Second Phase of Trio Farms Given Conditional Approval

The second phase of Ashley Development Corp.'s subdivision plan for Trio farms was conditionally approved Monday night by the Lower Nazareth Planinng Commission.

Of concern to commission members, however, was the proposed sloping of a stormwater detention basin.

Wayne Doyle, an engineer for Cowan Associates in Quakertown, presented the subdivision plan on behalf of Ashley Development. He asked the planners to consider a waiver in the sloping of the basin.

Lori Seese, the township's planning and zoning administrator, explained that the township's ordinance requires a 4:1 slope -- the slope of the land will cover 4 feet for every 1 foot it drops. Doyle requested a 3:1 slope, which would make the gradient steeper.

Zach Cobrinik, the planners' vice chairman, said he would be in favor of approving the waiver only if the developer proves to the township supervisors that the steeper slope is safe.

Cobrinik said he was concerned that a small child could wander into the basin and drown if the 3:1 slope is too steep to crawl out of.

“It’s not good enough to have someone go out there, walk around and say, ‘Look, this is fine,'” Cobrinik said. “That’s not something you rely on when childrens' lives are at risk.”

Doyle agreed.

Trio Farms is off Newburg Road near Georgetown Road. The plan currently allows for 320 houses -- 180 townhouses and 140 single-family houses, but the developer is only permitted to build up to 374 houses, according to Seese.

Most of the development lies in Lower Nazareth, but a 5-acre section -- slated for open space preservation -- lies in Upper Nazareth Township.

The Upper Nazareth Board of Supervisors for Trio Farms in June, but added the stipulation that the property must remain undeveloped.

If Ashley Development decides to utilize the property in any way, it must submit a new land development plan and the approval process will begin from scratch, Supervisor Scott Sylvainus said at the time.

Back in Lower Nazareth, Cobrinik requested three items be written on the plan:

• No buildings in the open space area.
• No apartment buildings in the development.
• No commercial development.

Cobrinik said he wants to make sure there can be no mistakes about what can and cannot be built on the property.