 5, under the vote for Easton LLC – “Vote was four yeas, with Fuller voting nay…” page 6 under Hay Terrace South it should be added that a mortgage broker was also in attendance with the representatives. After these changes have been made on motion by Wilkins, seconded by Grandinetti, and agreed by all, the minutes were approved as changed.
EASTON CENTER LLC – Mr. Kaare Birkeland and Attorney Preston, representing Attorney Broughal, were present seeking recommendation for rezoning of the 21 residential properties located between S. 25th Street and William Penn Highway. The rezoning request is from the current designation of High Density Residential (HDR) to General Commercial (GC). Solicitor Bruno noted they are scheduled to appear before the Board of Supervisors on March 3 for this same request. Mr. Preston was asked if they have agreements will all property owners and he responded that they have all except two and they are under negotiations at this time. Chairman Smith read a letter at this time from Tower Products, Inc. stating some concerns they had and asked the township to give some review on them. There being no further comments Smith then called for a vote. Grandinetti motioned to recommend approval of the rezoning request for Easton LLC by the Board of Supervisors, Grube seconded this motion. Smith asked if there were any comments from the public. Seeing none he then called for a vote which was five yea votes, with Fuller voting nay and Young abstaining.
PROLOGIS RT. 33 – Attorney Stan Margle, Brian Evans of Evans Engineering and Gary Anderson of Prologis were all in attendance with their preliminary subdivision plan. Brian Dillman stated that they had recently met with the engineering firm for Prologis and all comments and concerns that they had have been agreed with. They still have to revise their plan and submit it for review but they were all in agreement with the planning/engineering comments. There are monetary issues that they will discuss with the Board of Supervisors. Mr. Evans stated they would be providing a 36’ right-of-way, which is more than is required. This work will have to be worked out with the adjoining property owners to see what is going to be done on their property. They had met with the property owners and there will be agreements to be executed as well as screening for the residents. Commission members did comment that there seems to be more comments on this letter of February 7th and at the last meeting the comments were discussed and agreed on. Evans noted that there is more design detail for Hollo Road now and that everything will be revised. Fuller noted that he felt according to the time-clock there should be an extension received. There were too many comments in the Engineer’s letter. Margle stated that they would like to get conditional preliminary approval but if the Commission sees fit to table action then they would give a statement until March 26, 2003. Evans also stated that with the short month of February this does not give the engineer’s the full 21 days for review. Since this was a few days short, would the Commission allow them to submit plans on Wednesday the 19th, in the morning, which would be one day after the deadline, since they are already short on the review days. Commission agreed to allowing them to deliver the required plans to the Pidcock Company and the Township both on Wednesday, February 19th in the morning since Pidcock Company would not receive them from the township at that time anyway. This would give the applicant more time to work on the revised plan. On motion by Young, seconded by Stoneback, and agreed by all, the Commission voted to table action on this plan until the March meeting when the engineers will have a revised plan in time to review it.
CHRIN COMMERCE CENTRE BUSINESS PARK – Main Street/Tatamy Road – Attorney Stan Margle, Craig Weintraub representing the company, and engineer from Gannett Fleming, Peter Joyce were all present with preliminary subdivision plans for this proposed development. Open space was discussed in length. Weintraub questioned what the Board wanted to see, what type, passive, active, types of fields? Wilkins stated that was the applicants responsibility to state what they wanted to request and then the Commission would discuss it. There have been different types of recreation recommended such as a trail around a pond with a parking area for access to the trail. Young asked if this plan has been seen by the Recreation Board and Sales noted he will be going to the meeting on the 18th and will be taking it for their review. Weintraub stated that they will submit an open space plan for review by the township. Other engineer’s comments were reviewed and there was a problem with the percentage of the background growth rate that they had used for their traffic impact study. Historic traffic count data on the Rt. 248 corridor indicates a 3 to 4% per year increase in traffic and they recommend that the applicant’s study be revised to this rate. The applicant had used 1.2% for their study. Margle stated that they had contacted Penn Dot and this is what was recommended. Dillman felt differently and the Commission felt they should get together and get this resolved. There were no other comments to discuss. On motion by Grube, seconded by Wilkins, and agreed by all, the Commission voted to table action on this plan until next month.
MORELLO FUNERAL HOME – Nicholas Street – Attorney Karl Kline and owner John Morello were present with a final plan for a funeral home to be constructed with parking and storm water detention basin on existing land on Nicholas Street. Dillman stated that they had met with the engineer and the storm water management has been addressed and they will be receiving revised information on this. Engineer’s comment letter was reviewed and waivers were discussed which consist of basin berm width; elevation of spillway invert; showing lot lines, buildings, etc. within 200 feet on plan; inside detention pond embankment slope and the minimum pond bottom slope flow channel. Dillman felt there was no problem with these waivers. He did have a problem with the deferral of the sidewalks along Nicholas Street. There was discussion on this stating that if people have to park in the street, they would have to walk in the roadway to get to the building. Fuller stated he agreed with the request as there is not a lot of foot traffic in this area. Commission members gave their opinions on this comment. On motion by Young, seconded by Wilkins, and agreed by all, the Commission voted to recommend approval of the preliminary/final plan development plan for Morello Funeral Home on Nicholas Street which includes the waivers #1, 2, 3, 5 & 6 and that all comments of the Engineer’s letter of February 7, 2003 be satisfied. Young then amended his vote to include the approval of #4 deferral of the sidewalks on Nicholas Street. Wilkins seconded, and agreed by all.
CROSSING COURT – Stones Crossing Road - Developer Nick Pugliese and Engineer Don Frederickson were present with final plans for their subdivision off of Stones Crossing Road. Engineer’s comments were reviewed and Solicitor Bruno felt that a separate covenant be signed stating that the property owner or home owner’s association stating that the township be permitted access to utility easements should a facility need maintaining. Waivers/deferrals were discussed and the engineer did not have a problem with them. Certain items to be shown on the plan, which was agreed to. There will be an escrow developed until such time as the sidewalk/curbing/street trees are to be improved along Stones Crossing Road. Also, a note should be on the plan stating that the pavement to the drive should be up to township standards as the township could be asked to accept this private drive at some time. The Shade Tree Commission’s comments were also discussed and there is no problem with them. On motion by Grandinetti, seconded by Young, and agreed by all, the Commission voted to recommend final approval by the Board of Supervisors for Crossing Court, Preliminary/Final plan conditioned that the engineer’s comments of February 5, 2003 be satisfied and that a covenant be drawn up and signed as discussed, all waivers be recommended for approval as well as the deferrals and that any township departmental comments be complied with.
DEAN FENSTERMAKER – Tatamy Road – Owner Dean Fenstermaker and Engineer Don Frederickson were present with a preliminary/final development plan for constructing self storage units on his property. Engineer’s comments of February 5, 2003 were discussed and there was no problems with most of them. The one large item is the storm water management. Fredrickson feels the plan is complete and ready to be passed on and Dillman still is in need of information on the storm water. Frederickson strongly stated that he was given the information and that some of it is noted on the plan. Dillman noted this is a poorly draining area and Frederickson stated that there has been a substantially decrease in rate and volume. Dillman argued not volume and needs information on the cost of extending the existing storm sewer on the east side of Tatamy Road across Tatamy Road. He also needs information to support the conclusion of the calculations or cost estimates. Commission members asked if any nearby property owners have been contacted and Fenstermaker stated that they were aware of what he wanted to do. This plan also has to have conditional use approval and Smith stated they had just received the application for this tonight. They have not had time to review this so this will be done next month. On motion by Young, seconded by Grube, and agreed by all, the Commission voted to table action on this plan until next month, or such time as engineer’s can meet and get the storm water problem revised. On motion by Grube, seconded by Stoneback, and agreed by all, the Commission voted to table action on the conditional use application until next month.
STARLITE ESTATES – Freemansburg Avenue – Mr. Lou Ronca was present with plans for a 52 single family housing subdivision. The engineer’s comments of February 5, 2003 were reviewed with Ronca stating he did not have problems with the majority of them. It was discuss that an analysis of the intersection of Mine Lane Road/Freemansburg Avenue intersection should be provided to determine of the signal should be retimed or if there should be turning lanes. One waiver that the developer was requesting was the open space. The requirement for this development is 104,000 sq. ft. and he is proposing 75,000 sq. ft., which would be the parking lot for the township park. Some Commission members stated the piece of land that he was proposing to give to the township was a very long triangle and the east end of this piece would not be of any use as it would not be feasible for parking. There were some suggestions given to him such as adding some of the adjoining lots to this piece of land and not having it so long. Ronca noted he would look into what he could do. It was also suggested that he donate this open space and pay the remaining fee. Young asked if he was planning on doing over and above what was required for screening around this open space area since it would be a parking lot. Ronca noted there would be plenty of screening. Sidewalks along Freemansburg Avenue was discussed and Ronca felt there would not be much foot traffic. Commission members responded that there is now and with this housing development there would be an increase. There being no further comments to discuss Smith called for a vote. On motion by Grube, seconded by Stoneback, and agreed by all, the Commission voted to table action on this plan until next month.
NORTHWOOD INDUSTRIAL PARK – Lot #14 – Lawrence Tersigni, owner of the lot and his engineer Robert Toedter were present with a sketch plan for a 7,500 sq. ft. warehouse and office building being constructed on Fox Hill Road in the Northwood Industrial park. Toedter noted that this warehousing would be for promotional product gifts from national consumers. They would have boxes of small gift items stored, would assemble a small gift and ship it out for a consumer as a gift for their customer. Engineer’s comments were discussed and there were no problems with them. The recreation fee will be paid in lieu of land and they were asking for a deferral of sidewalks. Departmental comments were discussed and Toedter noted that according to IBC they are not required to have a sprinkler system since the building is less than 12,000 sq. ft. They will put in the Knox Box system and fire lanes around the building are not feasible as there is grass on three sides of the building. They will, however, put something around the loading dock/ramp area. There were no other comments to be reviewed and the Commission thanked the gentlemen for appearing.
ZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS – There was discussion on signage in the township for colors, non-illuminating, illuminating, size and signs attached to homes. No decisions were made and Commission was told to review for next meeting. On motion by Young, seconded by Grube, and agreed by all, the Commission voted to table action on this amendment until such time as they review what was previous compared to what is being requested.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN – Bob Lammi reviewed a letter from URDC, Charlie Schmehl is response to a letter that was received from Lehigh Valley Planning Commission. The letter from LVPC addresses some outstanding issues and Schmehl responded by what he felt the township wanted. Commission agreed with this response and decided to keep things as they are. The plan is not inconsistent and feels it should be adopted as is.
There being no further business to come before the Commission, on motion by Young, seconded by Grandinetti, and agreed by all, the meeting was adjourned at 11:40 p.m.
Diane Grube, Corr. Sec.