Council approves Toll‑led Kindergarten Center subdivision with conditions, public open space offered to borough

Phoenixville Borough Council voted to approve the preliminary and final subdivision and land‑development plan for the project commonly called the "Kindergarten Center," proposed by Toll Mid Atlantic. The application consolidates two parcels at 100 School Lane and 41 2nd Avenue (approximately 15.3 acres) and proposes 93 dwelling units (73 single‑family townhomes and 20 twin dwellings), internal private streets, sidewalks and a 12‑foot trail linking School Lane to the rear of the site.

The applicant team — represented by counsel Allison Zarrow and project leads including civil engineer Jeff Madden and planner Justin Barnett — described key elements: demolition of existing structures, environmental remediation under Pennsylvania Act 2 standards, three access points from 2nd Avenue and School Lane, a proposed 1.445‑acre tract to be dedicated as public open space, and a separate ~1.5‑acre municipal parcel for potential future borough use. "We are proposing a connection, a crosswalk across 2nd Avenue… and a 5 foot concrete sidewalk that would be constructed," an applicant representative said when describing pedestrian connections.

Stormwater and topography were focal technical issues. Jeff Madden told council the site features roughly 35–40 feet of elevation change toward the railroad and that the design includes trench grates at intersections, underground bypass pipes and treatment basins to capture and treat runoff before it leaves the site. "We put trench grates to capture any of the water that would possibly go across the 2nd Avenue, capture it, and then put it underground," he said.

Council discussion and conditions: members pressed on parking and guest parking, tree preservation, open‑space grading and HOA enforcement. Staff and the applicant agreed to: require EV‑ready outlets in each garage consistent with borough ordinance; include HOA restrictions preventing conversion of garages to storage (and require staff review of HOA documents before recordation); add additional plantings to alleys and streetscapes to borough planner satisfaction; and fence and management details for basins with long inundation periods.

Public comment included questions about the northwest tree stand and street‑tree spacing along 2nd Avenue; applicant representatives said they would remove invasive species suppressing existing canopy and plant trees consistent with the borough landscape requirements.

The motion to approve was made and seconded; council approved the plan with the conditions and waivers discussed. The council recorded the approval after deliberation and public comment.