SCHUYLKILL HAVEN — The North Manheim Township Zoning Hearing Board did not make a decision Monday on a proposed 72-unit apartment complex in Cressona.
“I urge the board to take the full amount of time to render a decision in this process,” Matt Morgan, resident, said.
About 60 people attended the hearing. Following its meeting, the board went into executive session for about 20 minutes, after which Chairman John Slane said they would not issue a decision.
“We would like to further contemplate our decision,” Slane said.
The board has 45 days from the date of the hearing to issue a decision. John R. Kantner, attorney for the zoning hearing board, said the board will reconvene and issue a decision in the future.
Grande Land LP, West Lawn, is seeking a special exception to build the Chestnut Hill Apartments complex. Grande Land LP also owns the housing development currently at the site. The use of apartments is permitted by special exception but the applicant must submit an application to the zoning hearing board for consideration. The area is in a R2 zoning district, medium density residential.
The proposed eight multi-family structures consisting of 72 apartments is proposed on Route 183, west of Cross Creek Road and south of Stony Run Road.
Joseph J. McGrory Jr., attorney for the developer, gave an opening statement and said he had two witnesses to call during the hearing — Steve Bensinger, a land surveyor with Stackhouse Bensinger Inc., Sinking Spring, who made the plans for the apartments; and Fiorino Grande, president of Grande Management Corp., which is the general partner of Grande L.P. Decisions are made by the corporation.
The proposed complex is slated on 12.9 acres. About 11.4 acres of open space is included for a total of 24.3 acres.
The area is proposed to be served by public sewer and water. Bensinger said the apartments will have two bedrooms and be approximately 900 to 1,000 square feet.
Monthly rental cost is estimated between $800 and $1,000, Grande said. Grande said small dogs will be permitted.
Grande said he would like to start construction next spring. McGrory said some approvals are needed and that time frame could change.
Grande said the buildings will be build one at a time and rented. The proposed plan shows an apartment building with four units, four buildings with eight units and three buildings with 12 units. The plan also shows 184 parking spaces.
McGrory said no federal money will be used for the proposed apartments.
Some residents said they didn’t like what they heard Monday.
They questioned the amount of traffic that would flow through the area, what might happen to the water pressure with that many new people and if the area might turn into section 8 housing.
“I’m just really nervous for the safety and I think a traffic study should be done. I think you are just asking for a lot more ambulances and fire trucks to enter our area,” said Karen Barton, a resident of Chestnut Hill since 1993, a development near the proposed complex.
McGrory did his best to defend his client and stress the merits of the plan.
“This is a responsible developer,” he said.
He reminded the three zoning hearing board members — Slane, Dennis Moyer and Bill Webber — that they should examine the requirements before making their decision.
“You are wearing a judicial hat,” he said, adding, “this is not a developer you want to run out of your township.”