‘Too Large, Too Intensive’––

Borough Zoners Reject Office Building Proposal

By Andrew Gorosko

Borough Zoning Commission members this week unanimously rejected a controversial proposal to construct a 35,000-square-foot office building at the vacant corner of Church Hill Road and The Boulevard.

In an 18-page explanation of their reasons for turning down the project, commission members stated, “The proposal is too large and too intensive for the location.”

Church Hill Partners, LLC, had proposed a two-story office building, in what would have been the most intensive commercial development project in the borough since the mid-1990s redevelopment of Newtown Shopping Village on Queen Street.

Church Hill Partners had sought approval for office building construction on the southwestern section of a 4.4-acre site at 37 Church Hill Road, including an adjacent 154-space parking lot. The site is in a P-1 Professional zone. The developer had sought a “special exception” to the borough zoning regulations, and also a “site development plan approval” to construct the building and related facilities.

Boulevard area residents had strongly opposed the proposed office building at May and April public hearings. Their many objections focused on the additional traffic that would be generated by an office building in the heavily traveled area, the relatively large size of the office building, and the placement of the sole entry/exit driveway for the building on the residential Boulevard.

At a June 30 Borough Zoning Commission meeting, commission members unanimously endorsed 18 pages of findings concerning the developer’s requests for both a special exception and a site development plan approval. Members also had met June 26 to review the application.

Following the commission’s rejection of the proposal, Borough Zoning Official Jean St Jean said that the developer had requested a meeting with her to discuss the commission’s anticipated rejection of the plan. In mid-June, commission members had indicated they were inclined to turn down the project.

Findings

In their findings, commission members stated, “The proposed use would tend to alter or undermine the residential character of The Boulevard neighborhood and beyond. The increase in traffic on The Boulevard would result, directly and indirectly, in a reduction in property values…The proposed use, because of its size and its [sole] access on The Boulevard, would tend to change the character of the neighborhood, and is not in keeping with it.”

Commission members added, “The traffic study submitted by the applicant has some serious ambiguities and flaws.” The traffic study does not consider a variety of issues that would substantially increase traffic volume in the already congested area in the future, according to the commission.

“Existing [traffic] difficulties at the [Church Hill Road/Boulevard] intersection are far more serious than the…report would suggest,” it adds.

“Traffic flow…is already at unacceptable levels…This proposal, with its size, density of use [at] this location, and having its [sole] access on The Boulevard, will indeed create additional traffic hazards on Church Hill Road and The Boulevard,” according to the borough zoners.

The commission also questions whether mechanical equipment, which would be mounted atop the proposed office building, would be as quiet as was claimed by the applicant.

The large scale of the project would not be in harmony with the residential nature of The Boulevard and other buildings in the area, according to the commission.

Also, the proposal does not comply with the borough’s tree ordinance, with local road construction regulations, and with the provisions of public notice requirements concerning accurate descriptions of properties proposed for development, according to the borough zoners.

Also, the applicant did not provide sufficient information to substantiate that the proposed parking facilities would be adequate, the commission states.

In concluding, commission members found that, “The proposal is too large and too intensive for the location. It does not satisfy conditions necessary to promote public safety, convenience, and property values.”

Last fall, the developer submitted a preliminary proposal for a 39,260-square-foot office building for borough officials’ review. Last winter, after receiving comments from borough officials, the developer submitted a revised formal proposal for a 35,000-square-foot building with more architectural detailing than the original version.

In late May, the Borough Zoning Commission approved Village District zoning for areas with “business” and “professional” zoning. Village District zoning limits the size of future commercial buildings to 6,500 square feet in floor area. Because its application for the 35,000-square-foot office building was submitted last winter, Church Hill Partners’ application was not subject to the Village District size limitations. (See related story.)

Pepper Partners Limited Partnership, which owns the site that was proposed for the office building, has sued the Borough Zoning Commission over Village District zoning, contending that limiting future commercial buildings to a 6,500-square-foot size is illegal. That lawsuit is pending.