The Schuylkill Township Planning Commission held their regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday, April 21, 2010 at the Township hall. Members of the Planning Commission present were Mr. Reading, Mr. Quigg, Mr. Lange and Mr. Davis. Mrs. Potts and Mr. Keogh were not present. Also in attendance were Mr. John Sartor, Township Engineer and his associate Ms. Mary Lou Lowrie from Gilmore & Associates as well as Mr. Morrisson and Mrs. Williams from the Board of Supervisors.
On motion by Mr. Quigg and seconded by Mr. Davis, and passed, the Planning Commission approved the minutes of March 17, 2010.
Ordinance Codification Project – Mr. Morrisson gave a brief overview of the timeline to finalize the codification of the Township ordinances. He advised that he is hoping that the project will be ready for adoption at the August Board of Supervisors meeting. There will be further discussion with the Planning Commission and workshops will be scheduled with the Board of Supervisors. Mr. Morrisson advised that the Phoenixville Regional Planning Committee will also need to be part of the approval loop. Mr. Reading questioned if there will be changes to the ordinance that will affect the number of waivers given to an applicant for a land development plan. He referenced cartway widths of 32 feet that are SALDO requirements but developers request waivers to a width such as 28 feet. Mr. Reading also questioned the Natural Resource Conservation Overlay District (NRCOD) Ordinance that the EAC is proposing. Mr. Reading advised that he is concerned if it limits what a property owner may be able to do with their property.
Act 167 – Mr. John Sartor & Ms. Mary Lou Lowrie gave a brief overview of the Valley Creek Watershed Stormwater Management Plan. Mr. Sartor stated that Valley Creek is in the top three watersheds needing overall watershed management. It is also in the top five for restoration of stream water quality and reduction of stormwater runoff and flooding. The Valley Creek watershed encompasses Schuylkill, Upper Merion, Charlestown, Tredyffrin, East Whiteland and Willistown Townships and the Borough of Malvern. The Chester County Water Resource Authority has been working with the PaDEP to prepare the plan. Mr. Sartor advised that PaDEP has informed the county that there will be no more money to fund the Valley Creek study after June 30, 2010. Municipalities need to review the draft plan by April 23 and send any comments they have regarding the draft back to CCWRA. PaDEP will then review those comments and provide a revise draft. Six months after the plan is approved by PaDEP, municipalities must revise their SWM ordinances.
The mandatory and recommended minimum measures to be met per PaDEP were reviewed. Mr. Sartor advised that some of the mandatory standards are already covered by Township ordinances.
Mandatory Requirements:
Applicability Thresholds – 1) the Planning Commission contested that all sites with between 500 square feet and 999 square feet of proposed impervious area must capture and infiltrate 1” of runoff from the impervious area. The Planning Commission concurred that 1,000 sf ft proposed impervious cover that requires SWM is acceptable; 2) the Planning Commission contests that point #1 would include replacement impervious cover.
No Waivers from Water Quality Standard without Prior PaDEP Approval – 1) the Planning Commission contests the language from PaDEP and recommends that it be deleted from the Mandatory Minimum Standards for the Valley Creek Watershed.
Ground Cover Assumptions for Pre-Development volume and Peak Rate Calculations 1) the Planning Commission recommends that PaDEP replace the definition of wooded with something more logical such as a tree mass or plant community. PaDEP’s definition: “Portions of a site having more than one viable tree of a DBH of six inches or greater per fifteen hundred square feet shall be considered wooded where such trees existed within three years of application.
Prohibited Discharges and Connections - 1) the Planning Commission is opposed to dechlorinated swimming pool water being eliminated from the list of “allowable” discharges since it would be an undo burden to property owners; 2) the Planning Commission is opposed to prohibiting roof drains from discharging into stormwater systems.
Long-Term Operation and Maintenance Responsibilities – the Planning Commission opposes making property owners ensure that there is sufficient financial resources available to cover costs of long-term Operations & Maintenance and long-term inspections. Long term is defined as 35 years.
As-Built Plans and Completion Certificate – The sentence “If any licensed qualified professionals contributed to the construction plans, then a licensed qualified professional must sign the completion certificate” is unnecessary. Requiring every application to provide a certificate of construction, which would have to be signed by a PE, will place an additional onerous expense on the applicant/owner.
Recommended Minimum Standards for the Valley Creek Watershed
Ground Cover Assumptions for Pre-Development Volume and Peak Rate Calculations – the Planning Commission feels that the 50% impervious should be considered meadow is too restrictive; the commission recommends keeping with 20%.
Greater Phoenixville Area Commercial Development Task Force – Mr. Reading gave a brief overview of the task force. He stated that Schuylkill Township, East Pikeland Township, the Borough of Phoenixville and the Phoenixville Area School District are working together to explore ways that the municipalities and school district can work together to encourage targeted commercial/retail development within the PASD geographic area. Tax Abatement programs such as Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance (LERTA) and Tax Increment Financing (TIF) are being explored.
There being no further business to discuss, the Planning Commission adjourned the meeting at 9:45 p.m
Respectfully submitted,
Mary Bird
Township Manager
Next Meeting: May 19, 2010