Planners consider zoning change to shrink lots, boost open space for Weston Way redevelopment

Keith Choper, chair of the West Whiteland Township Planning Commission, opened discussion May 5 on a conditional-use filing to redevelop the former Weston Solutions office campus at 1400 Weston Way and the companion zoning amendment the applicant proposes to enable that plan.

The amendment would alter the cluster development option by lowering the minimum lot size from 22,000 to 19,000 square feet and raising the minimum required open space from 30% to 40% of the developable acreage. Planning Director John Weller said the proposal also expresses some limits for building and impervious cover in square feet for cluster developments and recommended removing lot-averaging language that would make those square-foot caps impractical.

The applicant team — attorney Alyson Zarro of Riley, Riper, Hollin & Colagreco; engineers Denny Howell and Denny Howell III of Howell Engineering; and developer representative Tom Kessler — told commissioners they revised the plan after prior feedback to preserve more woodlands along King Road and increase open space. Zarro said the applicant can meet Township requirements and that the amendment is intended to deliver more protected open space while capping building and impervious coverage.

Weller warned commissioners that the proposed change would raise allowable building coverage on the reduced lot size (he cited an increase from 2,640 to 4,356 square feet under the draft), making houses larger on smaller lots. He also noted that the Township’s high-density Office/Residential option permits much smaller lots (7,000 sq. ft.) with higher percentage coverage, pointing to nearby Exton Walk as an example of market demand for larger homes on smaller yards.

Several commissioners pressed the applicant on neighborhood impacts. Weller said two nearby subdivisions — Swedesford Chase and Ryerss Hunt — have lot sizes clustered around 22,000 square feet and could become legally nonconforming under the change. Commissioner Denise Jones objected to the proposed minimum yards (rear 20 feet, side 15 feet), saying those dimensions would undermine privacy and leave children with no place to play. The applicant agreed to increase setbacks to 30 feet and to add a playground area near Lots 15 and 16, per a previous suggestion.

Commissioners also debated how directly to notify neighbors. Choper said residents likely to be affected should be told and given an opportunity to comment; Weller said the Township must advertise hearings and post notices but is not required to mail certified letters to individual property owners and said that step would be cost-prohibitive. The Commission recommended notifying the two HOAs that represent the nearest communities; staff proposed scheduling the public hearing on the amendment for a later date (staff suggested June 2 as a possibility because the May 21 meeting already had two plans on the agenda).

On technical points, applicant engineer Denny Howell said the plan complies with both the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance and the Zoning Ordinance open-space definitions and will work with Township consultants to reconcile differing language, including whether stormwater basins count toward required open space. Howell also proposed low-pressure grinder pumps to avoid requiring the Township to accept new force mains and pump stations; attorney Zarro noted DEP will require an operations and maintenance agreement that gives the Township enforcement authority.

There was no public comment on the amendment or the conditional-use plan during the meeting. The applicant agreed to revise the draft amendment to remove lot averaging and increase the setback to 30 feet and to submit revised plan materials and a trip-generation letter. The Planning Commission did not take a final vote on the amendment or the conditional-use application; staff advised the Historical Commission will review the conditional-use plan at its next monthly meeting and staff will notify the two HOAs of the next Planning Commission hearing.

The commission had earlier approved the April 28, 2026 minutes (motion by Denise Jones, seconded by Dan Cote, passed 5-0).

What’s next: The applicant will submit revised zoning amendment language and plans; the Planning Commission expects to consider the revised materials at a future meeting, with formal public notice and advertisement required prior to any vote.