PALMER
TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION
MAY 11, 2004
The regular monthly meeting of the
Palmer Township Planning Commission was held on Tuesday, May 11, 2004 at 7:00
p.m. with all members in attendance except Rickert. Also in attendance were Planning Director
Amanda Jensen, Solicitor Charles Bruno, Engineer Ron Gawlik, and Supervisor
Liaison Robert Lammi. Chairman Young
opened the meeting and minutes of the previous meeting were approved on motion
by Grandinetti, seconded by Grube, and agreed by five, with Young abstaining as
he was not in attendance for the April meeting.
ESTATES OF KNOBHILL – Kings
Avenue/Woodridge Terrace – Developer Bob Ciccone and Engineer Don Fredrickson
were present with plans for the proposed “gated” development consisting of 10 buildings
with 4 dwelling units per building. Frederickson noted they have been before the
Zoning Hearing Board and there have been minor changes to the plan which have
been submitted to the township engineer for review. Open space area was reviewed and the
Recreation Board recommended recreation fees be paid in lieu of land. Frederickson noted the land could be used for
passive recreation due to the slopes, not active but noted that the applicant
has agreed to pay the fee. Frederickson
noted they would be providing a turn-around at each end, Kings
Avenue and Hillcrest
Avenue.
Township engineer’s letter was reviewed and there was discussion on the
public improvements on Eugene Street
that they should be deferred. The
request for the Belgian Block for curbing was accepted for the private
roadways. Sidewalk installation was
discussed. Applicant noted there will be
sidewalk along the courtyard, but not throughout the development. Commission members felt that the sidewalk
should be installed throughout the development, but suggested only on one side,
not the side that has all the driveways.
There will also be buffering around the development where there are
existing residences. They will be paying
a voluntary traffic fee of $1,000 per dwelling unit. Young asked if there were any comments by
anyone in the audience. Seeing none, he
then called for a vote. On motion by
Young, seconded by Stoneback, and agreed by all, the Commission voted to
recommend approval by the Board of Supervisors of the Preliminary Subdivision
Plan of Estates of Knobhill conditioned that all comments of the township
engineer in their letter dated May 6, 2004 be satisfied; township departmental
comments be satisfied; a voluntary traffic fee of $1,000 per dwelling unit be
paid; sidewalk be installed on the one side without the driveways throughout
the development; improvements on Eugene Street be deferred; recreation fees be
paid in lieu of land; Belgian block curbing be used along the private streets
and the deferral for the sidewalk/curbing and street trees be recommended on
the public streets. Waivers for the tree
preservation areas be shown on plan, methods to ensure privacy between outdoor
areas and to provide illustrations of the exterior fronts to be
recommended. The request for a waiver
for the fencing around the detention was withdrawn by the applicant as was the
request for the waiver for showing the municipal boundaries on the main
drawing.
VICTORIA
SQUARE IV-A – Anthony
Court – Preliminary/Final Plan and Conditional Use
Request – Developer Nick Pugliese, Engineer Don Frederickson and Attorney
Dennis DeEsch were present with plans for a 9 lot subdivision to include two
4-unit townhouses on the northern side of Anthony
Court. The
conditional use request is for parking in the front yard area. Township
engineer’s comments were reviewed and discussed. It was discussed and decided that the
township will notify their environmental consultant, ERG, to decide what the
wording on the plan should be regarding on-site environmental issues. The 25 vs. 30 feet building separation to be
discussed and worked out with the township solicitor. Developer will pay a voluntary traffic
contribution of $1,000 per dwelling unit.
Developer noted he will pay recreation fees but will not donate any more
land as he has donated all that is needed for this whole development in the
very beginning. Remaining area was
discussed in regards to developing.
Pugliese noted the remaining land will stay undeveloped and there will
be a note placed on plan. Waivers and
deferrals were discussed. All the improvements
are already on site so the waivers requested for this are okay by the township
engineer. Waiver for the details on the grading of the
area to be submitted to the township engineer for their review and
approval. Waiver request for detail for
curbing was recommended as curbing is already in place. Waiver request for detail for sidewalk and
driveway aprons was not recommended. The
waiver in regards to the number of units on a cul-de-sac was discussed noting
that the Commission has discussed this in the past. Commission did not have a problem with this. There
were no other questions or comments.
Chairman Young called for a motion.
Grandinetti motioned to approve the conditional use request. Bruno stated that the preliminary/final plan
should be voted on first. Grandinetti
withdrew his motion. On motion by
Stoneback, seconded by Grube, and agreed by all, the Commission voted to
recommend approval by the Board of Supervisors for the preliminary/final plan
for Victoria Square IVA conditioned that the comments on the township
engineer’s letter of May 4, 2004 be satisfied; township environmental
consultant be contacted to review the wording that should be placed on the plan
as far as the environmental issues; the applicant agreed to pay a voluntary
traffic contribution of $1,000 per dwelling unit; there be an agreement worked
out for the 25/30 feet separation between buildings to the satisfaction of the
township solicitor; waivers be recommended as noted previously and waiver be
approved for the number of units on a cul-de-sac and that all departmental
comments be complied with. Stoneback
then amended her motion to add that a note be put on the plan stating the
remaining property will not be developed, seconded by Grube, and agreed by all.
On motion by Grandinetti, seconded
by Wilkins, and agreed by all, the Commission voted to recommend approval by
the Board of Supervisors for the Conditional use request for the front yard
parking noting that the area width cannot be expanded.
JOSEPH I, L.P. – Attorney Ted Lewis
and Engineer Mark Hintenlang were present with plans for the proposed
development. Young stated that the plans
that were submitted after the deadline submittal date were not reviewed by the
township engineer. Therefore there was
not review letter from them. He asked
the applicant if they would withdraw the most recent plan that was submitted
excluding the landscaping plan.
Applicant agreed with this, stating the landscaping is what they wanted
to review. The plan that was submitted
for the April meeting is the one that will be reviewed tonight. All agreed with this. The landscaping plan has been modified to add
more trees and burning bushes for color as well as perennial beds. There was more color added which is what the
Commission wanted. Young noted his
dissatisfaction with the fact that the building will be closer to the curb line
than Applebee’s. The engineer noted he
meets the setback requirements and that he cannot move the building back due to
the flood plain. Township engineer’s
comments of April 7, 2004
were reviewed. Recreation fees to be
paid in lieu of land and departmental comments were reviewed. Young asked if there were any further
questions or comments. On motion by
Grube, seconded by Wilkins, and agreed by five, Young voting nay, the
Commission voted to recommend approval by the Board of Supervisors for the
preliminary land development for Joseph I, L.P., with all comments by the
Township Engineer being satisfied in their letter of April 7, 2004 and that all departmental comments
being complied.
PENN’S GRANT SOUTH – Tatamy
Road – Engineer John Miller and Peg Dissinger,
representative for Hornstein Associates were present with plans for a 28 lot residential
development. Young stated that when the original Penn’s Grant plan came to the
township there was a piece of land that was reserved for access to the
site. These rights were given to the
applicant. Young asked if they would
want to reverse this right and applicant did not have a problem with this. Township engineer’s comments were
discussed. The applicant questioned the
set back for the road widening to an 18 foot half width. They requested a 15 foot half width since
some existing curbing on Stocker Mill Road
is curbing at 15. Commission felt it
should be 18 feet and the existing curbing will have to be relocated by the
Township to make the roadway equal. The
applicant requested a waiver of sidewalk along the private roadways in the
interior of the development only. The
Planning Director feels the sidewalk waiver request should not be granted as a
preventative measure for safety of future residents. There is a proposed development adjoining
this proposed development. The residents
from the adjoining development would go through Penn’s Grant South to get to
the bike path. There should be sidewalk
for them to use. Discussion then
centered on placement of sidewalk.
Sidewalk along the entranceway to the south would not be feasible as
there is a tree line. The applicant
wanted to preserve this. It was decided
that the sidewalk should be deferred on the south side of the development until
construction starts or plausible to work with the trees. This section would be from Station 29 – 43 on
the plan. Recreation fees were
discussed. Dissinger stated that they
were offering the open space and feel this compensates the recreation
issue. Departmental comments were
discussed and the fire hydrant plan will be submitted to the applicant.
Young asked if there were any other
comments or questions. The applicant
should coordinate with the township with the restoration of the sewer trench
along Stocker Mill Road. On motion by Young, seconded by Stoneback,
and agreed by all, the Commission voted to approve by the Board of Supervisors
of the Preliminary Plan for Penn’s Grant South conditioned that all comments by
the township engineer in their May 6th letter be satisfied; have a
deed of dedication by the developer for the easement access to site from the
original plan; all departmental comments be complied with; the setback be 18
feet half width on Stocker Mill Road; waivers be recommended except for the
discussion of the sidewalk issue and that the issue in regards to the number of
units and length of a cul-de-sac be a deferral until construction of a proposed
adjoining development be done at which time the developer would be obligated to
extend the street.
ANESSA ESTATES – Stocker
Mill Road/Firethorne Drive – Engineer Tim Edinger
and developer Chitu Patel were present with a sketch plan of a 12 residential
lot proposed development off of Stocker Mill Road. They would like to use Belgian block on the
private roadways, the cul-de-sac was discussed.
There should be a plan to tie into the adjoining proposed development. Applicant will speak with that
developer. Recreation fees were
discussed and the plan will go to the Recreation Board for review. Township engineer’s comments were
discussed. Grube noted the fire
department’s comments in regards to removing the center island in the
cul-de-sac. Lammi also stated this was
not good for emergency vehicle access.
Applicant thanked the Commission for their comments and will prepare a
plan for submittal.
KEPLER’S FUEL – Edgewood
Avenue – Applicants Thomas and Kevin McFadden and
their engineer Don Frederickson were present with plans for a minor
subdivision. Fredrickson stated that
this land is zoned industrial and there are two ways to go about this
subdivision. One is to apply for
rezoning and the other is to go to the Zoning Hearing Board for approval. Lot #1 would stay the
existing business, and the other lot would, in the future, be subdivided into
two building lots. But right now, it
would be subdivided into 2 lots. Bruno
agreed that there were two ways to go and they had to decide which they wanted
to do. Frederickson noted they were
going to apply to the Zoning Hearing Board.
On motion by Grube, seconded by Stoneback, and agreed by all, the
Commission voted to table action on this plan.
A-TECH PROPERTIES – McFadden
Road – Engineer Paul Szewczak was present with
plans for a building addition to the present building for additional
storage. He stated that there was a
previous plan before this Commission which is put on hold right now. The township’s engineer comments were
reviewed and the applicant agreed with paying the recreation fees in lieu of
land. Waivers/deferrals were discussed
and these were granted for the prior plan but they are asking for the same for
this new submittal. Commission did not have
a problem with them. On motion by Grube,
seconded by Grandinetti, and agreed by all, the Commission voted to recommend
approval by the Board of Supervisors of the preliminary/final plan for A-Tech
Properties subject to all comments by the township engineer being satisfied
from their letter of May 6, 2004;
all departmental comments be complied with and all waivers and deferrals be
approved.
Recreation Plan/Open Space – Young
asked if all members received and reviewed the plan. This is something they have to do for next
month. Young asked all members to review
it closely; there are some comments in there that need to be discussed such as
neighborhood parks.
Public Comment – None.
On motion by Stoneback, seconded by
Grandinetti, and agreed by all, the Commission voted to adjoin the meeting at 10:00 p.m.
Diane
Grube, Corr. Sec.