May 19, 2025 PC Meeting

Summary

The May 19, 2025, Planning Commission meeting included an informal review of a sketch plan to subdivide the Madson property at 380 Door Run Road into three lots. The proposal is exploratory: no end user or specific business use has been selected, and the Commission took no formal action.

Proposal and operating concept

• Create three lots, each intended to meet the zoning minimum of 3 net acres, excluding steep-slope and other restricted areas.
• Use the existing driveway entrance—which the presenter said was previously approved by PennDOT—as the access point for a proposed internal road. Whether the road would be public or private remains undecided. The applicant expects to consult PennDOT about requirements.
• Concentrate development in the less-constrained portions of the site. A boundary shown on the sketch is conceptual and was used to demonstrate potential compliance with slope and natural-resource rules, not to define final disturbance.
• The owner has no particular tenant or use in mind. Uses permitted by right under zoning could be considered; other uses may require additional approvals, including a special exception. A $1,500 fee was mentioned for that process.

Key constraints and dependencies

• Sewer and water are the main feasibility questions. The applicant is investigating public service with Pennsylvania American Water. Possible sewer routes include connections to the north or south, each roughly a mile away, or potentially a connection through a nearby mobile-home park. The route, permissions, and receiving-system capacity are unresolved.
• Utility representatives reportedly indicated that capacity for a subdivision of this general scale should not be a problem, but the exact connection point and approvals still need to be established.
• If public sewer is unavailable, the applicant would need to evaluate on-lot wastewater systems. Soil suitability is unknown; this fallback could significantly constrain development or the number of viable lots.
• Steep slopes, natural-resource standards, and a 125-foot aggregate side-yard setback affect lot layout, particularly for the rear lot. The setback can be distributed between the two sides, subject to a minimum on each side.
• Stormwater management may require systems on individual lots, potentially supplemented by a shared basin for road runoff or other drainage. The final approach depends on the development plan.
• Review materials identified a historic-resource designation. The applicant said further research is needed; the meeting discussion did not establish what feature the designation covers.

Process and next steps

• The engineer presented the sketch plan to gather early feedback rather than seek approval. Commission members generally viewed the concept as worth pursuing but emphasized the rear lot’s developability and the need to resolve utility questions.
• The applicant plans to clarify sewer and water access before investing heavily in a formal development plan. If public sewer is not feasible, the applicant may investigate soils and on-lot systems.
• The Commission offered to place an informal recommendation on a future agenda if requested. A formal subdivision plan would return for review and would also require Township Board consideration.

Metrics and timing

• 3 proposed lots
• At least 3 net acres per lot, as represented by the applicant
• Approximately one mile to potential sewer connections to the north or south
• 125 feet aggregate side-yard setback
• No firm project schedule was set. Progress depends primarily on utility feasibility and subsequent planning approvals.

Presenters and source

Eric Janette of Kelly Engineers presented the sketch plan. Property owners Anita and Dean Madson participated in the discussion. Other comments came from Planning Commission members and Township representatives, including individuals referred to as Nate and Scott.

Source: East Fallowfield Township Planning Commission meeting, May 19, 2025.