Zoning revised for old school

Final plans for development of the former Souderton Area High School property appear to be coming closer.

The overall plan is for a mix of commercial and residential uses in the block between N. School Lane, E. Chestnut Street, County Line Road and E. Broad Street (Route 113), but the only things built or in the process of being built thus far are 72 townhouses.

At its July 1 meeting, Souderton Borough Council approved amendments to its zoning rules, including revisions to the Mixed Use Redevelopment District rules for the old high school site.

“This will allow them to add additional townhomes,” Borough Manager Mike Coll said following the meeting.

The changes include allowing a second row of townhouses to be built behind some of the current ones, he said. That would put the number of townhouses allowed to built in that part of the property at about 80, he said. There are also 24 townhouses, built by a different developer, on the former school parking lot at East Broad Street and North School Lane, so the total townhouses on the former school property would top 100 homes.

The plans by developer Select Properties also include homes above commercial buildings.

“We provided provisions for the mixed use

buildings that would be in the interior of the site — residential units above the commercial,” Coll said.

The total number of homes allowed on the site will be tied to the amount of commercial space, he said.

Other parts of the ordinance that were amended include changes to definitions and to sign and parking requirements, he said.

Following approval of the zoning amendments, council approved scheduling a vote in September on amendments to the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance, more commonly referred to as the SALDO.

The zoning ordinance and SALDO changes are related, Coll said.

“That goes more into the details of the development of site amenities,” he said of the SALDO. It will include architectural and facade requirements for the school property, he said.

Council President Brian Goshow said a lot of hard work by the planning commission went into the amended ordinances and thanked the planners for that work. Coll said the planning commission worked on the revisions for about a year.

In other matters at the July 1 meeting:

• Police Chief James Leary reviewed the borough celebration activities over two weekends.

The events included special pool activities, a car show, ecumenical worship service, Third Fridays and fireworks.

Seven congregations took part in the ecumenical service.

“Over 800 people were in attendance,” Leary said.

A little more than $3,700 was raised for Keystone Opportunity Center at the service, along with 372 pounds of food being received for Keystone’s food pantry, he said.

• Goshow noted the upcoming 103rd birthday on July 13 of Clarence Moyer, who, as he frequently is, was in attendance at the borough meeting.

Moyer, a Souderton Mennonite Homes resident, is a former Souderton public works employee who after retiring in the early 1980s, continued to volunteer for the borough.

“In a way, he’s never really quit because I think we’ve all continued to gain some knowledge from him,” Goshow said.

Council member Dan Yocum said the original Union National Bank (now Univest) building on Main Street that the SoudertonTelford Historical Society made into a museum hasn’t been a bank since 1928.

“Clarence remembers banking there with his grandfather, probably the only person alive that remembers banking in the original bank building,” Yocum said. “Pretty amazing.”

“Clarence, congratulations, and we look forward to 104,” Goshow said.