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Commission approves church parking plan after debate over large stormwater outlet
Summary
The Planning Commission approved the Silo Grace Christian Church parking lot plan on condition it meet Gateway Engineers' June 16 review and obtain outstanding third-party permits. Project engineers said the site’s 70% release-rate requirement pushed the design toward a large outlet (up to a 42-inch pipe) or alternatives.
The Cecil Township Planning Commission on June 18 approved the Silo Grace Christian Land Development parking plan (application 2026-0010) contingent upon addressing Gateway Engineers’ June 16, 2026 review letter and obtaining required third-party permits such as a PennDOT highway occupancy permit.
Perry Krider of KLH Engineers presented the site plan and confirmed most review comments have been addressed; he and project engineer Mike Rizzo said the only remaining items were third-party permits and stormwater operations and maintenance agreements. Rizzo explained the project sits in a 70% release-rate district and that the township’s hydrology requirements force a significant outlet: "we had to reduce the storm water leaving the site by 70%," he said, describing calculations that left the team considering a 42-inch diameter outlet pipe or a roughly 3-ft pipe and noting they examined pond options but were concerned about child safety near a pond on a church site.
Commissioners asked whether PennDOT would approve an HOP to tie into existing roadside inlets and raised downstream concerns, including the condition of an older private pipe that carries water through Muse to Chartiers Creek. One commissioner said following the ordinance and providing adequate stormwater treatment was important to avoid downstream problems. Staff and the applicant said they were still evaluating options to reduce pipe size if practical and would submit revised engineering calculations and required permits to Gateway Engineers. The commission recorded abstentions on the approval but carried the motion.
Next steps: the applicant must file the outstanding third-party permits (PennDOT HOP) and provide the final stormwater calculations that demonstrate compliance with the 70% release-rate requirement and Gateway Engineers' comments. The approval is contingent on those submittals.
Why this matters: the stormwater design and outlet size affect downstream neighborhoods and municipal road stability where runoff could exacerbate slope or landslide risk; commissioners emphasized the need to verify capacity in the receiving inlet and to require documentation of long-term maintenance responsibilities.
