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Developer proposes clustered subdivision for Walton Farm; seeks zoning text amendment
Summary
WB Homes presented clustered development and a zoning text amendment for the 33–34‑lot Walton Farm at 1780 Crevele Road, saying the cluster option would preserve 13+ acres of open space, reduce impervious area by about half an acre, and called for planning‑commission review.
Chris Canavan, president of WB Homes, told the Towamencin Township Board of Supervisors on Feb. 25 that his firm is seeking to develop the 33.7‑acre Walton Farm at 1780 Crevele (Walton) Road as single‑family housing and has filed a zoning text amendment application to create a cluster‑development option. “This is a proof‑of‑concept plan,” Canavan said, describing a clustered plan that would allow smaller lots (12,000 square feet minimum under the proposed text) while requiring at least 35% open space and adjusted setbacks to keep homes away from the turnpike and preserve the existing historic farmstead.
Canavan presented two schematic layouts: a by‑right plan that would create 33 lots of roughly 30,000‑square‑foot parcels, and a clustered plan of 34 lots that concentrates homes to generate roughly 13 acres of contiguous open space and buffer the wooded stand and the farmhouse. He said the clustered plan would “move the homes away from the turnpike” and result in about a half‑acre less impervious surface than the by‑right option, which he argued would improve stormwater management and better protect sensitive areas.
Canavan said the site has access to public water and sewer at nearby intersections and that the company modeled the draft ordinance language on an existing mixed‑residential cluster standard used elsewhere in the township. He asked the board to refer the text amendment application to the township planning commission and Montgomery County review before any ordinance hearing. “We will be back once we’ve checked those boxes for further discussion,” Canavan said.
Board members asked technical and design questions about lot shapes, potential townhome or twin home options in the middle section of the plan, and the overall fit with the R‑175 zoning district. Canavan said the plan before the board was an initial concept and that WB Homes would work with the planning commission and consultants to revise the layout. The board did not take a formal vote on the text amendment at the meeting; staff and the developer indicated the next step would be planning‑commission review and then a public ordinance hearing if the commission forwards a recommendation.
What happens next: The developer requested referral to the township and county planning commissions for review; the board indicated receptivity but recorded no formal referral motion at the Feb. 25 meeting. If the commissions review the application favorably, the board would consider an ordinance hearing and possible vote at a future meeting.
