WEST GOSHEN TOWNSHIP
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING
January 22, 2003

A regular meeting of the Board of Supervisors of West Goshen Township was called to order by Chairman Edward G. Meakim, Jr., at 4:02 p.m. on Wednesday, January 22, 2003, at the West Goshen Township Administration Building.  All members were present. Mr. Meakim opened the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

Mr. Meakim opened the floor for public comment.

Mr. Walt Steimel, 203 North Deerwood Drive, stated that on December 11, 2002 the West Goshen Board of Supervisors authorized the Chester County Planning Commission to fund a study of Tigue Road and the Route 202 Ramps. He asked the Board their specific plan for this area.  Dr. White replied that there is no specific plan and that the study would determine if a corridor between Route 202 and New Street is feasible or needed. He added that West Chester University has the improvement cost for Tigue Road in its budget but West Goshen Township would own the road with the last 200 yards belonging to East Bradford Township, who, as of this time, has not agreed to the study. Mr. Steimel asked if there is any specific rerouting of the road under consideration and Dr. White said the road would have to be rerouted for environmental and biological preservation.  Mr. Steimel said if the road is rerouted to the south, it would be behind his house and that he has contacted Senator Robert Thompson, the Chester County Planning Commission and West Chester University to voice his objection to that route.  Dr. White said again that there is no plan in place at this time and Mr. Steimel said that on behalf of the residents in his neighborhood he was stating they are against rerouting Tigue Road to the south. He added that the residents were notified of the possibility of the Tigue Road improvements by a letter that was distributed without any signatures.

Dr. White said that West Goshen Township is in the process of updating its Comprehensive Plan and that a connection between Route 202 and New Street is included in the plan but that West Chester University would have to pay for the improvements.  He added that the residents in the area are demanding relief from the traffic congestion and that the West Goshen Board of Supervisors are committed to alleviating that problem. Mr. Steimel said that the residents of Westtown feel any road going through that area would have a negative impact on the neighborhood.

Mrs. Evelyn Baker, 900 Sheridan Drive, asked if the Supervisors were considering connecting New Street with High Street to release the traffic on Spruce Avenue. She added she feels the intersection of Spruce Avenue and High Street is a worse problem than the congestion at Rosedale Avenue and High Street and that some future access from New Street to High Street is needed. Dr. White replied that no other alternative is available other than Tigue Road.  Mrs. Baker referred to the lack of openings in southbound Route 202 for making left turns and Dr. White said that PennDOT has indicated a willingness to put a break in Wilmington Pike at Tigue Road.  He added PennDOT does not want to own Tigue Road but would review the engineering of it. He said any further development on the South Campus of West Chester University will necessitate expanding transportation access.

Mr. Steimel asked if West Chester University had provided the diskette showing their future plans and, if so, was it available to the public.  Ms. Sharon Lynn, Township Manager, said that the Township had received it and she would provide him with a copy as has already been done for others who have requested it.

Dr. White asked Mr. Steimel if he was more concerned about the environmental impact the reconstruction of Tigue Road would have or about the effect on property values.  Mr. Steimel said he was concerned about the negative effect it would have on both items. He added he was aware of the complaints about traffic but that a four lane highway would be detrimental to the area to which Dr. White replied there are no plans for a four-lane highway. 

Mrs. Baker said she is ambivalent about opening Tigue Road as she lives in the area and suffers with the traffic but she would not want to see the environmental area hurt.  She added that the Townships are not looking at the whole picture when they approve individual projects.  Mr. Ronald C. Nagle, Township Solicitor, stated that the Legislature of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania controls how developments are handled and that Township Supervisors are constricted by the laws. He added that interest groups influence a large portion of the laws that are enacted by the legislature including the Municipalities Planning Code.

Dr. White asked Mr. Steimel if he had seen the proposed plans for improving Route 202 and Mr. Steimel replied there was nothing in the 12 year plan concerning Tigue Road. Dr. White said that the Route 202 plan includes a service road parallel to Route 202 and access to Route 202 would be restricted.

Mr. Steimel requested that the West Goshen Township Supervisors withdraw their request for a feasibility study of Tigue Road by the Chester County Planning Commission and Dr. White said the Supervisors will not withdraw their support of such a study.

Mr. Meakim advised that $100.00 savings bonds were issued to those employees who had perfect attendance during the 2002 calendar year.  Those employees included:

On motion by Mr. Meakim, seconded by Dr. White, the Board unanimously approved appointing Grant K. Middlestead as Alternate Member of the Zoning Hearing Board.

Sharon Lynn, Township Manager, announced that based on an application submitted to the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development in November, 2002, for funding for the Route 100 Skate Park, West Goshen Township received notification on January 17, 2003, that a grant for $74,841.00 has been awarded to the Township through the Community Revitalization Assistance Program.

Ms. Nancy D. Rodgers, Zoning Officer, announced that the Zoning Hearing Board of West Goshen Township will hold a public meeting on Monday, January 27, 2003, at the West Goshen Township Administration Building to hear ZHB #2-03. The applicant is Good Fellowship Club of Chester County, Inc., 600 Montgomery Avenue, West Chester, PA.  The legal owner of the property is Chester County Hospital, 701 East Marshall Street, West Chester, PA. The property is located between 600 East Marshall Street, 600 Montgomery Avenue and 500 Maple Avenue. The applicant is seeking a Variance and is seeking a relief which requires that the maximum building height for a non-hospital building is not to exceed 35'.  The existing building is non-conforming with respect to building location, parking location, minimum side yards and minimum lot width.  Applicant seeks to extend building height to 40' in order to allow for the first floor ceiling height needed to accommodate ambulances.

Ms. Rodgers announced that the Zoning Hearing Board will also hear ZHB #3-03 on January 27, 2003.  The applicant is Scott Honda of West Chester, 706 Autopark Boulevard, West Chester, PA. The conforming property is located at 18 Wilson Avenue.  The applicant is seeking a Special Exception which allows wholesale sales, storage and distribution and any other relief necessary to hold invitation-only sealed bid sales on its used vehicles, which will be stored and viewed on subject property.

On motion by Dr. White, seconded by Mr. Meakim, the Board unanimously approved the bills to be paid from the General Fund, the Sewer Fund, the Capital Reserve Fund, and the Waste and Recycling Fund.

On motion by Ms. McIlvaine, seconded by Dr. White, the Board unanimously approved Resolution 7-03, appointing United Inspection Agency as an approved electrical inspection agency for West Goshen Township.

Prior to the consideration of Ordinance 1-03 amending the West Goshen Township Revised Zoning Ordinance, Mr. Nagle entered into the record the following Exhibits:  B1 – The Proof of Publication by the Daily Local News on January 5 and January 12, 2003; B2 – The review of the proposed Ordinance by the Chester County Planning Commission; B3, A & B – Mr. Nagle's Certification of Filing with the Chester County Law Library and with the Daily Local News; and B4 – The Act 247 County Referral Form from Mr. Nagle to the Chester County Planning Commission.

Mr. Nagle explained that the purpose of the Ordinance is to add definitions for Automobiles, Motor Vehicles, Trucks and Trucks which are Box Types and Van Types. He added that the Ordinance also amends the Automobile Repair Shop definition. The C-5 General Highway Commercial District is amended by amending the Use regulations to read as follows: New motor vehicle sales and service agency, limited to the sale and/or leasing of automobiles, two-axle van-type or two axle box-type trucks, and/or motorcycles, including the sale and/or leasing of pre-owned automobiles, two-axle van-type or two axle box-type trucks, and /or motorcycles, and/or the operation of an automobile repair shop for such vehicles as an accessory use. It also adds than an automobile and/or truck leasing agency not involving any sales activity on site is permitted provided truck leasing shall not exceed trucks larger than two axle van-type trucks or two axle box-type trucks.

On motion by Dr. White, seconded by Ms. McIlvaine, the Board unanimously approved Ordinance 1-03 amending the West Goshen Township Revised Zoning Ordinance of 1990, as amended, amending and adding definitions in the C-5 General Highway Commercial District Regulations and the I-3 Industrial District.

On motion by Mr. Meakim, seconded by Dr. White, the Board unanimously approved the signing of the Actual Use Report of State Funds for the period ending December 31, 2002.

Mr. Meakim opened the floor for public comment.  No comments were made.

There being no further business, on motion by Mr. Meakim, seconded by Ms. McIlvaine, the meeting was adjourned at 4:33 p.m.

       Respectfully submitted,

       Sharon Lynn
       Township Manager