Diner Developer Will Return For Apartments Approval In Hatboro

HATBORO, PA —Two out of three ain't bad.

After appearing once before in a meeting in which residents opposed the "look" of an apartment project at the former North York Road diner property, developers fared better before the Hatboro Planning Commission at a meeting Monday night.

With a smaller and less vocal crowd, JERC Partners LXIX, LLC, developers presented some tweaks to their plans that were pretty much accepted by the planning commission, which unanimously approved two conditional use applications for the project.

However, the land development application only received preliminary approval, meaning that developers will have to return to the planning commission probably sometime after the new year.

The developers are the second ones to come before the board under the borough new Town Center Ordinance, which allows for mixed-use residential and retail development.

The developer has proposed a three-story building featuring 102 residential units, 4,732 square feet of first-floor retail space, and 3,142 square feet of a first-floor amenity area that would only be for those living in the apartments.

In its revised plans, the developer presented the planning commission with three new artist renderings that fit the borough's historical "look."

Planning commission members liked all three and hoped the developer could combine a "look" that takes some of the features of each rendering, which were also passed around the crowd.

But before the planning commission signs off with a recommendation for the developer to appear before the borough council, they'd like to see a new artist rendering before granting final land development approval.

"I truthfully would like to see what the façade and the parking lot will look like," Planning Commission Chairman Kris McMenamin said.

"I'm concerned we're continuing to do the loop," said Ed Murphy, attorney for the developer. "This could be 4-6 months."

Murphy though was content with receiving the conditional use approval and then returning with new artist renderings.

"I know this is going to take longer, but at least we have some confidence," Murphy said.

During public comments, residents seemed more at ease with the new artist renderings keeping with the borough's "colonial look."

Though some who live in neighborhoods near the property complained about the impact of traffic and lighting around their homes.

In late January, the Hatboro Borough Council approved a mixed-use ordinance for a section of York Road after a public hearing of 50 people.

The ordinance allows developers to make proposals that could see building heights go to 60 feet provided they meet certain guidelines, meaning that the downtown district could have taller buildings and apartments.

The option allows for buildings along York Road —from Byberry Road to Montgomery Avenue —to be taller than the current 35 feet allowed.

All plans need final approval by the Hatboro Borough Council.