Limerick Township Zoning Hearing Board Hears Three Appeals

The Limerick Township Zoning Hearing Board heard variance requests from three local property owners on Wednesday night. They included homeowners Brook and Melissa Buck and companies and Gray Greiner LP.

John Venezia, vice-president of Venezia Bulk Transport Inc. and his engineer Susanne Creveling presented a plan involving the placement of a large building on the back of Venezia’s 21-acre Airport Road property.

The planned structure is a pole barn, 9,100 square feet and 32 feet tall. Venezia was appearing to request an exception from the current zoning ordinance that limits buildings to 1,200 square feet and 25 feet in height.

Venezia explained that the barn will be used to store their three tow trucks, a vacuum truck and several other service trucks, so that they can be stored out of the weather.

Creveling showed the board the plans for the building.

“The building is in the furthest back corner of the property,” she said. “We feel we’ve minimized the visual impact of the structure, and it’s a basic, simple structure.”

After a few questions regarding exterior lighting and whether there were any issues with the Federal Aviation Administration [FAA] due to the property abutting the airport, the board adjourned the hearing to deliberate later.

The second matter before the board was a request for variances from the township zoning ordinance by homeowners Brook and Melissa Buck. The Bucks own a 1.1-acre lot on Swamp Pike and are hoping to build a single-family home there.

Buck and his engineers, Evan Sowers and Scott Drumbore, explained the variances that Buck is requesting, which involve the slope at the back of the property and the front-of-the-house setback from the road.

Buck is asking to be allowed to set the front of the house at 60 feet rather than 75 feet. He says that the size of the lot and the position of the house require a shorter front yard.

The other variance request involves grading the slope behind Buck’s proposed home into a steep slope. The board’s consensus was that they’d like to see something other than a steep slope and Buck suggested he could grade the slope into a terraced hill and use the naturally-existing boulders on the property as support for the terraces.

After a break to deliberate the first two appeal requests, the board unanimously granted Venezia Bulk Transport Inc.’s appeal, while they came to no conclusion on Buck’s appeal. The board advised Buck that they would have something by the next meeting.

Of note on the board’s voting was that member Samuel Augustine was absent and alternate member John Lightcap filled in Augustine’s place. Lightcap recused himself for the third hearing of the night as he lives in a property owned by the company protesting the application

The longest hearing of the evening was related to the proposed child care center on Royersford Road. Gray Greiner, director of development for Primrose, represented the company along with engineer Russ McFall and attorney Mike Gavin.

Attorney Joseph Kuhls entered an appearance in opposition to the application, representing Royersford Center LP, the owners of Limerick Square Shopping Center.

Gavin began by presenting the school’s plan. Currently the school building faces the road, with parking in front of the building. Originally, the by-right plan showed the school facing north with the playground on the side.

Limerick Square’s opposition to the project is that the ordinance prevents parking in the zone the proposed school will be placed in. Kuhls also expressed concern about the building facing the rear of his clients’ property.

Engineer Russ McFall explained that having the building face the road allows for more green space on the property as well as the ability to keep all their stormwater management aboveground.

Greiner spoke about the design of the school and how they felt that turning the building so that the playgrounds were in back was a safety issue. Primrose Schools are based on a somewhat standard design, with allowances made for the number of children and staff.

Royersford Road neighbors Katie and Gary Martin and Jeff DiPietro spoke up in favor of allowing the Primrose School to be built. Martin said that the school would be a vast improvement over the house that is on the property now.

After two hours of testimony from both sides, the board advised Greiner that they have 45 days to issue a written decision on his appeal, and adjourned for the evening.