Council OKs plans for twin homes

Latest revision has driveway exiting onto nearby West Street

NORTH WALES >> Plans have been approved for twin homes on Shearer Street in North Wales, and residents there, and the developer behind the project, are happier than they’ve been in years.

“I think this is probably the best plan out of the three. Personally, I’d like to see nothing, I’ve been here since 1979, so I guess something has to happen,” said neighbor Tim Weigner.

For roughly two years, developer David Caracausa has presented several versions of plans for the property at 432 Shearer, on the corner of Shearer and West streets. Initially, Caracausa proposed a plan with two single homes as allowed by borough codes, then when neighbors raised concern about their location and orientation, presented an update with two attached twin homes using a shared driveway.

Based on feedback from council members and residents, along with borough and Montgomery County consultants, Caracausa presented a third plan Tuesday night: the twin homes would both face Shearer Street, where sidewalks would be installed, but their garages would exit onto a driveway at the rear of the homes, which would exit onto West Street.

“At that point, there would be front doors on Shearer, and rear-entry garages. If we were to do that, we would propose a berm across the rear. Water would sheet drain to the berm, then to an inlet, and drain down to Walnut Street,” Caracausa said.

Adding the berm and drainage should bring the total stormwater control “very close” to that included in the plan with the driveway on Shearer, and the driveway leading onto West would go between two trees that stand there now, which could be kept in place.

“I’m not losing them, but I’m disturbing them, so there’s a possibility down the road that disturbance could have a negative effect,” he said.

“I can accomplish certain things, but in the process of accomplishing certain things, there’s going to be trade-offs,” Caracausa said.

Councilman and arborist

Jim Cherry suggested Caracausa look at planting the berm with shrubberies or trees that would soak up additional water, and help alleviate the neighbors’ concerns about the new development adding to flooding.

“Nature has its own stormwater management. It doesn’t always have to be engineered,” Cherry said.

Several waivers were still needed for the project, to allow the two homes to meet runoff requirements and to pay a fee in lieu of adding sidewalks along the West Street frontage of the site where the trees stand now.

“I would have no problem giving you a fee in lieu of the sidewalks, so that you guys, down the road, can put the sidewalk in if it was deemed a sidewalk should be installed,” Caracausa said.

Neighbor Linda McAdoo said she thought the frontage facing Shearer Street was more in character with the rest of the neighborhood, and said she liked the West Street driveway, because that resolved her main concern, the impact of two new cars on the local roads.

“I think it solves the problem I was concerned about, which was traffic. Thank you for working with us, because I’m sure this has been harder than a big development,” she said — Caracausa replied, “It has.”

McAdoo joked that she would plant a flag on the landscaped berm to help decorate it, and neighbor Jacqui Morgan of West Walnut suggested adding more trees to the rear yard near the berm to help absorb more water there.

“Why can’t you put additional trees there, in that back yard area, and also give us some screening, and pick up some of that water? I think that would be a good solution,” she said.

“A single family home would be the least impact, but Mr. Caracausa has been given many concessions here... (the new plan) is better than the last one,” Morgan said.

Council ultimately voted unanimously to approve the revised plan with the West Street driveway, along with several waivers: to allow sidewalks toto be four feet wide to match those adjacent to the property, instead of the five feet wide required by borough code; to allow the driveway near the current trees; and to approve the fee in lieu of the sidewalks.

“Let’s hope it’s a product

worth waiting for, Mr. Caracausa,” said borough Manager Christine Hart.

“We’ll do a nice job,” he replied. “I’m ready to move on with the project.”

North Wales Borough Council next meets at 7 p.m. on March 14 at the borough municipal building, 300 School St. For more information or meeting agendas and materials visit www. NorthWalesBorough.org.