West Whiteland Planning Commission recommends Board begin adoption process for updated Comprehensive Plan

The West Whiteland Township Planning Commission reviewed the final draft of the Township’s Comprehensive Plan on April 14, and voted 4-0 to recommend that the Board of Supervisors begin the formal adoption process after the planner incorporates agreed edits.

Planning Director John Weller introduced the agenda item and said the Comprehensive Plan is the primary planning document required under Pennsylvania Act 247, the Municipalities Planning Code. Chris Patriarca, senior community planner with the Chester County Planning Commission, said the plan is intended as an "implementable plan," focused on the next 10 years and emphasizing traffic congestion, open-space preservation and stormwater management. He told commissioners the Task Force held 12 public meetings and a resident/business survey returned about 2,000 responses.

Commissioners raised several targeted edits they asked be incorporated before the Board sees the draft. Chair Keith Choper requested clearer prioritization language so that countywide or emergency‑scale projects (for example, a bridge collapse) read as higher priority than smaller projects such as single trail connections. Patriarca said the implementable approach intentionally avoids strict ranking, but agreed to add clarifying language and an errata sheet. Justin Smiley, the Township’s capital and special projects manager, noted many transportation recommendations already appear on the county Transportation Improvement Inventory and therefore will be evaluated for state and federal funding.

Commissioner Priyanka Gupta asked whether closer coordination with PennDOT could allow the Township to influence construction timing on state roads. Patriarca responded it would not provide direct control, "not directly," but continued dialogue could give the Township a seat at the table when those projects are planned.

Discussion of natural- and historic-resource protections included a recommendation to consider Certified Local Government status. Commissioner Todd Rouse raised concerns about ongoing farming adjacent to parks, citing potential glyphosate use and runoff. Township staff — including Pam Gural-Bear, township manager, and Weller — said active farming on Township land will end with Phase II of Exton Park, that the current farmer holds state certifications, and that remaining agricultural demonstration ideas would be park‑specific rather than township‑wide.

Commissioners also asked planners to clarify references that could be misread (for example, the phrase "Township Engineer"), to soften or delete requirements that were too prescriptive (such as mandatory new street connections where impracticable), and to remove a paragraph that could be read as obligating private property owners to allow Township‑sponsored events in private public spaces. Patriarca agreed to revise language on enforcement, prioritization and public‑space notes and to circulate an errata sheet to staff prior to forwarding the draft to the Board of Supervisors.

After the edits were agreed, Commissioner Todd Rouse moved and Denise Jones seconded a motion recommending the Board of Supervisors approve the draft Comprehensive Plan with the changes discussed. The motion passed, 4-0. There was no public comment on the draft at the Planning Commission meeting.

The Planning Director noted the county grant that supported the plan process: a $50,000 Vision Partnership Program grant administered by the Chester County Planning Commission, which served as consultant to the Township. Patriarca said the plan will be revised to reflect tonight’s errata and will be transmitted to the Board of Supervisors along with a summary of changes and the Task Force’s recommendation.

Procedural items: the Commission approved the March 17, 2026 minutes (Jones/Rouse), the draft ordinance regarding data centers was moved to the May 5 meeting for further review, and Director Weller announced he will be absent for the April 28 meeting, which will include a Shenkin Tract subdivision review and a sketch plan for 222 N. Pottstown Pike. The meeting adjourned at approximately 9:35 p.m.