Upper Gwynedd Township commissioners recently voted unanimously to approve a zoning change for a controversial apartment project on Pennbrook Parkway. The project has been part of public discussions since March 2022 when developer The Walters Group proposed expanding the township’s transit overlay district for a 44-unit apartment development. The first public presentation of the plan by Walters representatives on April 10 increased the units to 60 on roughly six acres of property, in three-story buildings, with some dedicated to what the developer termed “workforce housing” meant for residents who meet certain low-income qualifications. In the months since, township residents have continued to question the need for, and motivation behind, the project, while a councilman from neighboring Lansdale Borough said he thought the community needed more affordable housing. Public comment included statements from those for and against the project. The zoning change is only the first step; the developer will next need to secure conditional use approval from the commissioners, followed by land development approval of their formal plans once specifics are finalized.
Source: The Reporter; 8/23/2023