The June 7, 2010 meeting of Planning Commission #867 for Hanover Township, Northampton County was held at the Township Municipal Building. Minutes of the April 5, 2010 meeting were approved by motion (Hilton, Kuehne, Sterner abstained, Vail, Check, Lawless yes).
A Group Home Conditional Use Application at 3925 Airport Road was reviewed. The proposed facility accommodates four full-time residents upstairs with two basement bedrooms for respite use. The site lies within the Air Flight Path District and Special Conservation District overlay zones. The application requires correction of resident numbers from six to four full-time plus two respite residents. Staffing includes one to three daytime personnel and one overnight staff; laundry is onsite. Medical care is via outpatient or community treatment teams. The structure must meet ADA accessibility standards. Key concerns include past flooding requiring basement drainage solutions, radon testing, fire marshal review, and connection to water/sewer. The driveway design requires revision to comply with property lines, with a one-way north entry and south exit. A two-car garage serves two parking spaces, with three additional spaces in the driveway turnaround. A handicap space on the east side requires a zoning variance. A ten-foot planting screen is mandated. Noise pollution concerns were raised due to proximity to the airport (250 feet from Airport Road, 500 feet from runway centerline) and heavy traffic on Airport Road (13,000 vehicles/day). The site falls in FAA Zone 2 (75 dB), prohibiting residential use. The Planning Commission recommended addressing outstanding engineering issues before approval.
A draft Solar Energy Systems ordinance was reviewed. The Commission recommended retaining setback provisions (Section 185-22-I(1)(b)), fencing language, and making lighting provisions advisory, while striking the easements section (Section 185-22-I(5)(b)). This motion was approved by all members. The Commission also noted potential interference from solar arrays with airport flight paths.
