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Planning commissioners set conditions for Living God Church subdivision amid concerns over woods and traffic
Summary
The commission reviewed a proposal to subdivide part of Living God Lutheran Church and build 69 homes, heard residents urge denial over woodland loss and water recharge impacts, and voted to recommend supervisors impose conditions (including proof of TDRs, reduced woodland disturbance or acceptable replacement plantings, and added traffic scoping) if conditional use is granted.
The New York Township Planning Commission spent more than two hours on July 23 reviewing a conditional-use application to subdivide part of the Living God Lutheran Church property and develop a mixed-residential project. The application would create an approximate 8-acre lot for the church and a separate development of 69 homes (34 twin units in 17 buildings and 35 townhomes) that requires four transferable development rights (TDRs) to reach the proposed density.
Resident Elaine Hughes Doubles, who said she has lived in Honey Brook Township for 34 years, urged the commission not to grant conditional-use approval. Quoting the township'025 land preservation plan, she argued the plan envisions preserving farmland and open space and said the developer pplication appeared to rely on TDRs "more of a tool to meet the developer's profit line than the Honey Brook Township vision." She asked the board not to grant conditional use for the proposal.
Jen, the township reviewer who presented the application materials, said the submission shows class 3 woodland disturbance of about 64% where the ordinance allows 25% for class 3 woodlands. She summarized other outstanding items the applicant must address, including a waiver request for a single access drive, replacement planting plans for disturbed woodlands, stormwater design details and potential emergency access.
The applicant's representative, Vic, told the commission the team had made plan changes since the last review, had received a fire marshal review requiring an added hydrant, and said the legal transfer of TDRs was in progress and would be reviewed by the township solicitor. "We're not looking for relief on the quantity of the trees. We're going to put everything that we can put on this property," Vic said when asked about replacement plantings.
After extended questioning on woodland disturbance, traffic scope, easement consent and recreation facilities, the commission moved and seconded a recommendation that if supervisors grant conditional use the decision should include conditions addressing (1) woodland disturbance and satisfactory replacement planting or reduced disturbance, (2) confirmation of a second emergency access or demonstrated rights to provide it, (3) expanded traffic scoping to include adjacent projects and key intersections, (4) verification of any stormwater easement on preserved property and (5) provision or fee-in-lieu for required recreation facilities. The motion passed on a recorded roll call and the commission will forward its recommendation to the board of supervisors.
