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Zoning board approves reduced senior housing project at West Chester Pike with strict conditions, including no resident parking
Summary
After a lengthy, well‑attended hearing, the board approved a revised plan for a subsidized senior community at 7800 West Chester Pike — reduced from four to three floors and 52 to 36 units — with 21 on‑site parking spaces and conditions including a covenant prohibiting resident vehicles, buffering and required land‑development approvals.
The Zoning Hearing Board approved an amended application from West Chester Pike, LLC to build a three‑story, 36‑unit subsidized senior housing community at 7800 West Chester Pike, with a number of conditions the board said are intended to limit neighborhood impacts. Applicant representatives said they removed a fourth floor and reduced total units from 52 to 36; architect Kurt Raymond described unit sizes (1‑bedrooms about 625 sq ft; two‑bedrooms about 900 sq ft) and the design of an under‑building parking area with a 10‑foot planted buffer and a privacy fence along the rear property line.
Traffic engineer John Carullo presented a parking needs study based on the 2025 ITE Parking Generation Manual and comparable facilities and concluded the peak parking demand for the proposed senior community would be about 17 spaces, making the proposed 21‑space supply sufficient. Applicant representatives said the community will be for residents age 62 and over at lower‑income levels and that the lease will prohibit residents from keeping motor vehicles on‑site.
Neighbors and party representatives raised concerns about parking spillover, traffic on Westchester Pike, emergency‑vehicle access, building height and long‑term use. After executive session the board approved the amended relief 2–1 and imposed multiple conditions: no on‑site resident parking enforced by restrictive covenant in leases; installation of buffering and a six‑foot privacy fence along the rear property line to the township engineer’s satisfaction; applicant must obtain all required township and PennDOT approvals; conditions to run with the land so future owners/operators must return to the board if use changes.
