[New post] well it’s monday, might as well blow up the internet over proposed zoning changes in west whiteland that will ultimately benefit a developer for the weston tract on w. king rd. right?
carla posted: " Things that just send my hackles up: not telling East Whiteland when West Whiteland has a public hearing October 25th to change the zoning around the Weston Tract on West King Road from zoned O/L Office/Laboratory to R-1 Residential. So right " chestercountyramblings
Things that just send my hackles up: not telling East Whiteland when West Whiteland has a public hearing October 25th to change the zoning around the Weston Tract on West King Road from zoned O/L Office/Laboratory to R-1 Residential.
So right now the thing that also makes me think is if the conditional use for this was for say a halfway house or a drug rehab or anything that couldn't otherwise be shoehorned into a R-1 zoning district there might have been a little more advanced notice other than a friend in West Whiteland who is just a regular resident says to me at noon today "You might want to look at the agenda for West Whiteland this week."
Whoops there it is. An itty bitty zoning change.....Oh it looks all harmless zoning change, but as we have all learned zoning doesn't exist in a vacuum does it?
Motion To approve Ordinance No. 476 to amend the R-1 Residential district regulations in the West Whiteland Township Zoning Ordinance and to amend the Zoning Map to re-zone a portion of land in the Office/Laboratory zoning district to R-1 Residential. Background At the Planning Commission meeting of June 20, 2023, Mr. Tom Kessler of the Willow Hill Development Group ("Applicant") presented the latest in a series of sketch plans for the redevelopment of the Weston Solutions campus, a tract of about 54 acres along the south side of King Rd. at the southeastern corner of the Township. The plan (attached) proposed about 100 new dwelling units and featured the preservation of several significant historic buildings along with permanent open space. The plan was presented in support of a future application to amend the Township Zoning Ordinance ("Zoning") since the development shown would not be allowed by the current regulations. Based upon the favorable reaction of the Planning Commission, the Applicant formally submitted a proposal to amend the Zoning Ordinance, pursuant to the provisions of §325-125.B of the Zoning. The proposal has two parts: an amendment to the text of the R-1 Residential district regulations and an amendment to the Zoning Map to change the designation of the Weston campus from O/L Office/Laboratory to R-1 Residential. The Commission and Staff had previously advised the Applicant that they would support a map amendment to re-zone the property to R-1, which would match the surrounding land; any amendment to allow the project more specifically would therefore need to be an option within the R-1 district. The Applicant's approach is therefore consistent with the direction of the Planning Commission and Staff and may be summarized as follows:
The proposed text amendment will add a "large tract residential cluster option" to the R-1 district regulations. Only tracts of fifty acres or more would be eligible for this option. Other than the Applicant's site, it appears that the Whitford Country Club property may be the only other readily available tract of this size in the R-1 district, although it would of course be possible for someone to acquire a number of adjacent properties to assemble a fifty-acre tract.
The Applicant's proposed amendment to the Zoning Map included only their property. Amending the Zoning Map in this way would leave a handful of properties with a total area of about four acres in the O/L zoning district. Given that most of those lots are in residential use (which is not allowed in the O/L district), the Planning Commission and Staff agreed that any re-zoning for residential use should include those properties not owned by Weston. The County's review (attached) supports this as well. Staff therefore proceeded to contact those property owners as required by both the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code ("MPC") and our own Zoning to advise them of the possible change. The Planning Commission discussed the amendment informally with the Applicant on August 1,2023 and officially (as part of the required review and adoption process) at their regular public meeting on September 19, 2023. Commission member Andy Wright expressed concern about the density of the proposed project, similar to the County's comments, but the other Commission members were satisfied that with the amendment as proposed. The discussion concluded with the Commission passing a motion recommending that the Board approve the amendment; only Mr. Wright was in opposition to the motion.
So before we get into the meat of this let's dish basics: who was notified of this proposed zoning change as in who lives within the magical 500 feet and who lives just outside the magical 500 feet and well, including down the road in the adjoining municipality East Whiteland? West Whiteland imposes it, but the applicant has an affirmative duty to notify, correct? Whomever owns adjacent properties doesn't just mean homeowners, does it? For example, the little league field. Or better yet, that large academic institution called Immaculata University? Do they know? Because I know as of when I found out around noon, East Whiteland residents did not know, not sure about the township itself but I think not or it would have been on the website?
There is the letter of the law when it comes to notifications, but also important is the spirit of the law, correct? There are those in West Whiteland whom probably do not know, but there are also East Whiteland residents, aren't there?
And to say this "cannot be tied to any specific development...." ok kids, then I am the Tooth Fairy, yes? Isn't it kind of obvious this developer NEEDS this to develop this:
Oh and let us NOT forget the Johnson Matthey parcel directly across the road? I seem to recall the address is 1397 King Road West Chester PA. "Light Industrial" and 15.7 acres, correct? So do we REALLY think THAT land will be sold to OTHER than a RESIDENTIAL developer, and well it's Johnson Matthey so umm what chemicals live in the land now? Fair question since well weren't they a previous owner-operator at Bishop Tube? The PA DEP says so.
So this was "informally" discussed in August? And then in September only Andy Wright whomever he is had the gumption to say it might be too dense of a project? And everyone else rides the sheeple bus?
Maybe I am old, jaded and distrustful since I have watched what certain zoning overlays and changes have done to certain areas of Lower Merion and other Main Line communities, but developers don't offer up helpful anything regarding zoning unless there is a derived benefit, correct?
I have written about this Weston site before.
Don't treat this as just a little change and ignore this. Zoning changes and zoning overlay districts will never ever exist in a vacuum. I know I am repeating myself but this is important. And of course I am really repeating myself when I say this is yet ANOTHER REASON WHY THE MUNICIPLAITIES PLANNING CODE NEEDS AN OVERHAUL!
How many developments do we need?
Now other IMPORTANT THINGS regarding this development which starts with a little bitty zoning change: car volume. That development needs a traffic signal. Otherwise no one, including Immaculata will be able to get in and out from driveways and side roads up and down W. King Road. And don't let them say oh PennDOT is difficult etc. It can be a condition of plan approval for one thing. And also that is what State Senators and State Representatives are for.
Another important thing here to be considered are PIPELINES. If memory serves I think three run through that property. I live in a blast zone for pipelines in East Goshen and West Whiteland personally. And one of my concerns is because I don't actually live in the municipalities with the pipelines, I can't be certain in the event of an emergency I would be notified and the plans for running uphill holding your breath or whatever don't cut it for residents affected and well this development would create a whole new class of affected West Whiteland residents wouldn't it?
Other truisms:
It will add yet more kids to the overburdened West Chester Area School District.
It will stress infrastructure in more than West Whiteland Township which also includes first responder infrastructure
It will have potential environmental impacts. Lots of things live int he Weston woods and would anything be considered protected? Either flora, fowl, or fauna?
But first things first, the zoning change. I mean realistically I think Weston is getting developed. I don't think we can stop that, but I think it would behoove West Whiteland and East Whiteland to discuss the density. After all development doesn't live in a bubble. It's time for West Whiteland to add it all up again, especially considering the shit show happening on Ship and Lancaster Ave, right? You have Laborers, you have the other stuff between Church Farm School and Ship, right? I don't know about any of my readers but all of this development gives me a headache. And related aside? Same developer for Weston has something cooking in Willistown too? And here is LINK for prior plans submitted for Weston property in 2022. And next two screen shots were those plans:
The meeting is Wednesday October 25th in West Whiteland. It is accessible via zoom:
WEST WHITELAND TOWNSHIP BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
Wednesday, October 25, 2023 6:30 p.m.
Join Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 848 4944 7386 Passcode: 871814 One tap mobile +16465588656 Meeting Packets can be found on Township website Reminder to meeting participants: Please speak clearly into the microphone
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