Variances granted for Goodnoe Elementary renovation

NEWTOWN TOWNSHIP - 7Ke WRwnsKLS’s ZRnLng HearLng BRarG Rn -an. 4 aSSrRveG WwR mRre variances in the Council RRFN SFKRRO DLsWrLFW’s RngRLng $17.5-mLOOLRn renovation project at the doodnoe Elementary pchoolK

7Ke ERarG Ln a 5-0 vRWe granWeG WKe GLsWrLFW’s reTuesW WKaW a SarNLng ORW Ee aOORweG wLWKLn 10.45 feeW Rf WKe sFKRRO’s SrRSerWy OLne, LnsWeaG Rf WKe 100 foot minimum required under the township zonLng RrGLnanFe.

The school is located Rn FrRsW /ane aGMRLnLng NewWRwn BRrRugK.

In aGGLWLRn, WKe new driveways for the planned project do not have to Kave WKe reTuLreG 25-fRRW wLGWK, EuW Fan Ee as narrRw as 20 feeW Ln FerWaLn placesK The driveways will be one-way and for Sassenger veKLFOes RnOy for parents to pick up their childrenK pchool buses will use a separate drivewayK

“Buses anG Fars wLOO Ee seSaraWe, WKey wLOO nRW use WKe same enWranFe,” aGvLseG DRug 7ayORr, supervisor of operational services for Council oockK

The

district has been Ln WKe SrRFess Rf uSgraGLng WKe 16,370 sTuarefRRW EuLOGLng fRr a wKLOe, aORng wLWK WKe sFKRRO grRunGs. A new enFORseG .LnGergarWen SOaygrRunG is also planned for the elemenWary sFKRRO, wKLFK can accommodate up to 800 sWuGenWs.

“7KLs Kas Eeen wRrNLng LWs way WKrRugK WKe SOannLng SrRFess fRr sRme WLme nRw,” saLG CRunFLO oock attorney Michael Carr. “7Ke SOan Kas FRntinued to be revisedK”

7Ke zRnLng ERarG aOsR FRrreFWeG a WySRgraSKLcal error in a previous variance which had been granWeG, nRw aOORwLng WKe SOaygrRunG WR Kave a 110-fRRW seWEaFN frRm WKe rRaG, wKere 200 feeW Ls required under the townsKLS zRnLng.

AW LWs DeF. 18 meeWLng, WKe WRwnsKLS SOannLng commission recommendeG WKaW WKe BRarG Rf Supervisors not oppose the sFKRRO GLsWrLFW’s FurrenW variance requests for the projectK The supervisors accepted that recommenGaWLRn aW WKeLr meeWLng WKe fROORwLng Gay.

The doodnoe renovation project includes inFreaseG SarNLng, as weOO as improved access for vehicles and pedestriansK In aGGLWLRn WR WKe new SOaygrRunG, an unGergrRunG LnfiOWraWLRn system is plannedK

The township supervLsRrs musW sWLOO granW SreOLmLnary anG finaO aSproval for the projectK The SOannLng FRmmLssLRn aOready has recommended that certain conditions Ee aGGresseG, suFK as WKe sFKRRO GLsWrLFW’s reTuesW to rezone the entire site as (GuFaWLRn, InsWLWuWLRn anG ReFreaWLRn ((IR).

CurrenWOy, WKe sFKRRO faOOs LnWR WKree zRnLng FOassLfiFaWLRns, (IR, R-1 Elow density residential KRusLng) anG ParNs anG OSen SSaFe (POS).

AOO sLWe FaOFuOaWLRns fRr the renovation project are EaseG Rn WKe (IR zRnLng.

AFFRrGLng WR WKe SOannLng FRmmLssLRn, WKe project must also resolve Lssues regarGLng feGeraO ADA FRmSOLanFe fRr crosswalks to the satisfaction of the township engLneer. ImSrRvemenWs to crost iane must also be consideredK

In aGGLWLRn, WKe SOannLng FRmmLssLRn reFRmmended that the supervisRrs waLve WraffiF LmSaFW fees, as weOO as SarN anG reFreaWLRns fees, Lf aOO other issues are resolvedK

DurLng WKe SuEOLF FRmmenW aW WKe -an. 3 zRnLng ERarG meeWLng, NanFy CarrROO Rf NewWRwn BRrRugK saLG sKe Ls wRrrLeG WKaW WKe new .LnGergarWen SOaygrRunG wRuOG nRW Ee seFure enRugK Ln OLgKW Rf OasW mRnWK’s sFKRRO sKRRWLng massaFre Ln NewWRwn, CRnn.

“7Ke SOaygrRunG should have privacy fenc- Lng,” urgeG CarrROO, wKR said that her four children had attended doodnoe ElementaryK

“YRu Fan’W NeeS WKe nuWs frRm GRLng wKaW WKey GR,” sKe saLG, EuW aGGeG WKaW LW’s LmSRrtant to have the children secure and out of pubOLF vLew. “7Kere sKRuOG be some kind of privacy when the kids are out WKere SOayLng.”

AFFRrGLng WR 7ayORr, WKe GLsWrLFW wresWOeG with what kind of securLWy fenFLng WR SrRvLGe around the play areaK The plans currently call for a four-to-six foot chain link fence with vinyl slatsK

7ayORr saLG LW’s LmSRrWanW fRr WeaFKer’s aLGes wKR are assLgneG WR WKe SOaygrRunG WR Ee aEOe WR see wKaW’s Rn WKe RWKer side of the fenceK

“If WKe fenFe LW WRR KLgK, WKe aLGes Fan’W see a SreGaWRr,” Ke exSOaLneG.