July 20, 2009

The regular meeting of the East Lampeter Township Planning Commission was held on Monday July 20, 2009 at the East Lampeter Township Office 2250 Old Philadelphia Pike Lancaster, PA 17602.  Chairman John Keylor called the meeting to order followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.  Other Commissioners present were Mr. Stumpf, Mr. McCuen and Mr. Siesholtz.  Mr. Ranck was absent.  Also present was Lee Young, Zoning Officer. 

The following persons were signed in as being present:

Irl & Lois Duling           -           Stumpf Hill Drive                    -           CVC

Howard Hershey         -           1934 Lincoln Highway E.        -           Lafayette Fire Co.

Ron Nolt                      -           122 Waterfront Est. Drive       -           Lafayette Fire Co.

Steve Lee                    -           Benchmark Construction        -           LGH

Fred Daum                  -           2142 New Holland Pike          -           Self

Michael L. Saxinger    -           ML Saxinger Associates         -           Lafayette Fire Co.

Matt Creme                 -           212 No. Queen Street             -           LGH

John Lines                   -           Lancaster General Hospital    -           LGH

Ron Lehman               -           1857 Colonial Village Lane     -           OpSec Security

Dan Sweigart              -           129 E. Franklin St. Ephrata    -           Self

Joe Donaldson            -           Lancaster General Hospital    -           LGH

Minutes:

The minutes of the June 15, 2009 meeting were approved as distributed on a motion by Mr. McCuen, a second by Mr. Siesholtz and a unanimous voice vote.

Old Business: 

a.   Warrington - Preliminary Land Development / Subdivision Plan - 2219 Harmony Hill Drive - # 2008-44

Mark Johnson of RGS Associates & Diane Frame of Keystone Custom Homes were present to discuss the project.

Mr. Johnson explained that the project was located on 49 acres at the southeast corner of New Holland Pike & Hornig Road in the R-2 Residential Zoning District and was designed in conformance with the Optional Density Incentive Ordinance.

They have received Conditional Use approval from the Board of Supervisors.

The proposal contains 40 single family units, 32 semi-detached units, 59 townhouse units & 180 multi-family units along with 20,000 square feet of commercial floor space.

The project will have direct access to New Holland Pike and Hornig Road with a traffic signal at the main entrance from New Holland Pike.  They are also escrowing funds for an eventual traffic signal at Hornig Road & New Holland Pike.

A small stream runs through the property and they will be providing open space along the stream.  The existing sewer pumping station will also be up-graded and expanded as the result of this project.

Page 2

Open space is proposed at the front of the project and along the stream.  There will be a pedestrian pathway from the project to Fritz Elementary School on Hornig Road.

There will be greens throughout the project for open space.  A community center with a pool and tot lot is proposed near the front of the development.

They will propose a fee-in-lieu of for the park & recreation requirement of the SALDO.

There is a greenbelt and landscape buffer along the perimeter of the project.

The Preliminary Plan is identical to the Conditional Use Plan.

They have a second review from David Miller Associates.  The DMA letter of July 16, 2009 on the plan review was read.

Mr. Johnson explained that since the letter, DMA has re-reviewed and approved the open space comments.

The Lancaster County Planning Commission letter of December 23, 2008 was read.

A second David Miller Associates letter dated July 16, 2009 reviewing the waiver requests was also read.

Two Conditional Use modifications were also requested.  This requires re-opening the Conditional Use Hearing procedure.

They are also requesting waivers of plan scale size, clear sight triangles, dead end streets (alleys), cartway intersection tangential to radii, and sidewalk being located one foot from street right-of-way.

They are also requesting waivers of Optional Density Incentive requirements for Type B street widths, street bulb-outs, street alignment horizontal radius of 150 feet to 80 feet and 45.5 feet, and street alignments not less than 75 degrees (one would be 33 degrees & one would be 44 degrees).

Mrs. Duling requested that no more connections to the Hartman Station Development be proposed.

Questions were raised about the open space being too close to New Holland Pike, buffers being too close to the proposed dwellings, and the timing of the remaining phases.

Mr. Johnson stated that the widening of New Holland Pike will not occur with Phase I of the project.  There will be no widening of New Holland Pike on the north side of the road at all.  All widening will take place on the Warrington side of the road on the south side of the highway.

There was a question about emergency vehicles being able to access the apartment sites.  Once the fire service provider is named by the Township, they will review the plans.  If changes need to be made to accommodate fire services vehicles, they will be done.

Page 3

Mr. Daum asked about the location of the pumping station and the direction of the sewer line as well as any meetings with PennDOT.

Mr. Johnson stated that they have conceptual approval from PennDOT.  They will need the Highway Occupancy Permit for Phase 2.

Mr. Duling stated there were 12 open space sites ranging from 120,000 square feet down to 300 square feet and there is not enough open space for children to play.  Open space is taken up with storm water management, the stream & sewer pumping station.  There needs to be more usable open space.  Mr. McCuen noted that the large open space is at the front end of the project and contains the storm water detention basin.

Mr. Johnson stated there are several greens & plazas throughout the project for play.  They are not baseball diamonds or soccer fields, but there are play areas.  There is also a pool and a community center.

Parking requirements for the community center parking area needs to be discussed with the Zoning Officer.

Mr. McCuen asked about a proposed collector road on the north side of New Holland Pike for access by existing homes to New Holland Pike.  Ms. Frame explained the details have been worked out and that several existing driveways will be combined into a single access point.

After questions by audience members about plan approval procedures, Mr. Siesholtz explained that the preliminary plan is currently being presented for the entire site, but individual Final Plans will need to be submitted and approved for each phase of the project separately.

Mr. Johnson explained they will not be constructing off the preliminary plan but off the individual Final Plans once they are approved.

They need to be sure everything works with the Preliminary Plan.  Storm water management, sanitary sewer and streets will need to be designed to a detail level beyond that of the Preliminary Plan with the individual Final Plans.

Phase 1B will not have improvements to New Holland Pike.

Mr. McCuen asked about sidewalk at Harmony Hill Drive.

Mr. Siesholtz made a motion to recommend to the Board of Supervisors approval of the Preliminary Plan and the requested waivers of plan scale size, clear sight triangles, dead end streets (alleys), cartway intersection tangential to radii, sidewalk being located one foot from street right-of-way, and street alignments not less than 75 degrees (one would be 33 degrees & one would be 44 degrees) and requirements for Type B street widths, street bulb-outs, street alignment horizontal radius of 150 feet to 80 feet and 45.5 feet subject to the LCPC letter dated December 23, 2008, except that Street "G" not be extended into the Hartman Station Development, the David Miller Associates letters of July 16, 2009, working out the placement of concrete monuments, community center parking approvals by the Zoning Officer, and contacting the appropriate fire company.

Page 4

Mr. McCuen seconded the motion, which passed with three yes votes and with Mr. Stumpf abstaining.

b.    Scott & Diane Monger - Two Lot Subdivision - Sewer Module - 2088 Creek Hill Road - # 2009-11

Mr. Young explained they had previously received approval of the subdivision and that the sewer would be connected to the public lines.  On a motion by Mr. Keylor, a second by Mr. Stumpf and a unanimous voice vote, the module was approved.

New Business: 

a.    Lafayette Fire Company - Preliminary / Final Land Development Plan & Subdivision - 1836 Lincoln Highway East - # 2009-18

Mike Saxinger of Saxinger Associates and Ron Nolt & Howard Hershey of Lafayette Fire Company were present to discuss the project.

Mr. Saxinger explained that the existing Lafayette Fire Company has road frontage on Lincoln Highway East, Landis Avenue & Crest Avenue.

They have Zoning Hearing Board special exception approval for the fire house use in the R-2 Residential District and a variance of the required lot width for the new fire station lot.

Mr. Saxinger explained that the fire company has outgrown its present facility and they are looking to build a new fire house on the same property.  They intend to create three separate lots on the site.  Lot # 1 will be for the new fire house, Lot # 2 will be sold for residential use, and Lot # 3 will containing the existing fire house and will also be for sale.

There is an add-on to existing Township parkland on the south side of the property and an add-on from the City of Lancaster water tower property to the fire company for the project.

Mr. Saxinger explained that they had discussed the existing access driveway opposite North Woods Drive and had decided it would be best to re-locate the driveway further to the east as much as possible to avoid conflict with a new user of the existing fire house and to enlarge Lot # 3 as much as possible.

The City of Lancaster will access their water tower via the new fire house driveway.

They are reducing the amount of impervious area at the front of the site flowing onto Lincoln Highway thereby eliminating the need for storm water detention at the front of the site.

They are not showing road improvements for Lot # 3 as any buyer of Lot # 3 will need to process a land development plan for their use, at which time road improvements to Lincoln Highway will be addressed.

Lot # 1 has access to Crest Avenue, but that will be used for secondary emergency access only.

The fire-fighters parking spaces are angled for quicker entry into the spaces.

Page 5

The fire company will not be hosting banquets at the new facility

The warning siren will be on the east side of the property at the high point of the site.

The storm water management detention basin will be at the rear of the site next to the Township property.

They are requesting waivers of preliminary plan processing, double frontage lot, minimum storm water pipe size of 18”, and the 100 foot clear site triangle at the entrance driveway and deferrals of road improvements along Landis Avenue for Lot # 2 & 3 and Lincoln Highway for Lot # 3 & of screening at the rear of Lot # 3 until Lot # 2 is developed.

The Lancaster County Planning Commission letter of June 23, 2009 was read as was the David Miller Associates letter of July 14, 2009.

Pedestrian access to the site was discussed.  Pedestrian access is believed to be too dangerous to be encouraged.  The few times that pedestrian access is warranted (the fire house is a polling place), special arrangements can be made to accommodate pedestrian access, but random pedestrian access as a general rule could create conflicts between pedestrians and arriving fire-fighters.

The Township also does not want to encourage access to Lafayette Park via Lincoln Highway.

There were no public comments.

Mr. Siesholtz stated that Lot # 2 could have a landscape buffer from the fire house while maintaining visibility of the fire house from Lincoln Highway.

The access driveway needs to meet PennDOT safe stopping distance requirements.

Mr. Stumpf made a motion to recommend to the Board of Supervisors approval of the Revised Final Plan and the requested waivers preliminary plan processing, double frontage lot, minimum storm water pipe size of 18”, and the 100 foot clear site triangle at the entrance driveway and the deferrals of road improvements along Landis Avenue for Lot # 2 & 3 & Lincoln Highway for Lot # 3 & of screening at the rear of Lot # 3 until Lot # 2 is developed subject to the David Miller Associates letter of July 14, 2009.

Mr. Siesholtz seconded the motion, which was passed by a unanimous voice vote.

b.   OpSec Security, Inc. Waiver of Land Development Plan Processing – 1857 Colonial Village Lane - # 2009-21

Ron Lehman of OpSec Security, Inc. was present to discuss the project.

He explained that they were proposing to install two temporary office trailers in the parking lot while they are doing interior renovations to their existing office space for a period of about four to six months.

They will have electric and data communications connects, but no water & sewer connections. 

Page 6

There are restrooms available inside the building.

The staff letter of July 17, 2009 was read.

There were no audience comments.

On a motion by Mr. Stumpf, a second by Mr. McCuen and a unanimous voice vote, the waiver was recommended to the Board of Supervisors for their approval subject to the staff letter of July 17, 2009..

Other Business:

a.    West East Township – Professional Enterprise Zone

Matt Crème of Nikolaus & Hohenadel was present to discuss the proposal.  He explained that Lancaster General Hospital was proposing a text amendment to re-zone property at the northeast corner of West Earl Township from Commercial to Professional Enterprise Zone.

This would be a text amendment to create the Professional Enterprise Zone in West Earl Township’s present zoning Ordinance.

Lancaster General Hospital currently owns the property in question.  LGH wants to move forward with its plans for the property and while the proposed WET zoning ordinance includes the Professional Enterprise Zone, adoption is still some time off.

The question for the Planning Commission is whether the proposal is generally consistent with the Conestoga Valley Regional Strategic Comprehensive Plan.

The existing 15 acres adjacent to the property is currently being farmed.

The existing Commercial zoning would allow for a medical center, but not what LGH is proposing.  It would be similar, but not the same thing.

They will be talking with Ephrata Township & Borough regarding the project as well.

Dan Sweigart of Ephrata Farmland Preservation has concerns about what is being proposed.  How will this proposal affect farm preservation with the added development pressure?

There are significant regional impacts.

The Planning Commissions only concern is whether the project is generally consistent with the Comp Plan.

Mr. Keylor made a motion that the Planning Commission finds that the proposal is generally consistent with the CV Comp Plan.  Mr. Stumpf seconded the motion, which passed by unanimous voice vote.

Page 7

b.    LUAB Report

With Mr. Ranck absent, there was no report on the LUAB meeting.

c.    Manheim Township Proposed Comprehensive Plan

Mr. Keylor made a motion that stated that the Planning Commission believed that the proposed Manheim Township Comprehensive Plan is generally consistent with the LIMC Growing Together Comp Plan.  Mr. Stumpf seconded the motion, which passed by unanimous voice vote.

d.   US 30 Gateway Enhancement Project

Mr. Young explained that as part of a funding request for the Route 30 Gateway Enhancement Project sponsored by LCPC, a letter from the Planning Commission supporting the project was needed.

The project involves working with the Township and businesses along Lincoln Highway from East Towne Mall to PA 896 to develop a corridor that establishes a “sense of place”.  This would include potentially road improvements, a special sign package for the area, establishing a “theme” for the area, and generally improving the esthetics of the corridor.

Mr. Stumpf made a motion to send such a letter expressing the Planning Commission’s support for the effort.  Mr. McCuen seconded the motion, which passed by unanimous voice vote.

Adjournment:

On a motion by Mr. Stumpf, a second by Mr. McCuen, and a unanimous voice vote, the meeting was adjourned. The next Planning Commission meeting will be held on Monday September 21, 2009, at 7:30 P.M. at the East Lampeter Township Office 2250 Old Philadelphia Pike Lancaster, PA 17602.

Respectfully submitted,

Lee Young, Zoning Officer