Settlement agreement coming for former tile site
A settlement agreement that will be discussed next month could bring new light to plans for one of the region’s biggest properties.
Hatfield’s commissioners voted this week to set a date of June 24 to hear details on their part of a planned development on the former American Olean tile site on the border of Hatfield and Lansdale Borough.
“One hundred and fifteen acres of that site is in Lansdale Borough, but there are 27 acres in Hatfield,” said township Solicitor Christen Pionzio.
“Last year, we rezoned that property from LI light industrial to residential, hoping to create a nice buffer for our residents along that property line,” she said.
That zoning change was finalized in June 2019 and applied to three parcels located adjacent to Schweiker Park, which is jointly owned and operated by both Lansdale and Hatfield, and next to the former American Olean tile plant in the area of Moyer Road, Walnut Street and Logan Drive. In early 2015, Hatifeld staff reported a possible redevelopment project for the former tile property that would have created a new residential complex and given the township and borough roughly 27 acres to expand the park, and gave an update in 2019 that plans had shifted away from residential to new industrial uses.
At the time, board members said the zoning change was meant to allow only single-family houses to be built, and meant to protect nearby residents. Pionzio told the commissioners Wednesday night that the zoning change last summer triggered a round of litigation from the developer, listed as North Penn Holdings LLC., which have now resulted in a possible settlement agreement.
“The owners of the property appealed that rezoning. They have filed motions and petitions in rapid-fire, and the litigation has been ongoing since,” Pionzio said.
“We had a hearing in front of a judge, there have been some orders issued, and we’ve been having settlement talks. Litigation is uncertain, and it’s expensive, and if they were to win, we would have a lot of buildings up against our residents’ property lines,” she said.
Terms of the settlement agreement have been circulated between both parties, and Pionzio said Wednesday they include “just a smidgen of a building in Hatfield,” but with over 600 feet of buffering from the nearest residents.
“They would agree to deed-restrict the property, so if it was ever developed, that would be the extent of the development in Hatfield,” she said.
“Hatfield is is concerned about truck traffic, and they have agreed to a plan that would direct trucks to Broad Street, instead of into Hatfield,” Pionzio said.
The settlement agreement also calls for a possible extension of Ninth Street, west past an extension that ends at Kenilworth Avenue and was built at the time the Ninth Street SEPTA station opened in late 2015, out roughly two blocks farther west to Cannon Avenue, Pionzio said. The latest version of the settlement agreement was slated to go before a judge for approval this week, and the settlement must be presented to the public before final approval.
Hatfield’s commissioners voted unanimously to schedule a public hearing for 7:30 p.m. on June 24, and board President Tom Zipfel said the board and staff are planning to hold that meeting in person, at the township building at 1950 School Road, if conditions permit.
“We are anticipating our return to our regular home on June 24, meaning our township building, for our next meeting,” he said.
Over on the Lansdale side of the project, Borough Manager John Ernst said Friday that the developer has submitted a proposed plan for discussion by the borough planning commission, but no formal land development approvals have been requested and Lansdale is not involved with, and needs to take no action regarding, Hatfield’s settlement.
Those plans show a series of four warehouse buildings, ranging from 157,500 square feet to 242,500 square feet, with the northernmost of the four buildings located partially in Hatfield.
Lansdale borough council’s Code committee will discuss on June 3 a proposed code change that would amend the borough’s industrial zoning district code to allow reduced parking under certain conditions, according to the manager.
“This proposed change will impact all industrial properties that meet the conditions, not just the Stoltz property,” he said, referring to the property owner Stoltz Real Estate Partners.
“If council chooses to move this amendment forward, there will be a public hearing since it involves an ordinance change. At this point, that hearing has not been scheduled or advertised,” he said.
Hatfield’s commissioners are scheduled to next meet at 7:30 p.m. on June 24 at the township administration building, 1950 School Road. For more information visit www.Hatfield.org or follow @HatfieldPA on Twitter.