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It's that time again!


 Okay, so maybe pitchforks and torches is a bit extreme, but we definitely need folks to show up for the Planning Commission meeting this Monday, March 21 (which, incidentally, is also the first full day of spring) at the Skippack Township building at 4089 Heckler Road, next to Skippack Elementary, at 7:30 PM.

The airport project is on the agenda ... specifically, whether or not to approve the Conditional Use permit. For those who want to know the specifics of why we think the permit should be denied, read on. Regardless, we hope to see you there!

We think the Conditional Use permit should not be approved for the following reasons:

  1. The amount of open space does not meet the CDO requirement of 50% of the gross acreage; it actually comes in at about 47%. Our position is that this is an unacceptable condition and the Conditional Use permit should not be approved until it is corrected.
  2. The total size of the tract is ambiguous. The site survey done by the developer has one value, the Montgomery County Land Records office has another, and there is a difference of about 3/4 of an acre ... enough to force the developer to go back and come up with a new plan.
  3. The intersection sight line at Mill Road and Hildebeitel Road is not up to standards. According to PennDOT, each leg of the the intersection sight line (the distance along each roadway) at this intersection must by 140 feet. This is measured at a height of 3.5 feet above the roadway, at a distance of six feet from the edge of the travel lane. Assuming a perfect right triangle, this yields a required unobstructed sight line of just a hair under 198 feet. Given the fairly steep negative grade from the intersection with Hildebeitel Road along the northeastern leg of this triangle, and the fact that one of the retention basins (with an eight foot berm) is planned for this location, this causes this intersection to fall outside of PennDOT standards (See AASHTO Green Book 6th Edition, p. 9-33; PennDOT Publication 13M, p. 9.33; PennDOT Publication 70M, p. 2-8).
  4. The intersection sight line at the Mill Road entrance to the subdivision looking northwest along Mill Road is about 115 feet before a steep (roughly 6% - 7%) negative grade on Mill Road obstructs vision. While the sight line for people exiting the subdivision is sufficient according to PennDOT standards, the sight line for people travelling in the northwest direction on Mill Road (from Collegeville Road to Hildebeitel Road) does not meet the minimum sight line standard (See AASHTO Green Book 6th Edition, p. 9-33; PennDOT Publication 13M, p. 9.33; PennDOT Publication 70M, p. 2-8).

It is for these reasons that we think the Planning Commission should recommend denial of the permit. Please join us on Monday, March 21, at 7:30 to add your voice to the ever-growing number of residents who feel that overdevelopment needs to stop.


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