Alternative Parkhouse plan — fewer homes, more open space — allowed to move forward

UPPER PROVIDENCE — Township supervisors voted 4-1 in a special meeting Thursday to allow an alternative proposal for the development of the 176.4 acres of land around the Parkhouse nursing facility to take another step forward and be reviewed by the township planning commission.

Supervisor William Starling cast the only no vote.

The vote, said supervisors’ Chairwoman Helen Calci “doesn’t lock the board into anything,” but merely allows the alternative proposal, which includes donating 50 percent of the land to the township as open space and halves the number of proposed housing units down to roughly 600, to be examined in greater detail before a final decision is made.

The vote also represents a reversal of the vote taken in January which essentially asked the same question — would the board consider an alternative to the existing zoning to allow for more open space and fewer homes?

The existing zoning allows the property owner, a corporate entity known as Royersford Holdings LLC, to build “by right” 1,203 units that would presumably be a companion for the Parkhouse Nursing and Rehabilitation Center facility already there.

A conditional use hearing on a 1,200-unit proposal was canceled in March and no new date has been set. Should the supervisors ultimately reject the alternative outlined Thursday, the township solicitor has been authorized to set the date for and advertise the conditional use hearing.

Many of those who spoke Thursday in opposition to the alternative plan being floated by Royersford Holdings, which would require a text amendment to the zoning that the developers’ lawyers have already written, urged the supervisors to stay the course and stick with the current zoning.

However, according to Gary Berman, the owner of Royersford Holdings LLC, he has been approached by some in the township, including the township solicitor, and asked to prepare an alternative plan that would result in fewer housing units and more open space. During the three-hour special meeting Thursday, that alternative plan was presented and, for the most part, critiqued by a steady stream of speakers.

Attorney Ed Mullin, who said the presentation was sought because “we haven’t had a chance to have this conversation yet,” led a cadre of engineers, planners, and traffic engineers through the plan which, at its most basic, calls for a mix of townhomes, some as tall as four stories (45 feet), “carriage homes” and single-family detached homes. About 25 percent of the homes would be age-restricted, sold to owners who are at least 50 and less likely to have school-age children.

Mullin said stormwater requirements in the township ordinance would result in “less run-off than we have today.”

The traffic planner said that the alternative plan of 600 units would generate 350 fewer vehicles added to the narrow roads than the 1,203-unit plan, adding that the developers would have to pay a $900,000 traffic impact fee to the township to help pay for road improvements, including the already-planned traffic roundabout at Black Rock Road, Second Avenue and Dreibelbis Road.

The alternative plan would generate only 126 additional children for the school district, a figure at which many speakers scoffed. In addition to one-time tax windfalls, like when the properties are purchased, triggering the transfer tax, the development would generate $623,415 in property taxes annually for the township and $4,479,606 for the Spring-Ford School District, according to the presentation.

If the supervisors are ultimately still opposed to the alternative plan “we accept that and will go ahead with the 1,204-unit plan,” Mullin said. “We are genuinely trying to address the concerns that we’ve heard.”

When Montgomery County sold the property for $41 million in 2014, it permanently preserved 70 acres of land, Potter’s Field Park, across Black Rock Road, and placed a five-year building moratorium on the remaining acres, which expired in 2019.

In 2016, the Parkhouse facility property was subdivided from the remaining open space, which is 176.4 acres and is one of the largest undeveloped parcels in the township and the county. It is bounded by Old State Road, Second Avenue, Black Rock Road and Yeager Road and is one of the largest undeveloped tracts left in Montgomery County.

Most public speakers remained skeptical of the project and/or the information being presented.

“I can’t believe we’re still discussing high-density housing,” said Ray Rocchio, a member of the Save Parkhouse Farm organization who sponsored an online petition taking issue with parts of the first plan and which now has more than 2,500 signatures. “How many plans are we going to see? We don’t want 1,200 or 600 homes on that land. It doesn’t fit with the surrounding community.”

Brad Berkowitz agreed. “You keep saying you want it to match what’s here now, but I don’t see any townhouses now.”

“The township has nothing to gain from this development,” said Bill Felton.

Judy Conley said the project will require the construction of a new elementary school given that the nearest school, Oaks Elementary School, “is already at capacity now.”

Several speakers said the roads in the area are already dangerous and adding more homes, with more attendant cars, would create “literally a traffic nightmare,” said Tori Bright.

Bright chided the supervisors for only giving the public four days to respond to the news of the hearing while the township and developer have had more time. “Shame on you,” she said. “This is being done solely to satisfy the developer’s interest who hopes to continue to wear down the citizens and elected officials. We’re not opposed to development, we’re opposed to high-density,” she said,

But not everyone was opposed.

Former township supervisor Al Vagnozi said he had originally proposed the development, “I ran against it,” but he has changed his mind.

“I am in favor of a negotiated development. If we follow the ‘just say no mantra’ we will end up like King of Prussia. Without an agreement, they will sue the township, our costs will go through the roof and we will get what King of Prussia got where the judge said they can build whatever they want,” Vagnozi said.

The alternative plan being proposed “is a relief valve” to prevent that chain of events. He urged the supervisors to “be pragmatic, even if it’s not popular.”

Lori Higgins agreed. “People want all the open space and no homes at all. That’s not going to happen,” she said. “600 is half of 1,200 and I don’t think you’re ever going to get to 185” homes, which is what would happen by developing the land with one house per acre. “Businesses are in business to make money. The compromises here are everybody’s compromises.”

“I was asked by the community to come up with an alternative. I’m willing to donate half my land to the township. What else can I do?” said Berman. “There are a lot of different people I’m trying to make happy,” he said, adding “Remember, you all now live in houses someone else didn’t want built and now you’re saying no to people who are going to be your neighbors.”

Supervisor Tom Yeager said his primary concerns are the impact on the schools, roads and open space and he voted in favor of allowing the planning commission to get answers on those issues because “I don’t see the answers here yet and there was no way for me to make an informed decision” in January.

Starling said he would like to see a plan with housing “no denser than R-1,” one house per acre. He expressed little confidence in the proposed stormwater controls and asked Berman to withdraw both plans.

Supervisor Kelly Stevens said Berman’s proposal “dissipated none of the concerns” she had with it originally, expressed concern about a lack of affordability, but said sending the proposal to the township planning commission provides more opportunity for more information, more discussion and negotiation.

Calci said she lives across the street from this property and has enjoyed walking her dogs there for years. “It will be sad when it goes,” she said, noting that “lower density is at least headed in the right direction.”