Board of Adjustment approves Saint James subdivision, clears Winston School relocation with conditions

The Springfield Township Board of Adjustment voted unanimously to approve application 202516, allowing Saint James Catholic Church to subdivide its 5.05-acre property at 45 South Springfield Avenue so the Winston School can occupy the former parish school and the parish can build a new parish center.

The board’s decision, taken after testimony from parish leaders, the school principal and technical experts, grants conditional-use and bulk relief for the private school and related variances for lot size, open-space and impervious coverage. The board attached conditions requiring compliance with professional reports, revisions to some drawings and operational limits to address neighborhood concerns.

“Mister Haley” (applicant counsel) led the presentation and said the proposal preserves the school building by selling it to the Winston School while creating a new parish center on the rectory site. Father David Gaichedo Santos, pastor of Saint James, told the board the parish wanted an adaptive reuse that keeps the school building intact: “The proposal from Winston School to keep the school building as a school building was and is a blessing.”

Technical witnesses described how the plan will work. Jeffrey Cadoff, the site engineer, testified the overall project adds only about 445 square feet (roughly 0.01 acres) of new impervious coverage but qualifies as a major development because about one acre will be disturbed; stormwater measures (an underground basin plus an above-ground basin) are designed so post-construction outflow will be no more than 80% of existing flow as required by state standards. Cadoff also said the parties will reconfigure parking to provide a 15-foot buffer along the property line and add a landscape plan.

Josephine Diamond, principal of the Winston School, described operations at the proposed site: a deliberately small program for students with learning differences (grades 1–8), staggered drop-off beginning at 07:30 a.m., and no school buses. “We are purposefully small,” Diamond said, noting the school’s current enrollment and staffing and emphasizing the school’s experience managing staggered arrivals and departures.

Traffic engineer Andrew Jafolla presented a traffic study (counts taken May 6) and a capacity analysis showing the three driveways serving the church and school will operate at acceptable levels (generally LOS A–B). Jafolla testified that the Winston driveway will be independent of the church’s driveways, that drop-off operations and staff proctors will help circulation, and that striping and signage can be required during final plan compliance.

Planner Nicholas Graviano summarized the zoning relief sought: the property is in the S-75 district (house of worship permitted; private school is a conditional use). The team requested conditional-use relief for recreational/open-space requirements (proposing about 17.7% where 30% is required), a minimum-lot-size waiver for the school lot (proposing 2.53 acres vs. the 3.0-acre standard), and c-variances for impervious coverage and total side-yard percentage. Graviano told the board that the proposal advances municipal land-use purposes, offers stormwater improvements, and that the impacts will be minimal in context.

Neighbors asked questions about tree removal, fencing and playground location. A resident who said his property abuts the convent asked whether the convent would be demolished (the engineer confirmed the convent will be removed and some nearby trees will be removed to create a recreation area) and whether a fence would be provided (engineer: an open fence will be shown on revised plans). The engineer estimated approximately 9,800 square feet of wooded area would be cleared to create the recreational area (approximate figure provided on the record).

The board’s approval was accompanied by conditions the board placed on the record: compliance with DEP/regulatory water management and all board-professional comments; revised drawings reflecting a 15-foot buffer and updated parking layout; a landscape plan prepared by a landscape architect; compliance with Springfield Township’s tree removal ordinance; certified playground design and installation if a playground is installed; rooftop mechanical screening; and an enrollment cap for the private school tied to the approval. The board discussion settled on a maximum enrollment cap recorded in the motion (board minutes note a cap discussed in the hearing and reflected in conditions).

At roll call the motion carried with recorded yes votes from Vice Chair Mark Cunningham, Miss Dodson, Mister Hockstein, Mister Fershenbaum, Miss Naparano, Mister Shewetz and Chair Cohen. The board closed the hearing and adjourned the meeting.

What happens next: the applicant must submit revised construction and landscape plans to the township addressing the board professionals’ comments and the conditions recorded in the approval; required permits (soil erosion and sediment control, any county roadway improvements and final stormwater approvals) must be obtained before construction begins.