Planning commission asks for university presentation, flags student-safety crossings in master plan review

The Planning Commission reviewed West Chester University’s master plan overview for the 700 South High Street campus concept on June 24 and asked the university to provide a presentation and more detailed traffic and pedestrian information before the commission issues a recommendation to Borough Council.

Commissioners said the material submitted to date is an overview and that they expect individual projects to come forward for formal land-development review. They stressed the need for specific traffic and pedestrian-safety analysis at key locations, naming the Rosedale–High Street crossing and the High–New/Church Street area as primary concerns where students and through traffic intersect. The commission asked staff to contact university representatives (Ramsey was asked to follow up) and to seek a direct presentation to the commission and to Borough Council when available.

Members also discussed the geographic scope of the Planned University Campus (PUC) zoning district, noting that several university-owned buildings lie outside the PUC and that the commission may want to observe whether future rezonings are proposed for those properties. Commissioners asked for clarification on how campus expansions outside the PUC would be handled and whether those properties should be considered for rezoning in future reviews.

No formal recommendation was adopted on June 24. Commissioners said they would hold the matter to the July work session and asked staff to follow up with the university about a presentation and any additional traffic studies. They also encouraged commissioners to prepare any specific comment motions for the next meeting if a formal recommendation is required by the borough council deadline.