Neighbors urge rejection of 10‑unit Eagle Road sketch plan over traffic and privacy concerns

A sketch plan for a 10‑unit apartment building at 24 South Eagle Road drew sustained questioning and public opposition at the Haverford Township Planning Commission meeting on Aug. 14.

Finton McHugh, representing GK Ventures, told commissioners the split‑zoned 0.61‑acre site straddles R8 and office districts and cannot meet the township's two‑acre zoning requirement. McHugh said the team proposes a two‑story, 10‑unit building intended to transition from commercial uses on Westchester Pike to the garden apartments immediately to the south.

Project engineer Dave Damon said the site's access is constrained by traffic at the Westchester Pike signal. He described a one‑way in‑and‑out circulation pattern to limit stacking on Eagle Road and said the team had retained a traffic engineer to study curb‑cut options; he noted any curb cut on the state road will require PennDOT approval.

Commissioners pressed the team on multiple fronts. They warned that split zoning increases the number of variances required, questioned whether the financial case for 10 units is a permissible hardship for a zoning variance, and urged alternatives such as rotating the building, reducing unit count, or pursuing a rezoning to avoid repeatedly seeking variances. A planning commissioner said split‑zone properties are “always really challenging” and encouraged the applicant to test a rezoning path.

Neighbors at the meeting described the Eagle Road corridor as already congested and said the 10‑unit proposal would worsen safety, privacy and light trespass for adjacent homes. “I would fight this tooth and nail,” said David Gray, a nearby resident, who described daily difficulties crossing the road and children walking to nearby schools. Kevin Cunningham and other residents raised early‑morning dumpster pickups, lighting and tree removal as additional concerns.

Owner Kevin O’Donnell told the commission that his traffic study showed minimal impact and that the team is willing to work with PennDOT and to adjust frontage improvements — for example, widening a sidewalk or modifying curb cuts — to allay safety concerns. He said unit mix is mostly one‑bedrooms with a few two‑bedrooms and estimated 10–15 vehicle trips would be associated with the building outside of peak service delivery.

Commissioners and staff noted next steps: sketch‑plan feedback does not approve construction, and the applicant may pursue either a revised sketch plan or proceed to the zoning hearing board for needed variances, which would trigger a separate 400‑ft notice to neighbors. The commission urged applicants to resolve access and parking design, consider stormwater and landscaping buffers, and revisit alternatives that reduce the number of zoning relief items.

The commission did not take a final vote on this sketch plan; it concluded the applicants should revise plans or pursue zoning relief before returning.