Milford Township Planning Commission
Regular April 30, 2008 Meeting
Milford Township Municipal Building
Members Present -Ed Bolton, Susan Edwards, John (Jack) Merritt, Fran Murray, Carson Schneck.
Non-Members Present – Janya Awckland, Recording Secretary; Art Breitinger, BCPC; Jeffrey A. Vey, Twp. Manager; Kevin Wolf, Andersen Engineering Assoc.
Audience: 10
The meeting was called to order by Chairman Fran Murray at 7:34 p.m.
Approval of Minutes –copies provided to public on the hall table
Fran Murray asked members if anyone had an amendment to the March 26, 2008 Minutes that were circulated. John Merritt asked that the minutes be corrected to reflect his vote-vote was correct however retired member-Ron Leckeyıs name was recorded instead of his name. Minutes were approved as amended.
Ed Bolton, aye; Susan Edwards, aye; John Merritt, aye; Fran Murray, aye; Carson Schneck, aye.
Pending Preliminary Plans Reviewed
Pennıs Grant Commerce Center TMP23-15-116-1 Route 663 Flex/Warehouse due 6/24/08
Representatives: H. Christopher Del Plato, Executive Vice President, Pennıs Grant Corporation and James Matticola, Gilmore & Associates, Inc.
Preliminary Plan dated November 28, 2007 was revised per Township Engineerıs Letters of 1/18/08 & 2/6/08. Revision dated March 11, 2008 was resubmitted March 26, 2008.
Andersen Engineering Assoc., Township Engineer letter of April 2, 2008 reviewed the revised plan.
Kevin Wolf: ³There are a lot of zoning issues.²
H. Christopher Del Plato: ³Most of the SALDO comments are a will comply.
Jack Merritt asked for an explanation of parking spaces required should the use change in the future.
Kevin Wolf: ³The ordinance does permit building less than the required number. They have the ability to build a greater number.²
H. Christopher DelPlato: ³We are planning to build 226.²
Kevin Wolf: They can build the maximum number.²
Jeffrey A. Vey: ³Section 517 of the Zoning Ordinance provides for a reduction of Non-Residential Parking spaces provided there is a covenant and resolution to reserve an area for parking should it be needed in the future.²
H. Christopher Del Plato: ³ (Twp. Engineerıs) comment Z-2 mentions that the Township should determine if a conditional use is needed.²
Jeffrey A. Vey: ³A conditional use can be handled along with the land development.²
James Matticola: ³We are preserving 2.5 acres and when asking for a conditional use, we will add woodlands disturbance. The adjacent property to the east transferred the impervious surface area to this property. Can the amount of woodlands preserved be transferred to the amount needed for our site?²
Jeffrey A. Vey: ³That is a legal question more than a policy question. The open space along Portzer Road was donated to the Township. The development potential was transferred across the stream.²
H. Christopher Del Plato continued responding to Township Engineerıs review letter.
Concerning SALDO comments 2 & 3, they were prepared to landscape and would like to redistribute the landscaping on the berm.
Kevin Wolf: ³Modification of the landscaping on the berm should be shown.²
Fran Murray: ³Is the work on the Portzer Road intersection proposed by Richland Township still up in the air?²
Jeffrey A. Vey: ³A temporary traffic light was supposed to be installed before a use and occupancy was granted to the Target Store. As everyone knows, the Target Store in Richland Township has been open for some time.² (No traffic light has been installed at Portzer Road and Rt. 663. Portzer Road to the East is Richland Township and to the West it is Milford Township. PennDot regulates installation of traffic lights.)
Traffic improvements need to be discussed with the Supervisors.
Discussion on transition area between parking and detention basin.
Fran Murray: ³It is your parking. Paving tends to break up at the edge. The downside is snow plowing (around curb stops). A rail fence along the edge of the parking could be used as a delineator.²
Jack Merritt: ³I have a bias against car stops.²
Comment on fence between parking and detention basin
Four members of Planning Commission support taking the fence off the plan.
Motion on Pennıs Grant Commerce Center TMP23-15-116-1 Rt. 663 & Milford Square Pike
Carson Schneck made a motion that the Milford Township Planning Commission reviewed the Pennıs Grant Commerce Center Preliminary Subdivision and Land Development Plan prepared by Gilmore & Associates, Inc. dated November 28, 2007, last revised March 11, 2008 consisting of fourteen sheets and recommends that the Board of Supervisors approve the Preliminary Subdivision and Land Development Plan with the following conditions:
1. The applicant satisfy the conditions in the Andersen Engineering Associates, Inc. Township Engineers review letter dated April 2, 2008 with the following comments:
a. An exception to SALDO Comment 22. The Planning Commission does not recommend the installation of car stops for the interim parking on the Pennıs Grant Commerce Center land development.
b. The Planning Commission approves the granting of waiver of curbs along the southerly edge of the parking lot south of Building #2. Township Engineerıs comment SALDO 20.
c. The Planning Commission approves the granting of the waivers listed in the
Township Engineerıs review comment SALDO 21.
Motion was seconded by Ed Bolton. Motion passed. Ed Bolton, aye; Susan Edwards, aye; John Merritt, aye; Fran Murray, aye; Carson Schneck, aye.
Reserve at Milford-WB Homes Foulkes Mill & Allentown Road-TMP23-10-145, 1372144
Representatives: Christopher R. Canavan, w.b. Homes, Inc.; Kirk Clauss, Schlosser & Clauss
Kevin Wolf went over Andersen Engineering Associates, Inc. Township Engineerıs review letter dated March 18, 2008.
Christopher R. Canavan asked why PPL right of way could not be used to satisfy open space requirement.
Jeffrey A. Vey: ³You have to speak to the Township Solicitor about that.²
Christopher R. Canavan: ³Our attorney will ask him. We would be happy to dedicate all of the open space to the Township.²
Mr. Canavan asked if the Planning Commission would favor a 30 foot width for the interior road.
Kevin Wolf: ³It is unlikely that the Board of Supervisors would grant relief from the road width of thirty six feet.²
Kevin Wolf noted that the barn on the newly created Lot 32 did not have the required setbacks for animal husbandry. It could be used for parking cars.
Christopher R. Canavan: ³We will deed restrict the property and put it in the buyers disclosure citing the relevant ordinance sections.²
Discussion on grading edge of Allentown Road which will have to be done to PennDOT specifications.
Christopher R. Canavan went through the SALDO Comments in the Andersen letter.
Susan Edwards: ³There should be berming on Allentown Road, so you canıt look into the back of the homes.²
Joyce King, 2265 Foulkes Mill Road: ²Will there be any buffering along the backs of lots 1,2,3,4,5, 6, and 7? And will you be disturbing the vegetation that is already there?²
Christopher R. Canavan: ³No buffering and I donıt believe we will disturb the vegetation.²
Joyce King: ³Where will the detention basin discharge?²
Christopher R. Canavan: ³Storm water will discharge into a level spreader that drains to the basin and then south.²
Fran Murray: ³A cluster mail box should have a street light.²
Jack Merritt: ³People will stop their car by the mailbox. Would you want sidewalk on the inside?²
Christopher R. Canavan: ³That is additional impervious surface. Pedestrian wise-they can walk across the street. We are requesting a waiver of sidewalk on each side of the street.²
Susan Edwards: ³A side walk on one side is fine.²
Consensus of Planning Commission that a partial waiver be granted for sidewalks on only one side of the street.
Ed Bolton: ³Foulkes Mill Road should be widened at the intersection. I donıt see a need for curbs on the north side; widen the road three feet with a shoulder and drainage.²
Fran Murray: ³I agree.²
Kevin Wolf: ³Widening the road that way leaves the crown where it is.²
Christopher R. Canavan: ³We would ask for a waiver for improvements to Mill Road.²
Jeffrey A. Vey: ³With a fee in lieu of.²
Jack Merritt: ³I like Mill Road the way it is (adjacent to the land included in the subdivision).²
Christopher R. Canavan went over waivers from traffic improvements that they will request.
Fran Murray: ³The Board of Supervisors will comment on that. Iım sure they will be happy to get rid of a driveway on Allentown Road.²
Consensus of the Planning Commission that Reserve At Milford should go to the Board of Supervisors for input on the waivers. Planning Commission did not issue a review letter.
Correspondence from Neighboring Municipalities
Jeffrey A. Vey: ³This is also a courtesy letter asking for comment.²
Art Breitinger: ³This is a totally new building.²
Pending Preliminary Plans being Revised
Quakertown Interchange Associates Preliminary (6) lot Subdivision TMP23-002-150-001. Indefinite Time Extension 60-day notice to proceed.
New Submissions
Eric S. Clase: ³To extend the mechanical rooms.²
Jeffrey A. Vey: ³If you go that way you are into the 100 foot buffer. And there are requirements for open space.²
Eric S. Clase: ³We would be protecting the open space 100%.²
Kevin Wolf: ³You could do that with a conservation easement.²
Eric S. Clase: ³We used the FEMA Map with elevations imposed from that to determine the floodplain.²
Planning Commission explained that they should clearly explain to the Zoning Hearing Board the implications of extending the mechanical room when applying for a variance.
Jeffrey A. Vey: ³Papiernik has a twin adjacent to Valley View Phase I. It is long lot with an associated twin. They would like to subdivide along the party wall and the party wall in the garage.
A PRD was discussed with the storm water going into the existing storm water system and swale in the Valley View Subdivision.
Consensus was that this would not be a problem.
Jeffrey A. Vey: ³There will be an addition to the Agricultural Security Area - The Baltrus 27.25 acres at 1840 Bauman Road TMP23-002-130. The Shelmire property in Zion Hill is also being discussed. When going through the list, some properties will be taken off such as the farmland that became Parkside and Streamview. It will be ready for your review in June.²
Tabled with indefinite time extensions.
Heritage (Clymer/Landis/Rush) Preliminary-90 lots- Pumping Station Rd (23-15-039,37, 36) Indefinite time extension
Williams-Roth Allentown Rd-TMP#23-10-50 (8 lots) indefinite extension
Fran Murray made a motion to adjourn at 9:06 p.m. Meeting was adjourned.
Respectfully submitted, Janya Awckland, Recording Secretary