Planning Commission Meeting

DOYLESTOWN BOROUGH PLANNING COMMISSION COMPREHENSIVE PLAN MEETING OCTOBER 24, 2023 MEETING MINUTES The meeting of the Doylestown Borough Planning Commission was held at Borough Hall at 7:30 pm on October 10, 2023. Members present were as follows: James Lannon, Chairman Gus Perea W. Andrew Happ Heather Mahaley MaryAnne Baenninger P.R. West Lynn Bush The meeting was also attended by Doylestown Borough Director of Building and Zoning, Karyn Hyland. CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order at 7:30 pm by Mr. Lannon, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance in honor of Martin Corr. MEETING MINUTES from September 26, 2023, were approved as amended. The October 10, 2023, meeting minutes were approved as submitted. Subdivision and Land Development: The application SDLD #2023-02 for 185 E. Ashland St is tabled for the time being as the applicant wishes for more time to revise their plans. This will be addressed at a later Planning Commission meeting. Consideration of Ordinance Adding Red Maples to the List of Approved Plantings: Ms. Hyland explained a proposed amendment to the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance. In 2021, the Borough adopted an update to the SDLD ordinance. The ordinance was reviewed by the Shade Tree Commission in 2020 and by the Planning Commission in 2020 and was adopted January of 2021. As part of that amendment, it included an updated approved planting list to narrow down the list to native planting and changed some of the language in the ordinance. At the time, the Spotted Lantern Fly was trending towards red maples, so out of caution, red maple trees were not included on the planting list. The Shade Tree Commission would like to plant red maple trees throughout the Borough in the next few months. The Borough believes we should not plant trees that we would not allow others to plant. The recommendation is to add red maples back onto the approved planting list, since the concern with the Spotted Lantern Fly seems to be unfounded. Any changes to the SDLD ordinance are required to be reviewed by our Planning Commission. Mr. Perea has a concern about where the trees are slated to be planted and noted how the existing red maple trees seem to have not been affected by the Spotted Lantern Fly. Ms. Hyland spoke to the concern about tree locations and noted how every planting on the list needs to be appropriate for the proposed location, whether there are size or height restrictions, et cetera. There being no other questions or comments, a motion was made and approved to recommend approval to Borough Council to adopt the amended ordinance as presented. Old/New Business: Under Old Business, Mr. Lannon would like to discuss recording the longer-range ideas which were discussed during the last Comprehensive Planning Meeting. Rather than having everything in an appendix in the Plan, he believes a 6th section created with the Comprehensive Plan would allow the Plan to be more comprehensive. Ms. Mahaley feels the plan is becoming more “list-like” rather than an actual plan and agrees with Mr. Lannon’s idea. Ms. Bush agreed with all the comments. She feels a lot of the topics deserve lengthier treatment rather than putting everything into an appendix. Mr. Lannon wants an individual section that carries as much weight as the other things in the Comprehensive Plan. Ms. Bush noted how this plan has been driven so far by public comment. It is a good start, but not the whole picture. She noted how Springfield Township is taking a different approach to their Comprehensive Plan. They have 5 sections like we do, but underlying all of it is a section for future land use and development. One thing that seems to be happening is that the public is seeing major projects happening in the Borough and they are thinking about these concerns that are occurring right now and it is taking all their attention, rather than focusing on future projects which have the potential to be equally large and myopic. Ms. Baeninnger is afraid the public’s vision is going to turn into the Plan. Mr. Lannon would like to have further definitions for ADU’s, pocket neighborhoods, communication with the government, and parking supply and usage concerns. The Commission held a discussion as to what defines a pocket neighborhood specifically and what that would mean for our zoning ordinances. The Commission agreed there needs to be more discussion on these topics during the Comprehensive Plan meetings. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, the Commission adjourned at 8:00 pm in honor of Libby White. Respectfully submitted, Erika Fellman