Newtown Township
Planning Commission Minutes
September 18, 2001
MINUTES OF 9/18/01: Mr. Kester moved to approve the minutes of the 9/18/01 meeting. The motion was seconded by Mr. Bowen and passed unanimously, with Mr. Lombardi, Mr. Dieterle and Dr. Kelly abstaining.
The
Newtown Township Planning Commission met on Tuesday, September 18, 2001, in the
lower level Township meeting room. In attendance were: Chairperson Karen
Doorley, Paul Kester, Shawn Ward, Sue Beasley and Jack Bowen (late). Also in attendance were: Township Traffic
Engineer Jeff L’Amoreaux and Township Public Works Director and Interim Manager
Thomas Harwood.
Chairperson
Karen Doorley called the meeting to order at 8:00 PM. Approval of the minutes was deferred until a quorum is present
(see later). Mrs. Doorley announced
that the sketch plan for Building Control Systems and Services has been added
to the agenda.
TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT
PROGRAM: Traffic Engineer Jeff L’Amoreaux presented
the proposed Newtown Township 2001 Transportation Improvement Program project
list (faxed to the Township on 9/14/01).
Mr. L’Amoreaux suggested that the Township offer to provide 20% funding
of engineering services on these projects to make them more attractive to
PennDOT. Commission members agreed to
recommend that the Township do so, except for Project #8 because of its very
high cost.
Mr.
Harwood noted that the Swamp Road study referred to in the “pending” item at
the end will not be completed until December.
Consequently, Mr. L’Amoreaux said that this item should be removed from
the list.
Mr. Ward moved to recommend
that the Board of Supervisors approve items one through eight on the proposed
Transportation Improvement Program list, with a commitment of local funding
participation on numbers one through seven, limited to preliminary and final
engineering and not right away. The
motion was seconded by Mr. Kester and passed unanimously by the four members
present.
Mrs.
Beasley asked Mr. L’Amoreaux why Durham Road and the entrance to the Newtown
Shopping Center were not aligned at the intersection with the Bypass. Mr. L’Amoreaux said he will investigate the
situation.
REVIEWS:
CONDITIONAL USE - QUALTECH
MOLECULAR LABORATORIES - 300 PHEASANT RUN - TMP# 29-10-133: Paul Salvatore was present to discuss the application from Steve
Bernstein of Qualtech to use 3,000 square feet of space in an existing building
for G-2 Research Use and 2,000 square feet for D-1 Office Use in the Light
Industrial District. Mr. Salvatore
explained that Dr. Bernstein could not be present because he is in California
and his travel plans were disrupted by national events last week. Mr. Salvatore provided copies of a 9/15/01
letter from Dr. Bernstein which responded to the Heritage Conservancy letter of
8/28/01.
Dr.
Bernstein’s letter stated that Qualtech will conduct pathology and histology
research. Daily deliveries will be via UPS and Fedex, and small shipments will
be made several times a week. The
letter said that a maximum of five employees is anticipated, but Mr. Salvatore asked
that the application be amended to raise this number to seven. Hours of operation will be 8:00 AM to 5:00
PM, Monday through Friday.
According
to Dr. Bernstein’s letter, small amounts of alcohol, xylene and acids will be
stored and disposed of in accordance with applicable regulations. No environmental impact is anticipated, no
extra refuse storage will be needed and the required 16 parking spaces are provided.
Mrs.
Beasley asked if the tissues involve communicable diseases, and if so, how did
the company plan to dispose of the tissues.
Mr. Salvatore said he will ask Dr. Bernstein to respond to this in
writing to the Township.
Mr. Kester moved to
recommend that the Board of Supervisors approve the conditional use
application, subject to compliance with the Heritage Conservancy’s 8/28/01
letter and Dr. Bernstein’s 9/15/01 letter, with clarification of how the
applicant plans to dispose of medically hazardous waste, and with the
application amended to show a maximum of seven employees. The motion was seconded by Mr. Ward and
passed unanimously.
MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING
(9/4/01): Mr.
Ward moved to approve the minutes of 9/4/01, with two changes on page one: The first sentence of the review of
Wiltshire Walk should read “…was present to discuss…”, and the third sentence
of Mr. L’Amoreaux’s remarks about the Bypass, 413 and the Acme driveway should
read “…putting in a “lead-lag” traffic system…”. The motion was seconded by Mr. Kester and passed unanimously.
SKETCH PLAN - BUILDING
CONTROL SYSTEMS AND SERVICES - 90 WALKER LANE - TMP# 29-10-99: Tom Schrier was present to discuss his application to use 5,000
square feet of floor area in the Light Industrial District for G-6 Contracting
Use, D-1 Office Use and G-3 Warehouse Use.
Six hundred square feet of the office portion would be rented out. Mr. Schrier stated that he is planning to
purchase the building as an individual and lease it to his company. He said his primary purpose in asking for a
review of the sketch plan was to determine if the plan is feasible and if he
should purchase the building.
Mr.
Schrier’s application was accompanied by his letter of 7/31/01, in which he
discussed two scenarios for this building.
In one scenario, the contracting business is considered Office Use; the
building would then require a total of 22 parking spaces, and Mr. Schrier would
seek relief from parking requirements.
In the second scenario, the business is considered Contracting Use; the
building would then require a total of 12 spaces. Mr. Schrier acknowledged that Contracting Use is not permitted in
the LI District, and this scenario would require a variance.
Mr.
Schrier said that he is planning to consolidate his company’s offices and
warehouse in this building. Hours of
operation will be 6:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday.
Mrs.
Doorley said the Planning Commission could not make a recommendation on either
scenario. She stated that Contracting
Use is not permitted in the LI District, and the business is clearly a
contracting business. Also, the
Planning Commission cannot recommend relief from parking requirements. Commission members were divided as to
whether the company’s activities required a Contracting Use designation, but
all agreed that the two scenarios did not seem feasible.
Mr.
Harwood suggested that it might be possible for Mr. Schrier to comply with
parking requirements by reducing the 3,400 square feet designated as Office
Use, increasing the Warehouse Use, and then seeking a variance to allow the
Contracting Use.
Mr.
Schrier said that the building may not be suitable for his purposes. He asked if the Commission would vote on a
recommendation, but Mrs. Doorley explained that the Commission cannot make a
recommendation on the existing plan because the relief Mr. Schrier is seeking
is not within the Commission’s scope.
ZONING HEARING BOARD
APPLICATIONS:
1.
John Stezzi - 566 Sterling
Street: Mr.
Ward moved to recommend that the Board of Supervisors ask Mr. Harwood to attend
the hearing and express the Township’s concern about the size of the relief
sought in this application. The motion
was seconded by Mrs. Beasley and passed unanimously.
2.
Keller-Williams Preferred R.
E. - 36 Newtown-Richboro Road: Mrs. Beasley moved to
recommend that the Board of Supervisors oppose this application because of the
excessive square footage of the proposed sign.
The motion was seconded by Mr. Kester and passed unanimously.
3.
Newtown/Bucks Associates - 4
West Road: Mr. Kester moved to
recommend that the Board of Supervisors oppose this application because of the
excessive relief sought. The motion was
seconded by Mrs. Beasley and passed 4-1, with Mr. Ward voting “nay”.
Mr. Ward stated that he felt the application should
be opposed because of the lack of specificity of the variances sought. He pointed out that the heights of the signs
as described on the application differ from those on the elevations.
Mr. Ward moved to recommend
that the Board of Supervisors oppose this application because of the lack of
specificity of the variances sought. The
motion was seconded by Mrs. Beasley and passed unanimously.
Mr. Kester moved to rescind
his previous motion concerning the application from Newtown/Bucks
Associates. The motion was seconded by
Mr. Bowen and passed unanimously.
SUBCOMMITTEE AND LIAISON
REPORTS:
a.
BOARD
OF SUPERVISORS: No report.
b.
NEWTOWN
AREA REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION: No
report.
c.
JOINT
ZONING COUNCIL: Mr. Kester reported
that the Council discussed the village concept with Toll Brothers regarding the
Gray and McLaughlin Tracts, and the possibility of rezoning the area. Mr. Kester said that Toll Brothers agreed to
suspend their conditional use application in Newtown Township
indefinitely. Mr. Harwood noted that an
extension has been received. He added
that the Board of Supervisors discussed the plan at their 9/17/01 work session
and rejected it because all the density would fall into Newtown Township.
d.
SYCAMORE
STREET COMMITTEE: No report.
e.
HISTORIC
ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD: Mrs.
Beasley reported that HARB will meet on 9/19/01.
f.
RECREATION
BOARD: No report.
g.
TRAIL
COMMITTEE: Mrs. Doorley reported that
there will be a final walkthrough on the Trail on 9/20/01.
h.
PARK
& OPEN SPACE COMMITTEE: Mrs.
Beasley reported that the Shade Tree Committee wants to plant trees next to the
Trail. Mrs. Doorley said that the Trail
Committee already has landscaping plans.
i.
PLAN
EXPIRATIONS: None to be addressed.
CORRESPONDENCE:
a. JMZO: Commission members received copies of two memos from the Bucks
County Planning Commission regarding the codification of the JMZO and amendment
of the JMZO to allow signs within 1,000 feet of the Bypass under certain circumstances.
OLD BUSINESS: None.
NEW BUSINESS: None.
GENERAL DISCUSSION: None.
ADJOURNMENT: Mr. Kester moved to adjourn.
With no objections, the meeting was adjourned at 10:00 PM.
RESPECTFULLY
SUBMITTED,
______________________________
Gretta
Stone, Recording Secretary