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May 13, 2025 Planning Commission Minutes

PRESENT – Chairperson Kline, Vice Chair McCuen, Member Blickley, Member Hibbs, Member Gallagher, and County Planner Miklos were present.

CALL TO ORDER – Chairperson Kline called the May 13, 2025, Planning Commission Meeting to order at 7:00 P.M.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – Vice Chair Kline led the Pledge of Allegiance.

APPROVAL OF MARCH 11, 2025, MEETING MINUTES – This item was tabled and requested for review by the June meeting. This item has been moved to the June 10, 2025, Planning Commission Agenda for approval.

APPROVAL OF APRIL 8, 2025, MEETING MINUTES – Member Gallagher made a motion to approve the April 8, 2025, Planning Commission Meeting Minutes. Motion was seconded by Member Hibbs, all ayes. Motion carried 5-0.

NEW BUSINESS
Chair Kline stated before we start to new business, Manager Hegele and herself were finally able to touch base today and look at a document that was included in the packet. She sent an email out to everybody but for the record, there was an ordinance draft outlined included which we will not be discussing tonight because it is missing pieces, and we need to have all together before we can do anything with it. She also stated just to be clear, it was not included for review, but was more for a reference. She stated that the PC asked for the document and for the recommendations of the planning and committee to be included and that’s how they expect to get it. She stated, therefore, for the minute’s sake, we are not reviewing it or even talking about it this evening and she asked County Planner Miklos to give his presentation.

TC1 PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION
County Planner Miklos explained where the proposed town centers came from as back in 2021 the comp plan was adopted and one of its priority items was reviewing and revising the zoning ordinance, as we bring things up to Hatboro’s current and future needs. This led to the zoning subcommittee being formed by Council to answer questions and explore any current zoning issues. He stated around the same time developers showed interest in two properties (Former CVS and Canalley properties) which made the town center take priority to accommodate the development interest. A draft ordinance which was presented to the Borough from John Kennedy Associates in 2022 was a very focused look at the Town Center District, so it was crafted by his predecessor working with the Planet Commission and John Kennedy to discuss these issues. Chair Kline stated she doesn’t recall anything that different and didn’t dig through and see what she had on it, but she remembers them doing it because of the height and the HVC units on the roof and the reason they were doing it was like John said, because of all the interest for all the buildings that were going to be like the former CVS, Gamburgs, and Canalley properties. Planner Miklos stated with two or more possible developments, what they put together was adopted through ordinance 1074 in 12/2022 which added to the current existing R RC1, retail commercial districts He stated November 1, 2022, was a planning commission meeting for the R2 Text Amendment Ordinance and he has a draft from October 2022 John Kennedy wrote, did final drafts, and the County weighed in on it and when adopted, was a text amendment which did not change the map or move any boundaries but added standards to the existing districts. He stated this was prepared shortly after as the boundary for those standards which are in effect in that conditional use option which would be applied to a redrawn, consolidated district that sits in one piece in the center town, rather than being fragmented along York Road. It’s collected in one place where you want that hub of activity, activity, rather than anywhere else and it encompasses the HB Highway Business zone the area, which is the current site of the Canalley development as well as these segments of RC1 and some RC2 that are in this central area.

Vice Chair McCuen found documents labeled differently and asked Planner Miklos why and he stated he would have to confer with Planner Kennedy. Chair Kline states she has an issue with the different documents and Planner Miklos stated that they were the same however Vice Chair Kline stated that she found different numbers from both documents and doesn’t feel as though they should move forward this evening due to missing information. She also stated she has been asking for changes to be made to the existing documents and Planner Blickley stated he has been asking for a side-by-side comparisons regarding the changes. Vice Chair McCuen stated Planner Miklos owes the Planning Commission the comparison of the proposed document to the existing ordinance and is concerned if Planner Miklos is not aware about Hatboro that he is involved in the rewrite and asked for an explanation as to why the changes are good for the Borough and would like the benefits of the proposed TC1 and TC2 and why it is different than the ordinance. Planner Miklos stated that he wasn’t sure why everything was changes and his guesses were because it was the planner’s vision, debates from applicants and Council concerns. He also stated that the intent they are striving to accomplish is a walkable, thriving Main Street.
Secretary Bollendorf asked the Planning Commission to have Planner Miklos review the list of items for the next meeting they are requesting follow up on which Planner Miklos read and is as follows:

  1. TC1 – existing VS proposed.
  2. TC2 – existing VS proposed (these two are strange as TC doesn’t exist yet so that may need to be reworded so it is CLEAR)
  3. Draft to reflect up to date PC recommendations that were voted on. (Every Meeting) “FLAGGED ITEMS “- This is how the PC and John worded the following items the PC Members requested they would like more information on:
  4. Frontage occupancy (up limit – proposed is 85%).
  5. Municipal institution & Transit Facility uses (are they appropriate in TC).
  6. Refine definition of co working (make clearer).
  7. Definition of retail use to avoid loopholes.
  8. Light repair definition to avoid auto and heavy machinery uses.
  9. Housing for elderly (doublecheck what is meant by elderly & why it is there VS other places it is covered)
  10. Parking frontage loopholes (structured parking at the ground floor level).
  11. Define hone occupation with appropriate uses.
  12. Recommend removing short term rentals and identify where previously designated.
  13. Double check telecom equipment, zoning ordinances, FCC requirements currently in place and cross reference to be sure.
  14. Calculating impervious coverage (site demonstration, examples, and breakdown of specific properties).
  15. Lot size (why 4000 sq ft)
  16. Check on ordering of dimensional standards to make sure clear.
  17. Side setback for driveways which Planner Miklos stated he will check with Planner Kennedy.
  18. Corner entrances for larger buildings to check for loopholes.
  19. Accessory buildings – size and setbacks – Chair Kline stated make sure means sheds and no ADU’s and Planner Miklos stated they were already removed when it was requested to be.
  20. Bonuses for family-oriented apartments.
  21. Consider wording regulations in the positive, rather than the negative.
  22. Review and rework bonuses: remove EV Chargers, remove white/green roofs and other normal or questionable features.
  23. Comparison on all sections. Current VS proposed – Vice Chair McCuen stated that these tables were already in previous packets.
  24. An ongoing list of actions attached to every single packet for quick review then there won’t have to be any follow ups. (Chair Kline had stated that procedure was suggested before but was thought to be too much for the planner)

Recording Secretary Bollendorf interrupted Planner Miklos a few times and asked for some clarification from Chair Kline regarding the list while it was being read to make sure everything PC members specifically requested was included. Planner Miklos stated he was going to double check with Manager Hegele regarding gathering this information and Chair Kline stated that she would circle back with Manager Hegele as well. Recording Secretary Bollendorf asked if the list was something she was responsible for during the meeting and Chair Kline stated no, it was for Planner Miklos to do, and two other members agreed, and Member Hibbs stated that Recording Secretary Bollendorf’s job was to send out the material given to me when I receive it and print the packets for the members who request it. Chair Kline and all PC Members requested their packet information from County Planner Miklos by May 23, 2025, for their review to discuss at the June meeting.

PUBLIC COMMENT – There was no public comment.

ADJOURNMENT – Vice Chair McCuen made a motion to adjourn the May 13, 2025, Planning Commission Meeting. Motion was seconded by Member Gallagher, all ayes. Motion carried 5-0. Chair Kline adjourned the May 13, 2025, Planning Commission Meeting at 9:33 P.M.

Diane C. Hegele, Borough Manager/Zoning Officer/ Open Records Officer
Transcribed by Cindy Bollendorf, Recording Secretary