Newtown Township
Planning Commission Minutes
July 16, 2002
APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF JULY 16, 2002
The Newtown Township Planning Commission met on Tuesday,
July 16, 2002, in the lower level Township meeting room. In attendance were: Chairperson Karen Doorley; members Paul Kester,
Jay Sensibaugh, Sue Beasley, Jim Ott, Vince Lombardi and Jim Bowe. Also in attendance were: Township Engineer
Gerald Smith; Township Solicitor David Sander; Township Planner Mike Frank; and
Township Public Works Director Thomas Harwood.
CALL TO ORDER
Chairperson Karen Doorley called the meeting to order at
8:00 PM.
MINUTES OF PREVIOUS
MEETING (7/2/02): Mr. Kester moved to approve the minutes of
the 7/2/02 meeting with one change.
Under Verizon Sketch Plan, the seventh paragraph should read “The
Commission recommended the review of an existing wetlands study”. The motion was seconded by Mr. Lombardi and
passed unanimously.
REVIEWS
PRD VARIANCE -
ELIZABETH BEASLEY - 152 HIGH STREET - TMP# 29-25-34: Elizabeth Beasley was present to discuss her
request to reduce the rear yard setback from the required 30 feet to 22 feet,
and to increase the impervious surface ratio from the maximum of 25% to 32.4%,
on her property in the R1 Medium Density Residential District. She proposes to build a patio enclosure in
the rear of her home which will slightly increase the size of an existing
patio. Ms Beasley said that her present
patio is eight feet by 22 feet; the proposed new patio will be ten feet by 22
feet.
Mr. Sensibaugh said he is a nearby resident and talked to
neighbors close to Ms Beasley. They all
said they had no problems with the project.
Ms Beasley gave Mr. Harwood a letter from the nearest neighbors stating
they had no objection to the enlarged patio.
Commission member Sue Beasley said she will abstain from the
vote because the applicant is her daughter.
Mr. Lombardi moved to
recommend that the Board of Supervisors approve the PRD variance request
regarding 152 High Street. The motion
was seconded by Mr. Sensibaugh and passed unanimously, with Mrs. Beasley
abstaining.
REVISED/AMENDED FINAL
PLAN - KATHLEEN M. LESSER - 117 S. SYCAMORE STREET - TMP# 29-11-12: Kathleen M. Lesser and attorney Edward
Murphy were present to discuss the plan to expand the parking lot at her
property in the TC Town Commercial District, add some landscaping and add 475
square feet of sidewalk along Sycamore Street.
Mr. Murphy said the applicant received approval in 1993 for
a 3700 square foot addition which was never built. The present plan replaces
the previous one. Mr. Murphy said that
conditional use approval has already been granted for the orthodontist’s office
on the second floor (D-2 Medical Office).
The “Chef’s Essentials” business (Use E-1 Retail Shop) moving into the
first floor received conditional use approval previously, which is transferable
to this location. Mr. Harwood confirmed
that this is correct. The plan
rearranges and expands the parking lot, adds landscaping, and gives Ms Lesser
more control over ingress and egress.
Mr. Murphy said the applicant is requesting relief from the
Zoning Hearing Board to permit parking within Sycamore Street’s right-of-way;
to permit two handicapped spaces 10.5 feet wide instead of 12.5 feet wide; and
to omit the required buffer between the parking and the street. Mr. Murphy said that if the variance request
is successful, parking space #20 on the plan will probably be eliminated in
order to install a fire lane. He said
the improvements will be coordinated with the Sycamore Street plan.
Mr. Lombardi moved to
recommend to the Board of Supervisors that they approve the revised amended
plan for 117 S. Sycamore Street, contingent on compliance with the Heritage
Conservancy letter of 7/9/02, the Bucks County Conservation District letter of
7/12/02 and the Pennoni Associates letter of 7/15/02. The motion was seconded by Mr. Kester.
Discussion of motion: Mr. Ott said he knows from experience that
10.5 feet is not wide enough for a person getting in or out with a
wheelchair. Mr. Murphy and Ms Lesser
studied the plan and said the handicapped spaces could be expanded to be 12.5
feet wide.
Mr. Lombardi and Mr.
Kester agreed to amend their motion to include a recommendation that a
condition of approval be that the handicapped parking spaces be 12.5 feet
wide. The motion passed unanimously.
ZONING HEARING BOARD
APPLICATIONS: The Commission reviewed seven applications scheduled for the
Zoning Hearing Board meeting of 8/1/02, and made the following comments:
a. Holland Floor Covering - 35 Swamp Road: The applicant is requesting E-1 Retail Use in a District where it is not permitted. Several members observed that the area around the property is predominantly commercial. Mr. Sander said that this business requires relatively few parking spaces, but another retail use with higher parking needs could come in later. Mr. Harwood suggested that the Commission recommend that the applicant not be permitted outdoor storage or storage of commercial vehicles. Members agreed to state no opposition, but to note Mr. Harwood’s concerns.
b. Kathleen Lesser - 117 S. Sycamore Street:
No opposition, but the Commission recommends the condition that the handicapped
parking spaces be expanded to 12.5 feet wide (see above).
c. Bucks Central Church - 41 Linden Avenue: No opposition.
d. Markman - 15 Susanna Way: Mrs. Doorley
observed that the applicant is seeking a 56% increase in the impervious surface
on this property. Mr. Harwood noted
that loose stones, pavers, etc. are still impervious surface, because when they
settle into the ground after installation they do not permit water to sink
in. Members agreed to recommend that
the Board of Supervisors oppose this request and support the ordinance, because
the relief sought is excessive. Members
noted a growing trend for homeowners to propose using pavers or stones instead
of building decks or patios, although they are all considered impervious surface
in the ordinance.
e. Yakimiv - 126 Chesapeake Drive: Mr.
Harwood noted that the applicant is proposing a fence on the property line,
making maintenance of the fence difficult.
He also said that uneven fences behind a row of houses can be an
appearance issue. Members agreed to
state no opposition to this application.
f.
Blatstein - 6 Madison
Court: Members had some reservations about the excessive relief sought, and
about the potential for similar requests from almost every resident in this
development (Pheasant Pointe).
g. John Buhr & Vanessa Lum - 9 Blayze
Court: No opposition.
SUBCOMMITTEE AND
LIAISON REPORTS:
a.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS:
No report.
b.
NEWTOWN AREA REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION: Mr. Kester said the next meeting is
7/18/02. The group will discuss a
proposal to require developers to reserve some allowance for impervious surface
for homeowners to add features like patios and pools.
c.
JOINT ZONING COUNCIL:
No report.
d.
SYCAMORE STREET COMMITTEE:
Mr. Lombardi said the 7/9/02 meeting was canceled, and the Committee
will meet on 7/25/02 to review the plans one more time before construction
begins.
e.
HISTORIC ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD: Mr. Lombardi said that the sign for Tyrol’s insurance agency was
approved.
f.
PARK AND RECREATION BOARD:
Mrs. Beasley reported that the Board did not meet. Mrs. Doorley said that the Township won the
First Fourth softball game again.
g.
PLAN EXPIRATIONS: Mrs.
Doorley said there are several plans that must come before the Planning
Commission at the next meeting on 8/6/02, and it appears that the Szarko minor
subdivision needs an extension. Mr.
Sander said he will bring these items to Mr. Harris’ attention.
CORRESPONDENCE
FINAL PLAN - FIRST
BAPTIST CHURCH - STOOPVILLE ROAD AND WASHINGTON CROSSING ROAD - TMP #20-1-1: Commission members received a copy of the
Bucks County Planning Commission’s 7/9/02 letter to Lower Makefield reviewing
this project.
OLD BUSINESS: None.
NEW BUSINESS
JMZO 2002-08 -
AGRICULTURAL OFF-PREMISES SIGNS:
The Commission received a copy of a draft ordinance which permits and
regulates off-premises agricultural signs.
Mr. Frank distributed his letter of 6/27/02 to Mary Eberle, which
recommends that the ordinance be reworded to require that the seasonal
off-premises signs be removed at the end of the season, not when the
agricultural use ends.
Mr. Lombardi moved to
recommend that the Board of Supervisors support Mr. Frank’s recommendations as
described in his 6/27/02 letter. The
motion was seconded by Mr. Sensibaugh and passed unanimously.
GENERAL DISCUSSION
OPEN HOUSE - ICT: Mrs. Doorley said she received a notice of
an open house at the ICT building to be held on 7/19/02.
ADJOURNMENT: With no objections, the meeting was
adjourned at 9:25 PM.
Respectfully Submitted,
____________________________
Gretta Stone, Recording Secretary