Cosmopolitan Motors Plan Clears Hurdle

The 87-unit apartment complex and adjacent office space planned for a former auto business moved a step closer to fruition Monday night. 

The Hatboro Borough Council voted 6-0 with an abstention from Councilwoman Patty Fleming to grant conditional use approval for the so-called Jacksonville Green project, which is proposed for 301 Jacksonville Road at the site of the former Cosmopolitan Motors. 

Monday's decision does not mean that developer Jim Cassidy can begin building the project. Rather, conditional use approval–and the 12 conditions attached to the decision–is a needed precursor to land development approval, officials have said. Mixed-use developments are permitted in the borough’s heavy industrial district provided that applicants meet specific requirements.

The project is slated to be before the Hatboro Planning Commission on Oct. 1, Cassidy told Patch, adding that if he succeeds in receiving final approvals, he hopes to begin construction late this year and wrap up about one year later.

Some demolition is already underway, he said after Monday's vote. 

Council President John Zygmont told Patch that he did not have a date for when the council would review and take action on the land development plan; only that it would be some time after the planning commission reviews the plan and forwards its recommendation. 

Part of the conditions outlined Monday relate to parking and drive aisle widths. Cassidy would not be permitted to request waivers to change the width of the drive aisles, according to one of the conditions. 

And parking, which was a sticking point for the plan, remains largely unresolved.

Employee parking would need to be designated in the 135-space underground parking lot. 

As far as remaining parking for tenants, visitors and patrons, the condition specified only that Cassidy would "work with council" relative to restricting or not restricting parking. Originally, Cassidy told the council during last month's conditional use hearing that he planned to designate 135 of 168 spaces as resident-only parking. 

But, the council had asked how the remaining 33 parking spaces would be adequate for staff of the office and retail space and where tenants’ visitors would park.

Monday night Cassidy told Patch that he had "no problem" working with the governing body in devising a solution for the parking dilemma. 

When a resident asked how parking would be handled, Zygmont said that the developer still needed to move through the land development process.

"Land development is where all that will be addressed," he said.