Ridge Pike Rezoning Talks Continue

Some of the work regarding Limerick Township's is being done by the township planning commission, and that continued at Thursday's monthly meeting.

The current draft of the ordinance was a topic of discussion during the meeting, and several members of the Streetscape and Buffering Committee were in attendance.

The planning commission is working on defining allowed uses in each zoning district and what those uses do and don't include.

Supervisor Tom Neafcy, attending the meeting as a member of the streetscape committee, said the committee has been working hard on developing the ordinance and was looking for "input and feedback" from the commission. 

Justin Keller, representing consultants Simone Collins Landscape Architecture, said that his office has been adapting the draft ordinance based on feedback from everyone involved.

As examples of some of the revisions, Keller said, Simone Collins has "revised some zoning boundaries on parcels that were split between two zones.

"We have also added bed & breakfast and clarified the 'personal services' exclusion," Keller continued.

Neafcy emphasized the importance of the initiative.

"The whole point was to make Ridge Pike more attractive for the community," Neafcy said. "We'll have more business-to-business interaction, and we'll have a town center."

Neafcy said that while the ordinance takes effect as soon as it's passed, the improvements will happen over the next few years.

"Once we have finalized the definitions," Keller said, "Phase 2 is to come up with architectural standards for buildings."

The Spring-Ford Chamber of Commerce has been helpful in getting information out to business owners, according to Neafcy.

"Gail Wellington has been acting as liaison, we've gone to a Chamber breakfast and explained the plan, "Neafcy said. He said he feels that "99% of the business owners' fears have been eliminated" by the board and township management openly discussing the project.

Bob Robinson, a member of the streetscape committee, said "It's a quality of life issue for all the residents of the township."

"It will improve the image of the community," said Robinson.

Zoning & code enforcement officer Greta Martin Washington said that everyone involved "has been looking at the existing uses and trying to compare apples to apples."

Three other items of business were before the commission tonight, but the commission took no action on any of them.