White Oak council approves Mary Mother of God parish site plan contingent on stormwater, developer agreements

White Oak Borough Council voted to approve the final land development plan for the Mary Mother of God parish site, contingent on satisfying the items in the borough engineer’s review letter, executing a developer’s agreement and a stormwater maintenance agreement within the borough, and posting adequate financial security subject to solicitor approval.

The motion, offered during the council’s Feb. 17 meeting, followed a presentation by Chris Peters of MDM Surveyors and Engineers, who said the project will reconfigure and expand parking on the parish property, add additional Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) spaces and require cuts into the hillside behind the church. "They are rearrang[ing] parking on the facility so that they can provide more parking for their parishioners as well as some additional ADA parking close to the entrance of the church," Peters said.

The council’s action was based on the planning commission’s recommendation and a staff review that flagged stormwater and financial‑security requirements. Peters told council that the work will add impervious area in front of the main entrance and that the team plans to offset that by adding stormwater‑management measures in the north parking lot. He said the property contains an existing storm sewer that runs past the gym and “is old, it’s in disrepair,” and that upgrades in the north lot are “best suited” to meet the project’s stormwater requirements.

Council members asked about the extent of grading and the plan to cut into the hillside behind the church. Peters said he had not brought the grading plan to the meeting, but confirmed the design includes cutting into the hillside to make the parking changes. He also said the project will add six additional ADA parking spaces and that the overall net parking gain was reported to council as 22 spaces along the front of the church and 21 spaces in the south lot — “just over 40 additional spaces.” Peters described the stormwater work as more extensive than originally anticipated but necessary to address existing conditions and the new impervious area.

The approved motion conditions the plan on satisfying the engineer’s review letter, finalizing and executing a developer’s agreement and a stormwater maintenance agreement, and posting the required financial security, all subject to solicitor approval. Council voted to approve the motion by voice vote; the motion passed.

The parish’s pastor, Father Terry O’Connor, was not at the meeting; Peters attended on the diocese’s behalf and offered to provide plan sets to the borough office for staff review. The council directed staff to ensure the developer’s and stormwater agreements address inspection and long‑term maintenance responsibilities before final plan recording.

The project will return to borough staff and solicitor for the required paperwork and security calculations before the final recording of plans and issuance of permits.