Credit: Damian Carr / Unsplash.com
Residents had their final say on the school district’s variance request for the proposed bus depot behind Fort Washington Elementary School in the final Upper Dublin Township December Zoning Hearing Board meeting.
Of the approximate 30 who offered public comment at the last of the hearings, only four spoke in favor of building the transportation center between Fort Washington and Loch Alsh avenues.
Since 2008, the school district has rented space to park and maintain the buses in the Fort Washington Office Park, currently at $500,000 a year.
Four variances are being sought to permit a 10,517-square-foot accessory building in an A-residential zone for vehicle maintenance, parts storage and office space, with base infrastructure for future purchase of electric vehicles. The site would include 118 parking spaces for 50 school transportation vehicles, 10 grounds department vehicles and 50 staff.
The variances are for: an eight-foot fence — two feet above the maximum allowed; a 30.6-foot building height, where 22 feet is allowed; a maximum area of 10,517 square feet — almost double the 600 square feet allowed; and permission for more than one commercial vehicle exceeding 9,000 pounds to be parked on a property within a residential district.
Opposition by residents focused mainly on safety aspects for students in terms of proximity of walkers to moving buses, exhaust fumes, engine and backup warning noises, as well as the viewscape and impact on property values for those who live in nearby homes.
Noting his “vehement opposition” to the variances requested, Fort Washington Avenue resident Benjamin Jones said, “The school district’s request would devalue surrounding property.”
“A variance should not adversely affect the community,” resident Janet Sandberg said, pointing to air and noise pollution from buses “70 feet from the [FWES] playground,” and danger to walkers who would cross the entrance and exit for the buses.
“What was the credible evidence that it would not hurt the health, safety and welfare of our community?” she asked. It has been suggested the school district could buy a property and build a facility in the office park for an estimated $4 million,” she said, which would be “a small price to pay to keep students safe.”
Several argued the application was a “preference” for the district, not a hardship.
“Zoning laws are to preserve the character of the neighborhoods,” former township Commissioner and Willow Avenue resident Liz Ferry said. “There are other options in the office park.
“This is not a hardship” for the school district, and a 10,517-square-foot building “is not an accessory,” she said. “I ask the board to reject the variances and have the school district go back and work with residents to find another location.”
“No true hardship has been presented — financial is not a hardship,” agreed VanSant Lane resident Jennifer Altman.
Washington Lane resident Joanna Waldron listed security lights on the lot, fueling the fleet, disruption to students, the view for neighbors and additional traffic from employees going back and forth as negatives.
The 29-acre lot bounded by the township complex under construction, Route 309, Highland and Fort Washington avenues, and currently used for the elementary school, athletic fields, and parking “is A-residential for a reason … it is not unused, it’s used for overflow parking,” Fort Washington resident Virginia Vitella said. “Wanting a larger, nicer facility is not a need.” The district has said “why they want a bus depot, but not why it has to be at Fort Washington.
“A bus depot is not an accessory use for Fort Washington Elementary,” she said. “It would change the character of the neighborhood.”
“The fact they are asking for variances” regarding size and height, “tells us it is not an appropriate location,” Thomas Drive resident Anita Brister said. Awarding the variances “would set a terrible precedent,” she said. “It makes the whole designation of A-residential somewhat meaningless. It belongs in a commercial area.”
Elliger Avenue resident Peter Blood, who referred to a 2021 email from former UD Township Manager Paul Leonard to former school district Superintendent Steven Yanni offering “to coordinate” use of township-owned land adjacent to the cell tower once Bucks County Water and Sewer Authority abandoned the former sewer plant, said, “It won’t cost the school district anything because [BCWSA] wants to abandon the property.”
Contacted the next day, Leonard said he had met with district officials to inform them the five- to six-acre sewer plant owned by BCWSA would be going away and that property, if made available by the authority, along with the township’s adjacent two-acre cellphone property “might be enough” for the bus garage and parking.
The school district went with a real estate broker to look at all available properties and determined land they own is cheaper, he said, noting he didn’t believe the district had ever approached BCWSA to inquire.
In an email the district said, “To the district’s knowledge, there has never been an offer of any land from the Upper Dublin Township to the Upper Dublin School District for the proposed transportation facility project.”
Current UD Township Manager Kurt Ferguson, contacted Dec. 19, said he was never part of any discussions and did not think the sewer plant site, which the district does not own and “has a variety of challenges and issues with it,” would be a good place for the bus depot.
Cost was a point made by those asking the zoners to approve the variances, including Elliger Park resident and former school board member Margie Barrett.
“The site is already a public service area,” she said. It’s adjacent to township buildings and sheds, borders Route 309 and “would save the district $500,000 a year,” adding, “large trees could be purchased to camouflage the buildings.”
It would also improve conditions for the bus drivers who, at the current rental site, share a double trailer with one toilet connected to a septic tank that overflows into the parking lot when it floods, Barrett said.
“I think the school board is trying to use what is at its disposal,” Fort Washington Avenue resident Andrew Gaess said. “They want to do it efficiently; they’re wasting money by renting.”
“This could be a great facility to meet district needs and save us money,” Highland Avenue resident Libby Hahn agreed, referring to the $500,000 to rent “substandard” space. Noting the site’s proximity to 309 and exit ramps, “cars go by every day, buses are already in the area; the bus depot was adjacent to the high school for many years and there were no issues,” she said.
Cathy Farrell, identifying herself as a civil engineer “not affiliated with the project” also supported the variances. The fence around the baseball field and batting cages exceeds the height allowed, the school and township buildings are larger and allow more than one commercial vehicle, she said, adding, “I do ask that vegetation be provided for the property.”
“This is an extremely important project for the school district,” which “spent a lot of time and money to do what it thinks is best,” Mark Hosterman, the attorney representing the district said in summation. “There would be $4 million in savings to taxpayers, it prevents an existing property from being removed from the tax rolls.”
The proposal meets a 2008 township ordinance to permit buses and a garage in a residential district greater than 25 acres and at least 100 feet from residences, he said.
“Unfortunately, conflicting provisions make it impossible,” he said, noting an area of 600 square feet with a maximum height of 22 feet “conflicts with accessory use.”
“Various hardships are inflicted by conflicting [township] ordinances,” Hosterman said. “The size is the minimum of a functional transportation center. … The proposed buses and repair garage represent an entirely permitted use. It is in the best interests of the school district and the taxpayers.”
Kate Harper, the attorney representing resident Virginia Vitella, argued the proposal “does not fit the definition of an accessory use to Fort Washington Elementary” under the municipality’s zoning code.
“The definition of light industrial is where transportation fits,” she said. “When you put the use in the correct district you get the other safeguards you won’t get in a residential zone.
“The unnecessary hardship is created by them, their own desire to put a depot and buses on a school property,” Harper said. “They decided it’s the best place, so they’re putting it there. … It will change the neighborhood; it would not change the neighborhood in the office park.”
The zoning board recessed into executive session but was unable to come back with a decision.
Zoning Officer Alison Giles said the next day the board plans to announce its decision at its 7:30 p.m. Jan. 27 meeting.
Ferry said after the meeting if the zoning board grants the variances the residents will appeal.
