Planning commission backs car‑wash redevelopment at 2601 Hford Road, subject to FEMA review and landscape conditions

The Hford Township Planning Commission recommended approval on June 11 of a preliminary/final land‑development plan to redevelop the car‑wash property at 2601 Hford Road, contingent on several engineering and regulatory conditions.

Attorney Kirk Carragelian, representing Coatsville Land, Inc., told the commission the project will replace a temporary canopy with a permanent canopy, remove an on‑site landscape building and debris, and convert roughly one‑third of the rear triangle to open, vegetated space. “This client is going to be dedicating about a third of the property to open space,” Carragelian said during the presentation.

Why it matters: The plan alters circulation and site drainage in a floodplain and seeks multiple waivers from subdivision and stormwater checklist requirements. The commission’s recommendation advances the project to the township review and permitting steps but leaves critical approvals — notably a Letter of Map Revision from FEMA and final engineering sign‑offs — to be resolved before construction.

Key details - Operations and circulation: Lancor engineer Alex Tweety said the project will flip the drive‑through circulation so customers will enter from Lorraine Street, use an automated pay station, and then exit to reduce on‑street queuing. “The most important improvement from a traffic perspective is … to flip the operation of the tunnel and allow some on‑site stacking,” Tweety said. - Vacuums and access: Coin‑operated vacuum bays on the Hford frontage will remain available 24/7. New vacuum stalls on the redeveloped lot will be available primarily to paying customers, with signage and operational controls to prevent customers from bypassing the pay station. - Stormwater and environmental measures: The applicant acknowledged that car‑wash pavement is a water‑quality hotspot. The team proposed moving an inlet into a new planted island so runoff will pass through a vegetative filter before reaching Cops Creek; they said the demolition and revegetation of the rear area will significantly reduce upstream runoff. - Floodplain and FEMA: The applicant asked for a waiver for cuts/fills in the floodplain conditioned on obtaining a FEMA Letter of Map Revision (LOMR) demonstrating no net change to flood elevations. The applicant told commissioners the LOMR is a project threshold: if FEMA denies the remapping, the planned floodplain work could not proceed. - Waivers and conditions: Commissioners supported a bundled slate of waivers including combined preliminary/final approval, a traffic impact‑study waiver (relying on the zoning‑stage assessment), limited utility‑mapping relief, smaller storm‑pipe sizing, relocation of required street trees into the rear green space (subject to Shade Tree Commission review), and either a waiver or fee‑in‑lieu for park dedication. Staff and the township engineer noted most other review comments would be addressed as “will comply.”

Public comment and vote No members of the public spoke on this application during the public‑comment period. Commissioner Vic moved to recommend approval with the conditions and waivers discussed; Commissioner Steve seconded. The motion passed on a recommendation vote with five in favor and one abstention.

What’s next The commission’s recommendation is advisory. Township staff and the township engineer will complete final technical reviews and, where required, the applicant must secure regulatory approvals (including the FEMA LOMR and any necessary Chapter 105 permits) before construction can begin. The commission asked that lighting fixtures be full cutoff and that final landscape plans be reviewed by the Shade Tree Commission.

The planning commission’s recommendation and the applicant’s revised submittals will become part of the township review record for the project.