A difference of opinion over how to handle stormwater management issues could delay work on a planned residential subdivision in Antis Township.
Last Thursday evening, the township planning commission met with developer Rob Frederick, who was accompanied by his primary engineer, Ed Bellock, and discussed what would happen with runoff following the construction of 16-lot development, which is to be situated just off Swartz Road, near the Logan Township border. Christopher Dutrow, the township’s consulting engineer, suggested that more needed to be done to curtail runoff in order to protect neighboring properties.
Bellock, however, suggested that things were fine as presented.
“The stormwater management plan provided by Mr. Frederick’s engineer essentially concludes that the post-development rate of runoff will be less than it is now, a point with which I disagree,” Dutrow told the planning commission board. “The ‘curve’ number used by Mr. Bellock to calculate runoff rate is for cultivated land. I’ve visited this area and it is not apparent that this land has been tilled or worked in the recent past.
“This land would be more accurately described as a meadow, and if you use the curve number for that distinction, it is clear that some sort of water detention plan will be needed.”
Bellock disagreed, stating that time is a point of contention.
“That is (Mr. Dutrow’s) opinion,” said Bellock. “My client said that this land was tilled within the past few years.
“In the statute, there is no time variable indicating how much time may pass before cultivated land is considered to be a meadow. He could, by rights, go out and plow that land tomorrow and you’d have to accept these figures.
“I feel this land should be considered ‘cultivated.’ Besides, all roof runoff will be infiltrated into the ground, while any runoff created by the new road will be diverted to a pond at the lower end of the property. This pond is sufficient to handle that runoff.”
The township planning board did receive at least one letter from a neighboring resident who expressed concerns over potential runoff. Board member Robert Smith told Frederick that his priority was to ensure that Antis Township property owners are not adversely impacted by land development.
“I think we need to look at every potential situation,” Smith explained. “If there is a possibility that stormwater runoff will affect a neighboring property, then we need to do everything we can to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
“I was down looking at this property and I saw that pond,” said board chair Charles Taylor. “It seems to me that it’s pretty full right now.”
“It can handle the flow,” Bellock answered.
The board also addressed questions regarding some lots which are situated on steep slopes. Dutrow explained that “close to 50 percent” of the property is on a slope of greater than 15 percent. According to state regulations, residential development cannot take place on a slope of more than 15 percent.
“You may want to reexamine these plans and maybe set aside some of this sloping ground as open space,” Dutrow commented.
After further discussion, the board declined to take any action regarding the planned subdivision. Bellock indicated that he and his client would revisit the blueprints in order to comply more closely with planning board requests.
Prior to the Frederick review, the planning board looked at plans for a new storage facility to be located along Old Route 220 near Hagerty Lane. Land owner Michael McCracken is planning on erecting two storage unit facilities on what is now an open field. Besides some stormwater runoff issues, Dutrow found few problems with the plans. The board forwarded its comments to the supervisors with a conditional “thumbs up.”
