10/9/2017 Board of Supervisors Meeting

Continuation from 10/2

 

 

Chairman Richard Hannum, Jr. called the public meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. in the Township Building by leading the group in the Pledge of Allegiance.  Board members John Sarro, Eddie G. Caudill, Christine Kimmel and Robert F. Weerwere also present, as was Solicitor Frone Crawford, and Planning Commission Chairman Cuyler Walker.

 

Public Comment Period.  No comments.

 

Garnet QL Conditional Use Order Modifications.  John Jaros represented Garnet QL regarding the Conditional Use application and Order for 909 E. Baltimore Pike.  Mr. Jaros said the applicant had received relief from East Marlborough Township’s Zoning Hearing Board to remove the specimen trees but there were three Conditions in the Order that were concerning to his client.  Tom Oeste, representing the Township, had prepared the following revised Conditions for the Supervisors to consider:

 

1. Condition No. 4 is hereby amended to read in its entirety as follows: The Quick Lane building shall be used for the operation of a Quick Lane franchise or a similar business providing quick service for passenger cars and light trucks limited to oil, filter, fluid changes, tire repair and installation, state safety inspection and similar light repair and maintenance services typically completed in less than two and one-half hours and typically not requiring vehicles to be left overnight. A similar business shall comply with the conditions of this conditional use approval.  Use of the Property for any other type of automobile repair shop shall require application for and approval of a new conditional use.

 

2. Condition No. 21 is hereby amended to read in its entirety as follows: All noise-emitting equipment, included but not limited to the car wash equipment, used in the Quick Lane facility shall be low-noise models and types typically and customarily used in automobile repair shops, e.g., an air compressor.  Equipment shall be continuously operated, services, repaired and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications, including all noise-muffling devices.

 

3. Condition No. 24 is hereby amended to read in its entirety as follows:The car wash shall be operated at all times such that the sound emissions of the car wash equipment and operation comply with Zoning Ordinance Section 1811.B. If water run-off from the car wash bay or from washed cars accumulates on Orchard or Pennock Avenues, Applicant shall implement necessary measures to prevent such accumulation.

 

The Supervisors voted 4-0 to approve the revisions to the Conditions with Mrs. Kimmel abstaining due to a conflict with Mr. Oeste having joined her law firm.

 

Country Spirit Music Festival.  The event promoter Alan Jacoby addressed the Supervisors and said the Country Spirit Music Festival would take place in Chester County, PA on August 26-28, 2018, it was just a question of where.

 

Chairman Hannum asked if any members of the public had questions for the applicants.

 

Traditions at Longwood resident Allan Dinning offered the following opinions:

1. Noise – three nights of concerts until 11 p.m. is unreasonable
2. Security – The Township is not prepared to address the security concerns with a part-time police force.
3. The local hospitals would be inadequate to handle a major incident at an event as large as they are proposing.

 

Dorothy Hewston, a resident on Willowdale Lane asked the following questions:

1. How did the production team settle on the Willowdale Steeplechase grounds?  Jacoby said they had previewed many sites with the Chester County Convention and Visitors Bureau and selected Willowdale Steeplechase as the best suited since it already housed a large scale event, The Willowdale Steeplechase.
2. Where have your other festivals been held? Jacoby said they have held a similar event for the past three years in Santa Rosa, California.
3. Will you permit Tailgating? Jacoby said they would not permit Tailgating in the parking areas and have roving security dedicated to preventing it.
4. Would there be a curfew in the camping area? Jacoby said they would have the day ticket holders off the premises shortly after midnight.  Clean-up crews would work for a few more hours to prepare the venue for the next day.

 

Tom Blomer a resident from the Village of Unionville asked if they would be using lights and generators.  Mr. Jacoby said they would have lights with generators in the parking areas.

 

Traditions at Longwood resident Jim Churchman asked the following questions:

1. Were the organizers able to address the concerns about excessive sound?  Jacoby said they had conducted the sound study which showed they were able to meet the noise ordinance in most locations but would not be able to meet it fully.  Drew Jacoby offered that the set-up of the stage would help minimize the sound that would travel outside of the property boundary.
2. What other locations are being considered? The Willowdale Steeplechase grounds are the preferred location but that are also negotiating with the Ludwig Corner Horse Show and the New Garden Airfield.
3. What is the benefit to East Marlborough?  Jacoby said they would partner with local non-profits to provide hire ticket takers, food vendors and other workers at the event.  The event will also increase revenue for local businesses.  Susan Hamley, Executive Director of the Chester County Convention and Visitors Bureau referred to the study of the Economic Impact for the Tough Mudder event and said restaurants, hotels, gas stations etc. all saw significant increases in business.

 

Resident Joe DeConstanza said he understands the benefit to the County to host a big event but doesn’t see how the event would benefit East Marlborough Township.

 

Resident Nolan Quinn asked if anyone with the Township had checked with Santa Rosa to see what they thought of the event.  Mr. Hannum said that had not been done at this point.

 

Mrs. Hewston asked if the event was weather dependent?  Mr. Jacoby said the event goes on rain or shine and they do not give refunds.

 

Mr. Michael Bucklin representing the landowner, Landhope Investors, spoke to the traffic concerns.  He advised that they would have multiple lanes at each entry point to move cars off of the road.  The ticket checkpoints would be located well within the property.  Mr. Jacoby estimated that they would have approximately 7,500 cars with 75% of the entering the property between 9 am and 1 pm.

 

Mr. Jacoby said they were planning on having between 300-400 campsite which would help alleviate congestion entering and exiting the property.

 

Resident Sy Taylor asked the organizers if they would consider starting the concert earlier and ending it at 9 pm.  Mr. Jacoby said they were considering it but feel that 11pm is a reasonable end time.

 

Willowdale Lane resident Mike Marrin said he enjoys going to community events at the Willowdale Steeplechase grounds and appreciates that the property owner make it available for the Unionville Community Fair but doesn’t think it is appropriate to compare The Willowdale Steeplechase with a 3-day Music Festival.

 

Folly Hill Road resident Gail Buchanan said that Longwood Gardens averages 4,000 people a day during their events and the roads can’t handle that level of traffic.

 

Traditions resident Rick Martz said he thinks allowing this event to be held would create unreasonable conditions for the neighboring residents.  He offered that residents wouldn’t be able to get out of their neighborhoods or drive the local roads due to traffic.

 

Mrs. Hewston offered that the only one who would benefit from the concert would be the landowner.  Mr. Jacoby said they would rent the property from the landowner and would agree to a fair deal but the organizers would realize the profit.

 

Resident Jim Sinclair raised concerns about the location the stage and offered that the “natural amphitheater” would amplify the sound, especially overrocky terrain.  He also expressed concern that the traffic would impede Emergency Service Vehicles from reaching destinations near the Willowdale Steeplechase grounds.

 

The Supervisors asked the following questions regarding logistics for the event:

 

Mrs. Kimmel asked if fires would be permitted in the camping area?  Mr. Jacoby said they would prohibit fires.  He also said they would prohibit overnight parking in the general admission lot and would not allow sleeping in vehicles unless the driver was intoxicated.

 

Mrs. Kimmel asked it the applicants had completed the requested sound study to account for weather that would be more typical during late August.  Mr. Jacoby said they did not complete the study but that they were confident that they could stay within a range of tolerance.  Mr. Hannum stated that the Zoning Ordinance did not provide for a range of tolerance but instead had specific levels that needed to be adhered to.

 

Mr.  Caudill asked if alcohol would be served at the festival?  Mr. Jacoby said that like other festivals they would sell beer, wine and hard liquor.  Service of alcoholic beverages would cease 1 hr. prior to the end of the concert.

 

Mr. Sarro expressed significant concerns about the safety of hosting an event that large and questioned whether they would be able to adequately search vehicles going into the camping area.

 

Mr. Hannum said he believed he was expressing the opinion of the entire Board when he stated that the concerns with traffic, noise, security and the length of the event were too great.

 

Mr. Caudill made a motion to deny the Temporary Outdoor Activity Permit for the Country Spirit Music Festival.  Mr. Weer seconds the motion.

 

Mrs. Kimmel said she appreciates all that the Stroud Family does for the community but felt that this was too big of a use.

 

Mr. Caudill asked if the organizers would consider holding a one day event during the first year?  Mr. Jacoby said their financial model called for a multiple day event.

 

The Supervisors voted 4-0 to deny the application with Mr. Sarro abstaining.

 

The public meeting was adjourned at 8:30p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

Laurie Prysock

Township Manager