Draft of 8.27.03
CHADDS FORD TOWNSHIP
PLANNING COMMISSION
The Planning Commission of
Chadds Ford Township met in the Township Building on Wednesday, July 30,
2003. Present were Chairman William J.
Taylor, Vice-Chairman Maurice Todd, Jim Reamer, Fred Reiter and Anthony
Cutrona. Also in attendance were James
P. Kelly for James C. Kelly, Township Engineer, and Maryann D. Furlong,
Township Secretary. The meeting was
called to order at 7:35 PM.
Upon motion and second
(Cutrona, Todd), the minutes of the June 25, 2003 meeting of the Planning
Commission were unanimously approved.
No comments were offered.
Sketch Plan Presentation
Michael Lyons, Esquire and
Tim Smith, Chester County Renovations, were present on behalf of Sovereign
Bank. The applicant had presented an
informal proposal for the construction of a Sovereign Bank branch to the Board
of Supervisors at the July 2nd meeting and a subsequent meeting had
been held with Ms. Love D’Elia and Township Engineer James C. Kelly. The plan being presented tonight was
essentially the same plan that had been previously presented, except for the
turn lane on Marshall Road and the elimination of access to the proposed bank
from Route 202.
Mr. Taylor voiced concern
over possible obstruction of sight lines with proposed landscaping, but Mr.
Smith responded that shrubbery will be kept low in order to avoid the problem. Mr. Todd questioned signage placement and was told that the one
large proposed sign would also be placed out of sight lines.
Traffic patterns were
discussed with Planning Commission members being told that traffic will enter
from Marshall Road and exit the same way.
Drive through traffic will be signed to go to the back of the building
to access drive through windows. Mr.
Reiter questioned the placement and number of handicapped parking spaces and
was told that one handicapped parking spot will be marked in the front of the building.
Mr. Kelly questioned the
number of parking spaces, counting 26 on the plan instead of the required
28. Mr. Smith will check and
advise. Mr. Kelly further
Planning
Commission Minutes
July
30, 2003
Page
Two
questioned sewage and
stormwater drainage. Mr. Smith
indicated that the connection with Springhill Farm WWTP would be continued and
indicated that he is working with PennDOT regarding stormwater drainage.
The applicant will take all
comments under advisement.
Thomas Schocklin, PE, and
Michael Lyons, Esquire, presented for the applicant, Fisher Carpet One. Final subdivision plans dated May 6, 2003
had been submitted to the Township. Mr.
Schocklin had addressed outstanding issues as noted in the letter of Kelly
Engineers dated June 4, 2003 via response letter dated June 27, 2003. The Township had not been copied. Remaining issues are Planning Module approval
from DEP and a PennDOT highway occupancy permit. A letter from the Township will be necessary for the latter. Changes to the plan had been made pursuant
to comments of the Concordville Fire Marshall.
Mr. Taylor responded to
concerns of Mr. and Mrs. George Thomas, 201 Oakland Road, regarding steps being
taken to prevent cut through traffic between Route 202 and Oakland Road. The installation of speed bumps and signage
has been suggested.
Mr. Lyons asked Planning
Commission members to approve the land development plan with the appropriate
conditions.
MOTION TO APPROVE FINAL LAND DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION – FISHER CARPET ONE
Upon motion and second
(Reiter, Cutrona), members of the Planning Commission granted final approval of
the Final Land Development plan of Fisher Carpet One pending approval of the
Conditional Use issue by the Board of Supervisors and also pending final
engineering review approval.
Ted Jasinski, AIA, of
Vollmer Associates, presented for the applicant, Andy Varriale. Mr. Jasinski reviewed outstanding issues.
The applicant had determined
that the number of seats in any proposed restaurant would be no more than
ninety (90) and a comment indicating same had been added to the plans.
Mr. Jasinski had met with
Fred Fields, Fire Marshall of Concordville Fire Company. Mr. Fields was concerned about turning radii
for their large fire truck,
July
30, 2003
Page
Three
Tower 59. Three turning plans had been drafted,
resulting in three radii being increased to 35 feet. Locations for the sprinkler room and fire hydrant had been
determined, with Chester
Water Authority suggesting a site for water access. Additional issues had been reviewed and resolved with the Fire
Marshall and a copy of the minutes of that meeting will be submitted to the
Fire Company for their files.
Questions regarding
stormwater had been resolved except for the freeboard issue. Mr. Kelly suggested regrading the basin and
providing two feet of freeboard in order to comply with Township ordinances. Mr. Jasinski agreed to do so.
The applicant had met with a
representative of the Delaware County Conservation District and was waiting
approval of the plan.
Grease traps will be in
floor and all necessary permits, etc., will be submitted to Richard Jensen for
review.
The only other outstanding
issue was the highway occupancy permit, with Township policy being that a
letter to PennDOT will not be issued until preliminary approval is obtained.
MOTION TO APPROVE PRELIMINARY/FINAL LAND DEVELOPMENT PLANS – ENZO’S SOUTH
Upon motion and second
(Reamer, Todd), Planning Commission members unanimously approved
Preliminary/Final Land Development plans for Enzo’s – South, conditioned upon
the plans being revised to show grading for two foot freeboard on the retention
basin; obtaining a waiver for an Environmental Impact Assessment, and obtaining
the HOP permit from PennDOT.
NEW HORIZONS FELLOWSHIP CHURCH – LAND DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION – First Presentation
Michael Lyons, Esquire,
Peter Goldring, PE and Jonathan Sutton, AIA, were present on behalf of the
applicant New Horizons Church, 1392 Baltimore Pike. Mr. Goldring responded to comments contained in Kelly Engineer’s
review letter of June 24, 2003, via response letter dated July 19, 2003.
Mr. Sutton reviewed plans
for Phase I and Phase II development.
Various topics were addressed, among them the following:
July
30, 2003
Page Four
·
Considering one hundred
year floodplain requirements, it is being proposed that the roadways be gravel
and walkways flagstone in
order
to make them permeable, with the exception of handicapped areas.
·
The existing meadow
will remain as is, with mowing only once a year. Seven trees are to be removed, with locust trees to shade the parking
areas and the two structures.
·
Phase One will include
the building of both retention basins and all parking lots.
·
Phase Two is expected
to start within the next several years.
·
Timber bumpers will be
used to delineate parking spaces.
·
The elevation of the
church building and the impact to Harvey Run was discussed.
·
The retention basins
will release water at approximately the same
runoff rate as currently exists into Harvey Run. Mr. Hutton suggested that the situation
should actually improve.
·
Proximity of the
driveway to that of the Chadds Ford Tavern was reviewed.
Mr. Todd questioned whether
or not the Church is trying to be visible from Route 1. Mr. Sutton responded that the Church would
prefer to provide buffering for both buildings by protecting most of the
existing trees, even in the retention basin.
Reverend Pierce suggested that the plans have been designed in an
attempt to meld new structures into the existing landscape.
There was discussion of the
proposed sewage system and the location of a proposed well. The septic system would be installed during
Phase One for both buildings. Testing
will be done in several fields to provide a replacement site, if ever necessary.
Mr. Lyons will make
application to the Zoning Hearing Board for special use. He will also suggest that the plans be
revised to ask for a waiver so that the Church may ask for Preliminary/Final
approval in order to expedite matters.
MOTION TO ADJOURN
There being no further
business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:38 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
MARYANN D. FURLONG
Planning Commission Secretary