COMMUNITY IMPACT ANALYSIS
forPROVIDENCE PLACE OF COLLEGEVILLE
Prepared for:
Providence Place of Collegeville Associates
March 29, 2017
Prepared by:
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I.
Purpose
This Community Impact Analysis for the Providence Place Senior Living has been prepared and submitted by Kennedy & Associates, LLC. in accordance with §143-212.A and the conditional use approval granted by the Township of Lower Providence, PA. The proposed project is located on the site of the former Collegeville Inn Restaurant and is known as 3974, 3976 and 4000 Ridge Pike. The property is situated within the Ridge Pike West District, which allows life-care facilities by conditional use, as per §143-77.B.(4)
The property consists of 21.47 acres located at the Intersection of Ridge Pike, Germantown Pike, and Pechins Mill Road. Road frontages are on Ridge Pike and Pechins Mill Road with existing entrances to the site provided at two locations on Ridge Pike. The preliminary plan proposes preservation and reuse of the existing building along with construction of a new addition that will face Pechins Mill Road (see figure 1. Preliminary/Final Site Plan, 3-3-17). Improvements to the property will be kept nearer to the roads, away from the more sensitive natural areas on the property including the Perkiomen Creek which forms the western property boundary and a small tributary on the southern portion of the tract.
A mixture of residential, commercial and park uses surround the property. To the West, across the Perkiomen Creek, lies the Borough of Collegeville, where a number of commercial uses are present, most notably the Keyser-Miller Ford Dealership and the Collegeville Shopping Center. To the North of the site, on the opposite side of Ridge Pike, lies the Central Perkiomen Valley Park and a few multifamily residential homes. Pechins Mill Road runs through the Eastern portion of the property, which is mostly wooded. Single Family residential homes, commercial uses and open land border the easternmost side. The South side will remain as woodlands. Single-family detached homes back up to this open space area. (see figures 2-4)
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II.
Compatibility of the Proposed Site
As required by §143-212.A.(1), the Community Impact Analysis must demonstrate that the proposed development is compatible with land uses that are adjacent to the site and consistency with the Lower Providence Comprehensive Plan
The Comprehensive Plan (adopted 2002) profiles the history, demographics, natural features and existing land uses of Lower Providence Township. According to the plan, Lower Providence Township is a rapidly expanding suburban community with a unique history and setting. Goals and objectives are set forth in the plan regarding both residential and non-residential uses in order to balance the need for growth and economic vitality while maintaining a sense of history and place. The plan strategically directs higher-density residential development to the edges of commercial nodes, such as areas along Ridge Pike. Providence Place will be in alignment with this goal as it has frontage directly on Ridge Pike and forms a transition area between
residential and commercial uses.
History is an important part of Lower Providence Township and provides a sense of place. This is reinforced in the Comprehensive plan, buildings of historical and community significance are recommended to be preserved and reused or repurposed. With this is mind, the existing building, formerly the Collegeville Inn, will be repurposed as part of the proposed plan for Providence Place.
The Comprehensive plan also identifies recreational opportunities for pedestrians and provides objectives relating to the creation of additional sidewalks and trails throughout the Township. The plan recommends additional trails along the Perkiomen Creek and encourages connections to existing parks and neighborhoods. The proposed plan for Providence Place depicts an eight foot (8 ft) wide paved trail along the Perkiomen Creek providing pedestrian access up to the tract boundary at the Ridge Pike bridge. The trail will have an easement for public access creating a possible future link to township park lands on the other side of the bridge. An
additional sidewalk along Ridge Pike and pedestrian walks within the facility provide pedestrian access to both Ridge Pike and Pechins Mill Road.
The plan for Providence Place is also in conformance with Montgomery County’s
Comprehensive Plan; MONTCO 2040, (recently adopted in 2016). The County has designated this area as Community Mixed-Use and Suburban Residential. A primary use of the Community Mixed-Use Area is “higher density residential uses that act as a transition from non-residential to residential areas.” The proposed plan follows the recommendations of the Suburban
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residential areas, sensitive lands should be preserved, and recreational facilities with central open space should be provided.
III.
Impact of the Development on Sensitive Natural Areas
§143-212.A.(2) requires the applicant to describe “the impact of the proposed development on sensitive natural areas, including floodplains, steep slopes, woodlands, waterways, recreational areas and conservative areas.
The preservation of open space and natural resource protection are highly valued by residents of the Township. The Comprehensive Plan identifies significant open space areas and
implements methods of preserving these significant areas. Portions of the site are identified in the Comprehensive Plan for open space preservation. In accordance, the plan for Providence Place designates the Southern portion of the site, between the Perkiomen Creek and Pechins Mill Road, as untouched open space. The Applicant has agreed to offer part of this open space to the Township in the future, if needed, for a Ridge Pike bridge relocation project.
Being located along the Perkiomen Creek, the site is encumbered with environmentally sensitive areas, such as flood plain, steep stopes and woodland areas. As stated above, the improvements to the property are located away from these natural features to minimize impact to the sensitive areas. Riparian buffers along the waterways establish setbacks from the
streambanks and aid in preservation and protection of the Perkiomen Creek and the small tributary on the southern portion of the property. These buffer zones are important for promoting surface water quality and preventing erosion and sedimentation. The Site plan shows two riparian buffer zones which are designed in accordance with the standards set forth in Zoning Code §143-268.B (1&2). Additional trees will be planted in the buffer zones to help restore and revegetate the buffer zones as required by §143-271.B. It should also be noted the property could have up to 60% impervious cover; however, the proposed plan has only 20% impervious cover greatly reducing the impact on natural sensitive areas.
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IV.
The Impact of the Development on Public Utilities
§143-212.A.(3) requires the applicant to describe “the impact of the development on public utilities, including sewage disposal, storm drainage and electrical utilities and the provision of police and fire protection.”
The proposed plan will be served by public sanitary sewer and water provided by The
Perkiomen Valley Regional Sewer Authority and PA American Water respectively. When fully developed the facility’s water and sewer usage is expected to average just over 100 gallons per apartment, per day, or approximately 6 million gallons per year. Storm water will be managed on-site through the use of porous pavement and Best Management Practices. This will ensure that runoff from the site does not increase. Underground electricity service will provided to the facility by PECO. Local police and fire departments will have a large facility to monitor and protect; however, the proposed development will be fully sprinklered with integrated and monitored fire alarm systems. Nurses and staff will be on site, around the clock, to minimize emergency situations. The memory care neighborhood will also have secure doors and an attractively fenced courtyard to keep seniors requiring Alzheimer’s care safe. All public utilities shall be satisfactorily addressed during the land development process.
IV.
Traffic Impact Study
§143-212.A.(4) requires a traffic impact study to be submitted as required by §143-214.
In accordance with this requirement, a Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) was prepared by F. Tavani and Associates, Inc. in January of 2017, and updated by letter on March 20, 2017. The TIA and letter conclude that “site related traffic does not have a meaningful impact to the operations of Germantown Pike or Ridge Pike regardless of the time of day or configuration of the adjacent roadways. It is, however, essential that the signalized traffic control of the driveway along Ridge
Pike remain in place, at least until such time as the new bridge is constructed.”
V.
Proposed Improvements
§143-212.A.(5) requires “documentation of on-site or off-site improvements proposed to alleviate any projected negative impacts of the development.
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1. The intersection of Pechins Mill Road and Ridge Pike will be improved by realigning the road.
2. Pechins Mill Road will be widened.
3. Existing access drives on Ridge Pike will be eliminated. The facility will have one access point on Ridge Pike located at the existing signalized intersection.
4. Sidewalk will be added to Ridge Pike from the entrance to the intersection of Pechins Mill Road
5. 10 ft wide crosswalks and a handicap ramp will be added to the signalized intersection at Ridge Pike and Germantown Pike.
6. 8 ft. wide pedestrian trail with a public access easement which could provide for a potential link to Township park land.
Conclusion
In my opinion, the proposed development for Providence Place will not have a negative impact on the surrounding area as demonstrated by this community impact analysis. In summary:
1. The site is compatible with surrounding uses and is located in a transition area between commercial and residential areas.
2. The impact on sensitive natural areas is minimized due to the compact development pattern.
3. The proposed development will not overburden public utilities.
4. Site related traffic will not have a meaningful impact on Ridge Pike and Germantown Pike.
5. On-site and Off-site improvements will benefit the surrounding community.
Submitted by:
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FIGURE 3: Site view looking West
