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CHARLESTOWN TOWNSHIP
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Present:
Planning Commission: Wendy Leland, Chair, Bill Westhafer, Vice Chairman, Michael Allen, Michael Churchill, Andy Motel, and Andre von Hoyer. Michael Richter was absent.
Consultants: Daniel Wright, P.E. and Thomas Comitta
Staff: Lisa Gardner, Recording Secretary
Public: see sign-in sheet
Call to Order:
7:45 p.m.Announcements
Mr. Churchill announced that last night’s Devault Trail Feasibility Meeting had a good turnout. Planning Commission Members Mr. von Hoyer, Mr. Westhafer, and Mr. Churchill attended.
Mrs. Leland reminded everyone that Primary Election Day is May 20th.
Mrs. Leland announced that the Conditional Use Hearing for the Marshall property was continued to the next Board of Supervisors Meeting on June 2nd.
Mrs. Leland stated that the Turnpike Commission’s Open House was Thursday, May 8th. They presented preliminary plans for expanding the Turnpike to six lanes between Devault and Downingtown.
Mrs. Leland said JP Orleans has a real estate sales trailer set up for Spring Oak, located opposite the Charlestown Township Office.
Approval April 22, 2014 Minutes
Mr. Allen moved to approve the April 22, 2014 minutes with minor changes, and Mr. Churchill seconded. Mrs. Leland called for discussion, there being none, called the vote. All were in favor.
Review
General Warren Village (Including Marriott Hotel) - Preliminary Land Development Plan
Mrs. Leland recused herself from this discussion.
Tim Townes of J. Loew Associates Inc. with Elena Mangigian and Neil Liebman of Bernardon Haber Holloway Architects were present to review the Preliminary Land Development Plan dated September 30, 2013 for the General Warren Village. Mr. Liebman provided a PowerPoint presentation and a handout entitled General Warren Village Design Guideline, dated May 13, 2014. The Village reflects a similarity to Pickering Grant.
Mr. Liebman addressed comments on Mr. Comitta’s review letter dated May 6th, 2014 as follows:
- Item #20 (Design Guideline Comments) has been satisfied.
- All labeling has been added to the plans.
- Actual exterior colors have not been selected; there will be mockups on site.
- Lighting fixtures on the cover of the Guideline are not the actual ones being used.
- There will be illuminated individual letters for the “Marriott” sign as seen on sheet 29 and 30 of the Guideline.
- There will be external illuminated signs for the surrounding retail area spaces.
- No retail users have been obtained yet.
Mr. Comitta suggested Mr. Frens re-review and provide the Board with any new comments. He said Item 20.F needs information added regarding landscaping. The Applicants will add a cross reference page and include landscape information in the Guidelines. Mr. Westhafer asked about the plaza materials and the answer was concrete and pavers. Mr. Westhafer also asked about storm water and Mr. Liebman said they will try to have no drains within the hard surfaces.
Mr. Allen suggested placing surrounding neighborhood buildings on the plan to help the Members visualize the project. Other items discussed were pergolas, views, building elevations, screening of ground condensers, down spouting, the “no back of building design”, stone choice, shingle and metal roofing in various colors, the siding choice benefits, fencing height, and lighting poles.
Mr. Liebman said the siding would be painted, but Mr. Allen thought this may add extra cost and maintenance to the project. Mr. Townes and Mr. Liebman continued with the presentation as follows:
- Item #3 Mr. Townes stated the uses of the driveway were incompatible for sharing.
- There will be some shuffling of parking spaces in relation to grading and (connecting) sidewalks.
- One particular corner is 10 feet below the road level; Mr. Townes described it as having a 9% slope, road elevation and mimicking what PennDOT is putting in.
- Item #11 is an unfriendly pedestrian corner, with SEPTA deciding where the bus stops will be.
- There will be a reserved spot for a future sidewalk. But until further development, it will not be installed.
- Item #13 Information regarding “outdoor living rooms” has been added including fire pits and furniture.
- Bus shelters were discussed.
- Parking stalls shall be screened.
- The parking area shall be screened with a 36” landscape hedge.
- Applicants do not plan on adding any additional sidewalks, the sidewalk in the front of the hotel, to the office and parking lot, are sufficient.
- Item #15 The trees will be preserved.
- Item #23 There will be a cover and lock on the well house at the north end of the property until it’s demolished.
Item #7 Mr. Townes said PennDOT is installing sidewalk to connect the General Warren Village to the corner at (Office Bar & Grille) Morehall Road and the third corner (a landscape business) at Yellow Springs Road. Any future sidewalks will be planned considering connections to the PennDOT sidewalks.
Mr. Liebman addressed comments on Mr. Wright’s review letter dated May 7th, 2014 as follows:
- The items on this letter shall be considered “will comply” with the exception of sidewalks.
- There is a large gallon storm water storage tank being used to meter out collected rain.
- The Conservation District, DEP, and the County, are currently working on irrigation to compensate for the 2 year alternative. The County said infiltration is not a good idea.
- Item #3 has been resolved.
Item #2 stating a 7,000 square foot restaurant was reduced to 5,000. Mr. Motel asked if there was any flexibility to be given to the developer in this instance, and Mr. Comitta said it would be reasonable to suggest some modest change to the TND 3, (now that items may be arising in need of refinement). Mr. Townes said if they need more than 5,000 sq. ft. they will come back to the Commission.
Mr. Townes said the Storm Water Plan is not close to being complete. Mr. Kuhn suggested that the East Whiteland firefighters may be interested in pulling from the large buried tank. Next, the Applicants will meet with Mr. Comitta and Mr. Wright, especially about storm water and then return to the Planning Commission with a revision. There will be a separate letter for storm water management, Mr. Wright adding that no approval is to be granted until this item is satisfied.
Devault Village at Spring Oak (Fillippo Residential) – Conditional Use Application
This item was removed from the agenda.
Old Business
Prioritize “Take-Aways” from February 8, 2014 Strategic Planning Session
Mr. Comitta assisted the Planning Commission in a prioritization of items called “Take-Aways” from his document prepared from a February 8, 2014 Strategic Planning Session. Items 1 and 2 under the headings of Conditional Use Standards & Criteria and Conditional Use Review & Evaluation Process are scheduled for 2014 and remained unchanged. Additionally, some items were placed at the top of the list because they could be quickly dispensed, such as Plan & Submission Requirements, and Monitoring/Tracking of Initiatives.
Mr. Churchill was interested in Communication receiving high prioritization, while Mr. Allen and Mrs. Leland thought the category called Adaptive Re-Use of Historic Buildings & Sites was critical. Mr. Allen also thought Permitted Uses in Business, Commercial & Industrial Districts should be considered critical. The various initiatives and enhancement topics were briefly discussed and Mr. Comitta will be circulating the newly revised document in the near future.
Other Business
Legal Representation
Mrs. Leland asked Mr. Kuhn, in attendance tonight, from the Board of Supervisors, to explain the legal representation of Mr. Thompson and Mr. Bender for the Marshall Conditional Use Hearing (Paul and Julie Marshall of 2226 Charlestown Road). Mr. Kuhn said that Mr. Thompson was representing only the Board of Supervisors for Charlestown Township. Since the Planning Commission did not request representation, Mr. Bender was hired by the Township to represent the Township in general.
Adjournment
Mrs. Leland adjourned the meeting at 10:00 p.m. The Planning Commission’s next scheduled meeting is June 10, 2014 at the Great Valley Middle School, Room 154.
Lisa Gardner
Recording Secretary