Floodplain Development Goes to Zoners in Hatboro
The Hatboro Borough Council did not take a position on a plan to construct 16 two-story apartments in a flood-prone part of town.
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On the same night the Hatboro Borough Council denied financial assistance to flood-ravaged homeowners seeking government buyouts, elected officials heard an application for a commercial landowner seeking to build in a floodplain.
The application, which entails constructing 16 two-story apartments where several auto repair businesses stand on 332 S. York Road, garnered little comment during its borough council review Monday night.
Council President John Zygmont said the council did not take a position on the application, which goes before the Hatboro Zoning Hearing Board on Wednesday night.
Councilman Bill Tompkins said that if the property owner, Horizon Property Management, receives the requested waivers to build in a flood zone, the landowner's development plans would come back before the council for approval anyway.
Despite still dealing with flooding ramifications from the frequently flooded Woodwinds community, the council did not seem to be dissuaded from the possibility of building in an area known to flood.
Zygmont told Patch after the meeting that he did not know what the "engineering" entailed for the proposed apartments. If approved, the dwellings would be built one foot above the last substantial flood, which saw waters rise to about four feet, according to Jim Case of Horizon Property Management.
Woodwinds, on the other hand, which also abuts Pennypack Creek, was "put together at the convergence of a series of hills," Zygmont said.
Herb Rubenstein, an attorney for Horizon Property Management, said during Monday's meeting that the existing 98 percent impervious coverage at 332 S. York Road would be reduced to about 40 percent. All but Manja Pizza would be demolished to make way for the apartments, he said.
"In reality our application is to change from one non-conforming use to another non-conforming use," Rubenstein said of the car businesses and the potential of building residences in the flood zone. "We feel this is an upgrade on the zoning on this property. It will get rid of all these automotive uses."
Should the development move to fruition, Rubenstein said its residents would be notified in the event of potential flooding. Vehicles would be move to "higher ground," he said, adding that the parking lot at neighboring Lehman Memorial United Methodist Church is a possibility.
Mayor Norm Hawkes said the plan sounded good "in theory."
"But, in reality there are going to be people you’re not going to be able to get a hold of," Hawkes said. "We don’t want cars floating around again."
Woodwinds property owners, dealing with ramifications of past floods and, like the owners of 332 S. York Road, contemplating a property buyout, said the development should not be permitted to move forward.
"Why would you build something there?" Woodwinds property owner Pat Weidner asked Patch following the meeting. "Make it green."
The application will be heard during Wednesday night's zoning hearing board meeting at 7 p.m. at the Hatboro municipal building, 414 S. York Road.
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Manja
332 S York Rd, Hatboro, PA -
Lehman Memorial United Methodist Church
300 S York Rd, Hatboro, PA -
Jason G
9:33 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Whats the obsession with Hatboro building apartments?
Yikes!
11:19 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Two words: Tax Revenue.
Seems Quality-of-life = $$$$ to this Council.
The truth is, green space that eliminates health/life/property-risking tax revenue does not factor in. These are just some of the problems that come from the past irresponsible zoning laws. Now we are paying the price. Blame the guys who granted the zoning for building in the flood planes.
A builder's plan that includes alerting the homeowners of an impending flood so that they can move their cars to higher ground? Really???
Jolene
9:42 am on Wednesday, March 13, 2013
plus it's not unsual for developers to give a little kick back when things go their way. Pilleggi left the shell for the new district court at VVillage. Now council needs $$ to outift the space before the county match $$ goes away. Connect the dots people. Follow the moeny.
HatsToYou
3:43 pm on Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Second thoughts...what bank would lend a developer the money to build 16 townhouses in a known flood plain and who would rent such a house knowing the flooding history of the site could cause both safety issues and costly storm damage to their families?
BoroBob
4:29 pm on Wednesday, March 13, 2013
You would think that if council favored this, they would have taken that position before the zoning board gets to it.
drummers way
4:44 pm on Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Woodwinds taxpayers helped bailout Mr. Zygmonts Wachovia bank blunder the least he can do is make good on the 3%. We will remember in November.
BoroBob
5:06 pm on Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Not sure I buy the last comment. Bought Wachovia bank for 400k, split off about 75 parking spaces for the town and sold rest for 500k. I wish I could make those kind of blunders!
stay at home dad
1:29 pm on Thursday, March 14, 2013
No, dude, you don't. That parking lot is going to cost Hatboro $400,0000 of Authrority $$ to repave, so it's a loss when Hatboro doesn't need more parking spaces. Why don't we build the new municpal facilities on Bank St. instead and save Eaton Park?
BoroBob
3:39 pm on Thursday, March 14, 2013
I think many would disagree that we don't need parking, but getting and paving the lot seems wise to me, after all didn't the borough rent it from the bank of many names for the last fifty years. Not sure putting the barn for the lawnmowers there is smart unless we need to mow the parking lot, again seems like the consultants suggestion to store the park equipment in the biggest park is also a wise one.
drummers way
4:44 pm on Thursday, March 14, 2013
Baaahaaahaaa! I wonder if the county will ever want their $360,000 back??? Surly they can’t be happy with a bait and switch move using county taxpayer money. And for what a parking lot we did not need? Last I checked it looks like an impound yard. Sounds as if BoroBob has a guilty conscience, guess I would too if I was involved .
BoroBob
4:54 pm on Thursday, March 14, 2013
No guilty conscience here. Don't know anything about the county money but still think parking is needed.
drummers way
7:15 pm on Thursday, March 14, 2013
Between the cvs lot, produce junction and york road from the library to jarretts dodge there’s always parking. Nice try though.
stay at home dad
7:15 pm on Thursday, March 14, 2013
Bob, let's put the county $$ aside for a bit, and just do the basic math. You buy a property for $400K, you divid it and sell half for $500 = $100,000 profit. The other half costs you at least $400 to pave = $300K is a loss. You use Authority $$ to build a parking that Hatboro DOES NOT NEED except maybe at the train stration, except maybe parking for Chamber of Commerce and Hatboro Federal, who guess what? are run by the same person! 1+1=?
So, stick your fancy consultant you know where and put your double dealing dollars where it will actually do some good
drummers way
7:35 pm on Thursday, March 14, 2013
Right on Dad. It’s not like they torn down buildings and built a new parking lot that alleviated parking issues. It has always been a parking lot and a empty one at that. Please explain how building what you already have makes a problem better, Bob. Maybe you can ask your fancy consultants?
BoroBob
7:32 pm on Thursday, March 14, 2013
Someone forgot to take their meds today! Getting a little testy when your argument goes south is never good.
BoroBob
7:37 pm on Thursday, March 14, 2013
Parking helps encourage better stores, which is a good thing. Getting and fixing that lot, which used to be used more will help with that. Drawing connections in this town seems pretty easy. Someone either knows or is related to half the people here. Does not make it a bad thing.
stay at home dad
5:41 pm on Friday, March 15, 2013
Ain't nobody arguement going south but yours Bob. Sooooo. the math shows a loss and yes, there's a lotta cozy in Hatboro. how is authority money managed? Who decides why Tanner playground, for instance, doesn get $10K, and why a parking lot that is already a parking lot with very few customers (unlike Produce Junction) gets paved for a whoppin $400K? 400K? really?
OMG, the head of Authority is the same person who heads the zoning board! Parks and floodplains better watch out. Fancy parking lots are moving on up.