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Developer trims mixed-use plan, agrees to design changes after ZHB scrutiny
Summary
An applicant for a mixed-use building at 978 Township Line Road reduced building height and unit count, presented revised parking and stormwater plans, and agreed to further design changes (stair placement, buffering) after board questions; the board requested refined plans and will consider variances at a future hearing.
The Zoning Hearing Board heard detailed testimony Aug. 21 on Z25-20, a proposal to convert a vacant parcel at 978 Township Line Road into a two-story mixed-use building with a ground-floor basketball-training facility and six apartments above.
Applicant representatives said they removed a previously proposed third story and cut the residential unit count from eight to six, bringing the building into the township’s height limit (35 feet). Design professionals testified that the revised plan provides 22 parking spaces (including underground spaces) and includes two driveways (one in, one out) and a proposed gate system for the lower-level ramp. The architect and design team said they were prepared to relocate or adjust an exterior egress stair if that reduced required setback relief.
Stormwater and floodplain: The applicant’s civil engineer described a plan for an underground infiltration/detention basin beneath the front parking area and proposed a partial green roof to reduce runoff; the engineer said a modest 500-year floodplain incursion near the front lot edge may exist but that the proposed design would meet township stormwater requirements and not increase neighboring flood risk.
Board concerns and concessions: Board members pressed the applicant on the location and design of the second means of egress, setbacks and buffering between the new building and adjoining uses, turning radii and whether the building could be shifted forward a few feet to reduce relief needed in the rear yard. The applicant agreed to explore moving the building forward roughly five feet to produce an 11-foot rear yard, to provide buffering where feasible, and to keep the rear egress stair open (non-enclosed) to limit obstruction beneath it. The applicant also proposed conditions to limit event-type uses at the ground-floor facility (no spectator seating; training use limited to small groups) to ensure the use remains a small training facility rather than a larger venue.
Next steps: The board asked for revised site plans, a clearer stormwater design package for the record and coordination with the township engineer on floodplain/stormwater details. Parties agreed to return for a future hearing date after the updated materials are submitted.
