Despite a request from a developer who said a project could not move forward without a zoning change, Forks Township supervisors said they would not schedule a hearing on the matter.
Supervisors at a workshop meeting Thursday said they were not willing to change the zoning ordinance to allow townhouses in the Performance Subdivision of the Country Residential (CR) district.
The proposed Knollwood Phase II development is approved for up to 252 residences south of Kesslersville Road between two existing developments, Knollwood Farm and Penn’s Ridge.
Mickey Thompson of Pennsylvania Venture Capital told supervisors it was not financially feasible to build single or twin homes, as the current zoning ordinance allows. He said he would like the ordinance changed to allow townhouses.
However, supervisors did not appear to warm to Thompson’s appeal.
“Developers always say it can’t work without changing the zoning,” Supervisor Erik Chuss said. “I think that should have been vetted out in the business plan.”
Several neighbors of the proposed development told supervisors they do not want townhouses built next to their single home neighborhoods.
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Thompson said he didn’t understand the logic of the neighbors who do not want the townhouses. There wouldn’t be much of an aesthetic difference if he built twin homes, and if he builds densely packed age-restricted housing, which is allowed, it would be more inconsistent with the surrounding neighborhoods than townhouses, he said.
The township planning commission said last year that the zoning ordinance should be changed to allow townhouses in the CR district to avoid a “constitutional issue.”
Township solicitor Wendy Nicolosi said she interpreted that to mean the planning commission was concerned that, by law, officials must allow a variety of housing types to be built in the township.
Supervisor Dan Martyak noted that there is a plethora of townhouses in other zoning districts in the township. There is no reason to change the current ordinances now, he said.
“As it stands, it’s perfectly fine,” Martyak said.
Although Chuss said he wasn’t necessarily in favor of changing the zoning laws, he would be willing to schedule a hearing on the matter. However, Martyak and Supervisors Bob Egolf and Ed Moore said they were not inclined to change the ordinance, so no hearing is required.
Supervisors’ Chairman John O’Neil was not present at Thursday’s meeting.
Chuss told Thompson that he has the right to pursue other development avenues.
John Best is a freelance writer. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
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