Board OKs zoning change for 3 parcels

Staff say decision is meant to prevent industrial development

HATFIELD TWP. >> A zoning change for three parcels on the border of Hatfield Township and Lansdale Borough is now on the books.

Hatfield’s commissioners voted unanimously on June 12 to approve the proposed zoning change, switching three properties from industrial to residential and hinting heavily at a possible new development just next door.

“Our job, ultimately, is to protect our residents, and that was the motivation behind this,” said Township Manager Aaron Bibro.

At issue are 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, according to Bibro, staff had heard indications of 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.

“Unfortunately, in the last four years, the property owner, from what we understand, has decided not to develop it residentially. However, he may develop it with some type of warehouses — we don’t know yet, for sure,” Bibro said.

“At this point, we understand that there’s some engineering work being done by the land owner, just assessing future transportation needs for a site, if it would be developed in a light industrial way. Which means, from what we understand, some warehouse-type facilities,” he said.

In May the supervisors began talks publicly on changing the zoning of three adjacent parcels from the current light industrial zoning to RA-1 residential, which would only allow single-family houses to be

built. The zoning change was prompted by a query from commissioner Gerry Andris, according to Bibro, and he and township Solicitor Christen Pionzio said it will help residents by limiting the future uses there.

“We think it’s better for that property to be zoned residential, to create a better buffer for the residents that abut it. As opposed to it being redeveloped, in a greater fashion, under the light industrial zoning district,” she said.

After first announcing the possible zoning change in May, the properties in question were posted with notices of an upcoming public hearing on the zoning change, which was held during the board’s June 12 meeting. During that hearing, two residents asked questions about the pending change, including resident Mike Shaw who asked if a developer was behind the zoning change.

“So no builder is applying for this? The township is starting to try to get this change now, in advance of a possible change later?” Shaw said.

Bibro and Pionzio answered that the zoning change was initiated by township staff, in light of the news of possible changes to the overall plan. Shaw asked if the zoning change now would preclude any possible industrial use in the future, and Pionzo said that’s true, for the most part.

“Without getting into the weeds too much, there is an existing building which is light industrial. They would have the ability to slightly expand that, under our current ordinance,” she said.

“But this way, we’re preventing the warehouse use, the heavy truck traffic, that we expect from what we think is coming on the property. We are being proactive in changing the zoning before anything is filed,” Pionzio said.

Shaw asked if the change can be challenged in court, and the attorney replied that the property owner

“has remedies he can pursue. I don’t foresee any of them being successful.”

“We think this is the prudent course of action, no matter what,” she said.

Resident Fran Nangle, also of Logan Drive, thanked township staff for notifying the nearby residents, and asked for details if possible. Bibro described the possible warehouse use, and added that no formal plans have yet been submitted. Nangle then asked for specifics of the properties in question, and Pionzio said the township has provided as much information

as possible, in listing the property numbers and showing a map of the three parcels affected, due to unusual circumstances with two of the three.

“In this case, one has an address of simply ‘Moyer Road’ — it has no number. Another one is simply ‘Walnut Street’ — it has no number,” she said.

“To go with the parcel number is probably the easiest way to be sure we’re talking about the same thing. We normally do provide an address, but in this case they don’t really have one,” Pionzio said.

After fielding the resident questions during a hearing, the commissioners voted unanimously to approve an ordinance formally changing the zoning on all three parcels, and Bibro said the change would take effect immediately.

Hatfield’s commissioners next meet at 7:30 p.m. on June 26 at the township administration building, 1950 School Road.