A meeting of the Sadsbury Township Planning Commission was held on Wednesday, October 14, 2020 in the township building.
Present: Mr John Lymberis, Ms. Jane Heineman, Mr. Simon Jessey, Ms. Amanda Stewart, Mr. Jeremy Alcorn.
Absent: Mr. John Ettore, Supervisor Liaison Mr. John Moore.
Mr. Lymberis called the meeting to order at 7:00pm, followed by a moment of silence and the Pledge of Allegiance.
Mr. Jessey asked all attendees if they gave their permission for him to make an audio recording of the meeting to assist in the minute-taking process, and all gave their assent.
Since it was their first time appearing at an in-person meeting, Mr. Lymberis introduced and welcomed Ms. Stewart and Mr. Alcorn to the Commission.
Mr. Lymberis made a motion, seconded by Mr. Alcorn, to approve and adopt the minutes of the meeting held on August 13. With no amendments or questions, the motion passed unanimously.
Sadsbury Park Phases 2B and 4B
Mr. Eric Carlson of Arcadia Land Company gave an overview of Sadsbury Park and presented a sketch plan as a preview for how Arcadia wishes to close out the development.
Mr. Carlson explained there are only two remaining phases that have yet to be developed.
Phase 2B is currently slated to be a mixture of single family attached (SFA) homes and single family detached homes (SFD), and he is proposing to change those to all single family attached homes. This would increase the overall housing density of Sadsbury Park but still
keep it below the density the Township approved in the Final Land Development application. Specifically, the number of SFAs on South Harner Boulevard would rise from 42 to 45, and the 18 SFDs on Trego Avenue would change to 1 SFD (already built) and 42 SFAs. The
proposed new SFAs would be two stories instead of the three of the existing product. They would also be a little narrower and deeper.
The Commission asked questions about the building setbacks, paying particular interest to the homes proposed for Trego Avenue. Mr. Carlson proposed a 24-foot setback; however Mr. Lymberis suggested that the setback should be decreased to give a little more rear yard room. Ms. Stewart suggested that the shared front walk concept might create conflicts with neighbors and thought individual front walks, consistent with existing product, would be preferable. The Commission expressed a preference for consistency in the appearance and would welcome seeing some renderings and elevations when Mr. Carlson next appears. Mr. Carlson also gave a brief overview of Phase 4B, consisting entirely of SFDs, which had attracted some floodplain concerns that were addressed. Mr. Lymberis asked about the walking trails to and from Octorara Glen and Sadsbury Village, and Mr. Carlson said they were still expected to be installed as one of the conditions of the approval process.
3-Lot Subdivision
Mr. Todd Wilson presented a sketch plan of the proposed subdivision of his property into three lots. Mr. Wilson currently occupies a home at the southern corner of his lot, but wishes to build a new home in the north western corner in order to allow for better accommodation and access for his extended family. There are a few issues to work out concerning sewer lines and the location of a gas transmission line.
The view of the Commission is that this is a low impact proposal that may improve sight lines on the curve of Octorara Road at its intersection with Smith Farm Drive. Mr. Wilson intends to appear at a later date with revisions that reflect discussions with the Township’s engineer and the involved utilities.
Announcements, Correspondence and Public Comment
The Commission wishes to clarify the current terms of its members for the record:
Terms expiring December 31, 2020: Amanda Stewart, John Ettore
Term expiring December 31, 2021: John Lymberis
Term expiring December 31, 2022: Jeremy Alcorn
Terms expiring December 31, 2023: Jane Heineman, Simon Jessey
Ms. Vicky Horan asked the Commission about the availability of minutes from past meetings. Mr. Jessey informed her that they have just been uploaded to the Township’s website. Ms. Horan also asked if the Commission was aware of any plans for restaurants in the Township. Members said they were aware of no current plans, but speculated something may appear in or near Sadsbury Commons.
With there being no further announcements or public comment, Ms. Heineman made a motion, seconded by Ms. Stewart, to adjourn the meeting at 8:30 pm. With there being no further questions, the motion passed unanimously.
Respectfully submitted by Simon Jessey
