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Home»Planning Commission Minutes»Planning Commission
7-17-18 Minutes

Planning Commission
7-17-18 Minutes

MINUTES

PLANNING COMMISSION:                                             LOWER ALLEN TOWNSHIP

 REGULAR MEETING:                                                      JULY 17, 2018

 

The following were in ATTENDANCE:

 

PLANNING COMMISSION: TOWNSHIP PERSONNEL:
Samuel Bashore Daniel Flint, P.E., Township Engineer
Brian Wickenheiser Dean Villone, Township Commissioner        
Jay Blackwell Steve Hoffman,Cumberland County Planning Dept.
David Clovsky Tina Thomas, Recording Secretary

 

Mr. Bashore called the July 17, 2018 Regular Meeting of the Planning Commission to order at 7:00 pm.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Mr. WICKENHEISER made a motion to approve the minutes from the February 20, 2018 regular meeting.  Mr. CLOVSKY seconded the motion.  Motion carried 4-0.

Mr. WICKENHEISER made a motion to approve the minutes from the May 16, 2018 regular meeting.  Mr. BLACKWELL seconded the motion.  Motion carried 4-0.

OLD BUSINESS 

None.

NEW BUSINESS

SLD Docket No. 2018-05:  Lot Line Adjustment Plan for Highpoint Phase 1.3, Lot 34

Dave Kegerize was present from Town Square Engineers representing Highpoint.  They are requesting a lot line adjustment due to a cantilever bay window bumping out into the setback adjacent to the Open Space Lot.  This would require a transfer of 192 square feet of property.  This is deemed an insignificant amount of space and does not change the calculations for the Open Space Lot which is figured to 1/100th of an acre.

Comments:  None.

Mr. CLOVSKY made a motion to approve the lot line adjustment. Mr. WICKENHEISER  seconded it.  Motion carried 4-0.

SLD Docket No. 2018-06:  Land Development Plan for Capital City Mall Restaurant Outparcel

Craig Raynor from Pennoni Associates spoke to the Board regarding a 6500 square foot, 240 seat restaurant they are planning to build near the intersection of Lower Allen Drive and Hartzdale Drive.  He showed the audience this location on the overhead projector.  The restaurant will tie into existing utilities but a request was submitted for additional sanitary sewer capacity.  It will entail less than one acre of space and fits into the existing parking lot.  Parking spaces will follow in the already existing one way configuration. 

Comments from the Township regarding the service areas and parking were discussed in a meeting with Mr. Flint.  The County’s comments have also been addressed.

Mr Flint:  As stated, Township comments were addressed in a meeting.  A fire hydrant will be added and access for emergency vehicles will be assessed. 

Mr. Hoffman questioned if there would be new landscaping installed, following the rule of a tree for every 10 parking spaces.  Mr. Flint stated that since the mall parking lot already in existence does not have islands, this will not be a requirement.

Mr. Clovsky asked if there will be any additional stand-alones added to the Capital City Mall property.  Mr Flint stated that the property is already over the amount of impervious coverage allowed so increasing this is not an issue.  Parking is the only potential issue but there is not a shortage of parking spaces at this time.

Mr. Wickenheiser brought up stormwater management and asked if the existing system would be used.  Mr. Raynor pointed out the existing two inlets that will handle most of the drainage, plus an additional inlet being added.  It is anticipated that the drainage area will stay the same.

Mr. Bashore asked about a light that has to be moved.  It will be relocated about 30 feet from its current location.

Mr. Villone questioned if the issue of additional holiday traffic has been addressed.  Mr. Raynor stated that their traffic engineer had provided a traffic analysis regarding that and it did not show a significant change.  Mr. Flint said that the mall is such a large generator of traffic in itself that the restaurant would not make a noticeable traffic difference.

Steve Hutchison, representative of PREIT, stated that the restaurant will have standard restaurant hours, probably midnight at the latest.  It is a national brand restaurant but he could not disclose the name at this time.

No public comment.

Mr. WICKENHEISER made a motion to approve the land development plan subject to comments and Mr. CLOVSKY seconded it.  Motion carried 4-0.

SLD Docket No. 2018-07:  Land Development Plan for Rossmoyne Elementary School

Jeff Shyk from K and W Engineers was on hand representing the West Shore School District to discuss the proposed construction of a 91,000 square foot, two story elementary school for grades K – 4.  Mr. Shyk showed the audience on the current property map where the new school would be located.  Currently there is proposed a one way bus route from Rossmoyne Road that will be separate from the parent drop off/pick up route and main parking area.  These will be separated by sidewalks. The school will have two entrances and students should not need to cross traffic.  There will be 109 parking spots.  There will be a service area for deliveries and a few parking spaces.  The proposed plan provides for stormwater management with basins and rain gardens.  Mr. Shyk apologized that a school district representative was not present at the meeting tonight and therefore this is to be considered introductory in nature. 

Waivers:

  1. Waiver from the requirement to submit a Preliminary Plan: the plan is ready for approval; they do not anticipate asking for expansion in the future due to a 50 foot gas line easement that borders the site.
  2. Waiver from the requirement to install curb along the Rossmoyne Road frontage: there is already curbing along Manor and some along Rossmoyne; unsure of what PennDOT will require in improvements to Rossmoyne Road or possibly a traffic study.
  3. Waiver from the requirement to install sidewalk along Rossmoyne Road frontage: Schyk stated that the school district would need to decide how they wish to address this but they are providing a walkway along Manor Drive within the right of way.  The Township is requesting that the sidewalk from Manor be extended to Westport Drive and include a crosswalk.
  4. Waiver from the requirement that planting islands be designed to collect stormwater: due to topography of the parking area, it will be difficult to capture stormwater in the islands.
  5. Waiver from the requirement that parking spaces adjacent to end islands have an additional two feet of width: Shyk stated that this waiver was requested in an effort to gain as many parking spaces as possible. 

Mr. Shyk stated that they will be asking for an additional waiver for a developer’s agreement and letter of credit.  There will be a performance bond associated with the contract.  The Land Development Plan will be tabled until next month due to the applicant not being present at this meeting.

Comments

Mr. Clovsky asked if the school owns the hill behind the property.  Since this is owned by the school, stormwater will be draining on their own property.

Mr. Bashore pointed out that waiver 4 and 5 are connected as extending the parking spaces by 2 feet will make the islands smaller. Mr. Shick stated that he had not noticed the connection. Mr. Flint explained that this was more of an operational issue to allow people space to get in and out of their vehicles without stepping into the island.  Mr. Bashore also asked if the amount of foot traffic from the nearby neighborhoods was considered in not putting in the sidewalk.  Mr. Shyk replied that the school district does not want students walking along Rossmoyne Road; they will bus them instead.  Mr. Bashore asked if there are any entrance or exit restrictions for the school; this will depend on PennDOT.

Mr. Hoffman asked if the school would consider any measures to slow traffic as is passes the school. Mr. Shyk said PennDOT usually only allows this on flat road sections.

Mr. Villone mentioned that even if the sidewalk requirement is waived, future development may warrant a sidewalk being added later.  Mr. Flint replied that it is always the case that the Commissioners can require the sidewalk to be put in at a later date and this will be included in the waiver if approved.

Mr. Clovsky stated his concerns with traffic entering and exiting on Rossmoyne Road.  He mentioned two upcoming roundabouts and his concern that people speed up as they leave these.  He would like to see a traffic study done.  He does not know why the buses cannot come in on Rossmoyne and come out on Manor Drive. 

Mr. Flint mentioned that the Township is interested in the emergency vehicle access.  Currently there is good access from Manor Drive but the side of the school where parent drop off is located must also be accessible for emergency vehicles.  The construction sequence will be important because the existing building will still be in use while the new one is being built.  Stormwater management needs to be in place before the construction begins and during construction, even though the old building will still be there.

Mr. Hoffman brought up the fact that even though proposed street trees are often moved during construction, currently they are being located right under the power lines.  Mr. Shyk said they will look into that.

Public Comment:  Leeann Schin questioned what is being provided for walkers to the school.  Mr. Shyk showed the audience where the current walkway along Manor Drive is being maintained and the sidewalk will extend to the entrances. 

Mr. Shyk stated that he is hopeful to present the preliminary study from the traffic consultants at the next meeting. 

Mr. WICKENHEISER made a motion to table the Rossmoyne Elementary School Land Development Plan until the next meeting and Mr. CLOVSKY seconded it.  Motion carried 4-0.

NEXT MEETING

The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, August 21, 2018 at 7:00 pm.

ADJOURN

The regular meeting of the Planning Commission adjourned at 7:52 pm.