CRESSONA — A 72-unit apartment complex might soon become reality in North Manheim Township.
A township zoning hearing board scheduled a hearing for 6:30 p.m. Monday at the township municipal building, 303 Manheim Road, Pottsville, for an application by Grande Land L.P., West Lawn, for the Chesnut Hill Apartments complex. A legal ad in The Republican-Herald recently said the applicant is seeking a special exception to build eight multifamily structures for a total of 72 dwelling units. A ruling could be made at the meeting.
The application was submitted to North Manheim Township in March. The proposed area is on Route 183, west of Cross Creek Road and south of Stony Run Road. An addendum to the zoning application states the apartments are to be located on about 12.9 acres. About 11.4 acres of open space is included for a total area of 24.3 acres.
Barbara G. Miller, secretary/treasurer for North Manheim Township, said Tuesday that the housing development there now, Chestnut Hill, is owned by the same person who wants to develop the apartments. She said a prior plan approved in the late ’80s or early ’90s had four phases of development for homes, which are now complete. She said there was a section that was reserved for apartments on the plans. The use of the apartments is permitted by special exception but an application must be made to the zoning hearing board. The area is in a R2 zoning district, medium density residential.
“Although there is no specific land development approval granted to the subject area, the master plan did show that the area was intended for multifamily construction and that it would be proposed to be one hundred and twenty units (120). The township and the residents were aware that the subject property would be developed for multifamily housing,” the addendum reads.
A call Monday to Grande Land L.P. was not returned, and no one was available to speak Tuesday. A call to Joseph J. McGrory Jr., the attorney for Grande Land L.P., was not returned Tuesday.
Steve Bensinger, a land surveyor with Stackhouse Bensinger Inc., Sinking Spring, who made the plans for the apartments, said the apartments will be two bedroom. He did not provide additional information.
A copy of the proposed plan submitted as a zoning exhibit shows one apartment building with four units, four with eight units and three with 12 units. The site will use public water and sewer. The plan shows 184 parking spaces.