EAST BRADFORD TOWNSHIP
PLANNING COMMISSION
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TASK FORCE
MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 8, 2003

The September, 2003 regular monthly meeting of the East Bradford Township Planning Commission Comprehensive Plan Task Force was held Monday, September 8^th in the Township Administration Building, 666 Copeland School Road, West Chester, Chester County, Pa., 19380-1822 and was called to order at 6:30 pm by Tony Biacchi, Task Force Chair.

MEMBERS PRESENT:

M. John Johnson, OSRB Rep

Patrick Sampsell, Rettew Assoc.

Peter Orr, P&R Rep

Dr. John Hagens, Board of Supervisors Rep

Mike Lynch, Township Manager

Robert Harsch, Special Projects Engineer

Peggy Scholl, HC/HARB Rep

Mary Sue Wiedmer, HC Alt

Dr. Anthony Biacchi, PC Rep and Chair of the Task Force

Bruce Molholt, EAC

MEMBERS ABSENT:

Patricia Murnane, HC

Mark Piazza, EAC Alt

Carl Buscaglia, PC Rep

Jean Renshaw, Esq., At Large

Robert Korbonits, PC Alt

George Fasic, At Large

OTHERS IN ATTENDANCE:

Robert Buckalew, EBBA

Mark Mixner, Vice President Administrative & Fiscal Affairs for West Chester University

Carol Stauffer, Chester County Planning Grants Monitor

Tom Egan, Board of Supervisors

Andy Rau, Attorney – Ross Unruh Office

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

Minutes of the August 11, 2003 regular meeting were motioned for approval by John Johnson and seconded by Peter Orr. The minutes and copies are available for review at the Township Building.

ADMINISTRATIVE:

The next Comprehensive Task Force meeting will be held on Monday, October 13, 2003 and Dr. Biacchi announced that he would be unable to attend. Dr. Hagens will chair that meeting.

There were no new materials and the Task Force will pick up on the discussions of future land use at the next meeting. Patrick Sampsell announced that he would postpone the start of his meetings with the various independent commissions/committees. That will push the Parks and Recreation meeting to their October meeting.

NEW BUSINESS:

Mark Mixner, Vice President of Administrative and Fiscal Affairs for West Chester University was introduced as the first invited guest and stakeholder. He felt that questions from the floor would be appropriate to start discussions. He talked about the new construction on South Campus, gave information on the wetlands that will be created on the south side of Tigue Road, the retention basin that will drain into the wetlands, and the fact that the wetlands will become part of the Gordon Environmental Center. It was suggested by the Task Force that the University should consider the plantings of warm season grasses and trees in the open fields areas to encourage wildlife and increase bird population. Dr. Biacchi asked if a brief outline could be given to cover a ten year outlook on University expansions to help the task force in their Comprehensive Plan. There is a possibility of replacing Hollinger Field House, perhaps moving the University warehouse, garage and motor pool to South Campus. The University was interested in the Tigue Farm, however the Tigue Family is not responsive and the reality would probably be the price. Dr. Biacchi thanked Mark Mixner for his input and for taking the time to attend the meeting. Mr. Mixner said he would keep the Township up to date on what is taking place at the University.

Dr. Egan said the Board of Supervisors was pleased with the work accomplished by the Task Force and asked that a vision statement be used at the beginning of each section and then information on how this would be accomplished. Dr. Egan then introduced Andy Rau from Ross Unruh’s office.

Andy Rau advised that he would be working with the Board of Supervisors and Patrick Sampsell to review the sections before they are distributed.

Task Force suggestions for inclusion in the plan were: wording about the availability of drinking water for a development and that developers would have to show there was adequate water supply, a discussion about institutional zoning that would not identify a specific zone area, but would put into place restrictions and requirements, and the need for further discussions needed on adaptive reuse of historical structures. Patrick will revise some of the chapters and present them for review.

The Task Force then discussed several of the "lunch box" items, such as major home occupations, woodland preservation, on site septic system management, preservation of existing roadside vegetation buffers, sidewalks (pro & con), Tigue Road-Route 202 link, and temporary conservation easements. These items will be discussed in more detail at later meetings.

Mike Lynch advised that he would follow through with the mailings to other municipalities to get their input on the current work of the Comprehensive Task Force sometime in September.

At 8:40 pm John Johnson made a motion to adjourn and this was seconded by Mary Sue Wiedmer.

Submitted
Lenore B. Guthrie
Recording Secretary