A developer plans to gobble up this Uwchlan farm land for nearly 2 million SF of warehouses. (BILL RETTEW/MEDIANEWS GROUP)
UWCHLAN — Chester County residents would possibly lose one other large chunk of rolling farmland to improvement.
Audubon Land Improvement, of Audubon, has submitted plans to the township to construct a Class “A” distribution heart, with 4 warehouses measuring nearly 2 million sq. ft.
4 buildings at 1.96 million sq. ft are deliberate for the 237-acre property, simply north of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, close to the Downingtown Interchange at Route 100, and bisected by Lionville Station Highway.
Audubon’s sketch plans submitted to the township present that the builder plans on paving 1,432 parking areas, or one spot for every worker on the busiest of three doubtless, and every day, eight-hour shifts. 300 and eight loading docks, parking for 394 trailers and 40 lounges are included within the plans.
An Audubon consultant on the March Planning Fee assembly stated that the builder “understands” the agricultural character of Lionville Station and needs to maintain the agricultural character of the world. Audubon didn’t reply to an e-mail by press time.
The property is zoned for Deliberate Industrial Industrial (PIC) makes use of. Three conditional makes use of required for top, building of buildings bigger than 40,000 sq. ft and for greater than 200 parking areas could be required. The peak ceiling could be elevated from a 35-foot restrict to 47 ft, in an effort to scale back the quantity of impervious protection.
The Downingtown Space College District bought the property within the northern portion of the district in 2006 from Siemens for $22 million and has entered right into a contingency sale settlement with Audubon for $96.25 million.
The intent was to carry the property till it was time to broaden.
“It’s common observe for college districts to purchase areas of land as preparation for future enrollment wants, particularly in a district whose enrollment is rising rapidly,” Jennifer Shealy, director of communications at DASD stated.
A district consultant stated a few appraisers had examined the sale value and seemed over the settlement.
The contingency sale came about in July 2022. The sale was reviewed by the Courtroom of Widespread Pleas in Chester County on November 28, 2022, and Decide William P. Mahon signed the order approving the sale.
Shealy stated the situation of the property is now unsuitable since residential progress has spiked within the southern and central parts of the district and the DASD would like to construct nearer to the middle of the district.
“It’s not an environment friendly method to make use of the taxpayer’s cash,” Shealy stated about constructing in Uwchlan. “The situation inside our district is just not ultimate to serve our enrollment wants.
“Scholar enrollment progress has been within the central and southern parts of the varsity district and never the north the place the property is situated.”
She additionally stated {that a} aim is to construct a brand new college for fifth and sixth graders and set up full-day kindergarten in all 10 of the district’s elementary colleges. She famous that 86 % of Pennsylvania kindergarten college students attend all-day lessons.
“Right now, the district’s present capital fund doesn’t have the funds for to assemble a 5/6 heart constructing, making the flexibility to supply full-day kindergarten dependent upon the sale of the Siemens property,” Shealy stated.
Shealy additionally stated that the choice on the property’s use will likely be decided by the township and the builder, based mostly on zoning rules, and never DASD.
The method for approval would possibly final from three to 6 months, with a number of alternatives for public remark.
Many neighbors of the location say they’re vehemently against the mission. Noise, air pollution and wildlife will all be impacted, argued neighbors.
“The developer clearly has very deep pockets, paying effectively over market worth for the land thus providing the Downingtown Space College District a proposal they might not simply refuse,” reads a launch issued Saturday by the group of neighbors, the SAVE Lionville Station FARM. “We anticipate that current companies will likely be financially impacted by this new panorama and can doubtless get replaced by companies that cater to this workforce.
“We suspect it will likely be akin to that which one sees in Jersey Metropolis, Newark, and different industrialized locales.”
Whereas sketch plans have been submitted to the Planning Fee on March 1, the township nonetheless must study whether or not the builder will revise the plans and submit new sketch plans or proceed with the plans as submitted.
The subsequent step by the builder could be to use for conditional use approval after which at a board of supervisors assembly the township would schedule a listening to with the Board of Supervisors and time for public remark on the Planning Fee assembly in addition to the Board of Supervisors listening to. The township solicitor would attend the listening to.
Audubon has additionally deliberate to depart a 22-acre website as open house for the usage of residents. The township might settle for management of the open house, or the builder would management it.
Whereas there isn’t a use for them deliberate at this level, a number of historic constructions would doubtless be preserved.
Visitors enhancements have been instructed by the builder and the widening of Lionville Station Highway from two to a few lanes.
The builder stated {that a} turnpike slip ramp could be constructed, however that will likely be determined at a future date. A brand new bridge that might not disturb wetlands may additionally be constructed.
Eight- to 10-foot-high bushes could be planted as screening and as a noise buffer.
Audubon might want to coordinate with the close by pipeline proprietor Texas Japanese Gasoline Pipeline Firm.
Truck site visitors would doubtless be restricted to off-hours for the reason that firm hopes that truckers sit in site visitors as little as potential.
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