On the Agenda: Planners Oppose Text Amendment for North Side Senior Housing

At Tuesday’s Phoenixville Borough Council meeting, members will have to decide whether or not to go against the recommendation of the borough planning commission.

After a lengthy meeting July 21, the commission unanimously voted against recommending a zoning text amendment for the multi-use residential (MR) zoning district. Episcopal Community Services and Church Housing Corporation proposed the amendment.

The developer hopes to on a 2.95-acre property formerly slated for a new firehouse. The facility as proposed would have 68 units and one resident manager unit, along with activity rooms, dining facilities and other social spaces for senior residents. It is proposed to be housing for low-income seniors through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

The property is located at 501 Franklin Ave., next to Friendship Field. During the planning commission meeting, Vice Chairman Ron Knabb recused himself and presented with the applicant. He serves as architect for the project.

Borough officials met with the applicant to work on the zoning text amendment, which would allow for senior housing in the MR zoning district, setting specific rules for those types of developments within that district. As proposed, senior housing would be allowed in the MR district by conditional use if the zoning text amendment passed.

Commission members expressed qualms about opening up the entire MR district, which takes up a large portion of the northern part of the borough, to senior housing projects.

Rather than allowing any lot of more than one acre to have a senior housing use, commission members changed the zoning text amendment to allow only lots greater than 2.5 acres within the MR district to have a senior housing use. That would leave eight properties, including the Church Housing tract, open to the possibility of senior housing.

“It would take about half of those parcels out of the ball game,” Borough Planner Ray Ott said.

Still, commission members expressed concerns about recommending approval of the zoning text amendment.

“I’m not in favor of the project because I think it’s a bad site for it,” Saneck said.

Planning Commission Member Tom Carnevale explained that he is not against senior housing in the borough. He said he was, however, against allowing the senior housing use throughout the entire expansive MR district.

“I’m tired of putting seniors in the back corners,” Carnevale said.

While the Church Housing Corporation property would allow seniors to walk to Franklin Commons, other properties in the MR district would not be suited to having seniors walk to shops or other destinations.

“I’m totally against sticking senior housing in places where [seniors] are forced to drive,” Carnevale said.

Commissioner Marcia Eldred said she was “all for senior housing,” but she questioned if the Church Housing Corporation project could be three stories instead of four.

“I think that you should consider three stories,” Eldred said.

Knabb explained that doing that would expand the footprint drastically, taking away parking and possibly exceeding the allowable impervious coverage amount.

“It’s really not achievable,” he said.

A few residents also showed up to inquire about the possible development. Matthew Viscuso, who lives near the property in question, asked about the elevation of the proposed building and questioned whether or not it would take away from his property value.

Resident Irene Hilly said the proposed senior housing would be best as two stories to better blend in with the neighborhood.

After making a motion, including the amendment of making the zoning text amendment applicable only to lots larger than 2.5 acres and other changes to cut down on redundancy, the commission voted 6-0 to oppose the zoning text amendment.

One option mentioned by Ott would be to change the zoning of the lot to Neighborhood Conservation Residential, which it was formerly. That district has few undeveloped lots, while the MR district has many lots that would be open to senior housing if the zoning text amendment is approved.

At Tuesday’s meeting, council will decide whether or not to schedule a public hearing to consider adopting the proposed zoning amendment. As a recommending body, the planning commission can offer a suggestion one way or the other, but ultimately, council members have the final say.

The planning commission sent an action memo to council dated Aug. 2 noting the unanimous vote against the zoning text amendment.

“The planning commission is not opposed to senior housing,” Carnevale said July 21 after the vote was taken. “We’re opposed to a senior housing zoning amendment for the entire MR district.”

In past discussions about the proposed Church Housing Corporation development on the site, Councilman James Evans (D-North) has recused himself due to his role with Church Housing Corporation.

Tuesday’s borough council meeting begins at 7 p.m. Visit the borough’s website to see the full zoning map. You can also see the full agenda for tonight's meeting on the borough's site.