Planning commission presses Creswell applicant for architectural, stormwater and sidewalk fixes

The Planning Commission reviewed the Creswell preliminary/final land development application for the site at Creswell Terrace and Easton Road. Rob Gunlock, attorney for the applicant, said the submission revised earlier drawings to widen alleys and roadways to meet the fire marshal’s concern, added an aluminum fence around basin areas and relocated cluster mailboxes per prior commission comments.

Gunlock said the engineering team widened a rear alley to the required 26 feet and met other technical comments, and that the applicant had been in contact with PennDOT regarding curb and intersection matters. He asked the commission for a recommendation on the preliminary plan to allow subsequent agency submissions, including the NPDS stormwater permit. "We are hoping to advance this for preliminary, accept the condition on the architectural, work with the outside agencies, and be back with you for as long as it takes to finalize the architectural," Gunlock said.

Several commissioners disagreed that architecture could be deferred. Commissioners said schematic design and building form are essential to meeting the single-family character the ordinance intends: front doors should have direct, short walkways rather than long common sidewalks; roof lines and porches should reinforce separate homes rather than an apartment-like plan. One commissioner said the current sidewalk pattern "looks more like an apartment complex" and urged the applicant’s architect to revise the site planning so units read as single-family homes.

The commission also flagged technical items that must be addressed before a recommendation: confirmed lighting plans and lighting comments, the fire marshal's updated letter (applicant indicated the marshal provided a clean bill of health), clearer driveways/grade solutions where some individual driveways exceed 4% grade, and detailed plans showing how existing neighbors will access their properties off the new streets. On stormwater, commissioners asked for confirmed emergency-spillway routing and confirmation of permissions for discharge to township facilities.

The commission did not issue a recommendation for preliminary approval. The direction to the applicant was to clean up engineering details, integrate architectural design with the engineering plans (particularly sidewalks and front-door access), supply outstanding letters (fire marshal, lighting), and return with a coordinated resubmittal for further review.