20 October 2026 Planning Commission Meeting Highlights
The meeting covered multiple zoning and land development applications, including residential variance requests on Hillside Road and Taylor Avenue, a residential demolition and rebuild on Washington Crossing Road, a conditional use recommendation for Spread Bagelry, and an extensive preliminary review of additions and site revisions for Newtown Elementary School. The commission also addressed administrative matters, including township budgeting for zoning services and local property updates.
Residential Zoning Applications
3 Hillside Road
Joe Blackburn represented Christine Schaefer for a variance to build an H-8 residential accessory swimming pool with a concrete surround, adding over 990 square feet of impervious surface. The proposed pool brings gross impervious coverage to 29.7% against the 25% maximum permissible in the R-1 district, but the applicant proposes a subterranean stone infiltration seep pit bed to reduce effective impervious coverage to 20%.
Commission recommendation: Take no position (neither oppose nor support); passed unanimously.
566 Taylor Avenue
A participant requested a variance to increase impervious surface coverage from 13% to 14.53% to construct an open timber roof structure over an existing expanded patio on a non-conforming lot. Board members suggested stormwater mitigation, such as a rain barrel or flower bed adjustments.
Commission recommendation: Take no position on the application.
455 Washington Crossing Road
Edmund Slate appeared on behalf of Karen Robbins to request non-conformance relief to tear down an existing home and rebuild on the same footprint within the Conservation Management zoning district. The primary home will expand from 2,217 to 2,847 square feet, keeping one existing detached 668-square-foot garage and constructing a new detached 670-square-foot garage (total building square footage increasing from 3,083 to 3,517) with an infiltration trench.
Commission recommendation: Take no position.
Commercial Conditional Use: Spread Bagelry
2804 South Eagle Road
Joe Blackburn and Matt Anderson presented a conditional use application for Spread Bagelry to occupy the former 2,300-square-foot Five Guys space (previously Saladworks).
Operations and layout: Spread Bagelry operates 17 existing locations (with leases bringing the count toward 21), baking bagels in Fishtown, Philadelphia, and shipping dough to finish in on-site wood-fired ovens. Proposed operating hours run from 5:00 AM to 3:00 PM, and interior seating will increase from 23 to 37 seats, maintaining 10 exterior patio seats. Deliveries will occur via two boxes six days a week.
Parking: The board discussed morning travel queue overlap with the adjacent Starbucks and nearby Oishi restaurant spaces, with applicants noting low morning customer conflict for adjacent retail.
Commission recommendation: Approve the conditional use application as presented, subject to all stated conditions.
Newtown Elementary School Land Development
Solicitor Peter Amuso and civil engineer Terry Karu presented plans for interior renovations, an administrative entry addition for security, mechanical room additions, temporary modular classrooms, and utility and circulation updates.
Traffic and Circulation
The proposal creates a dedicated bus drop-off loop on the west side and a one-way entrance driveway for passenger cars. Karu proposed a 15-foot driveway width to prevent two-way misuse, but commissioners raised concerns about emergency vehicle bypass and vehicle breakdowns, leading to an agreed compromise of an 18-foot curb-separated driveway.
Parallel Parking Controversy
Commissioners expressed concerns regarding 9 parallel parking spaces proposed along the front curb, citing safety hazards and congestion during drop-off and pickup. Karu clarified the spaces are intended for midday visitors and delivery drivers and agreed they can be restricted to short-term drop-off zones or restricted during peak morning and afternoon hours.
Waivers and Zoning Variances
- Signage: Relief will be sought for monument, directional, and front facade wall signs.
- Driveway width and setbacks: Relief requested for the 18-foot one-way width (ordinance baseline requires 25 feet) and existing non-conforming parking setbacks within 20 feet of the storage building.
- Basin grade and spillway: A waiver request was submitted for a 1% basin slope instead of 2% to protect the athletic fields, and turf reinforcement matting instead of concrete grass pavers for the emergency spillway.
- Sidewalks: Sidewalk waivers will be requested along the Royal Oaks Road frontage.
Project Phasing and Logistics
The school will stay occupied during construction across three phases, temporarily using a leased 16-classroom modular complex that will be fully removed upon completion.
Township Business and Planning Updates
In-House Zoning Officer Proposal
Participants discussed a proposal in Micah's township budget to hire a dedicated in-house zoning officer rather than subcontracting. The group weighed contract invoices against in-house staffing costs, noting the benefit of having an in-house officer attend evening planning commission and board meetings.
Former Garoffolo Historic Property
The property is currently soliciting bids, with structural assessments indicating the barn cannot be preserved without extensive structural spending (estimates mentioned between $22 million and $23 million).
661 Newtown-Yardley Road (Old Optum / LSAC Building)
Revisions are anticipated before year-end to reflect mixed-use requirements. The board reviewed whether mixed commercial and residential uses must be within the same structure or across separate buildings on the single lot, noting that 50-foot building height allowances typically translate to three to four stories.
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