The developer of a proposed Spring Township mixed-use development project will have to wait for a decision on a conditional use permit needed to move it forward.
Township supervisors were unable to reach a decision on the project, known as Broadcasting Village, Thursday after a three-hour public hearing followed by a closed-door session.
Maryland-based developer Concordia Group, which has an office in Wayne, Delaware County, is proposing a mixed residential and commercial development on 103.77 acres bounded by Route 222, Broadcasting Road and Paper Mill Road.
The property, long used for agricultural purposes, lies across from the Broadcasting Square Shopping Center and within the township’s Planned Office Business zoning district.
The parcel is owned by Reading Hospital and Medical Center, according to Berks County online tax records.
Conditional use approval is needed to allow the mixed uses planned.
Devin Tuohey, a principal with Concordia, said these include 116,000 square feet of retail space, a 40,000 square foot organic food market, upscale hotel and residential units, consisting of 341 multi-family units, 382 townhouses, 52 single-family homes.
A total of about 1,500 total residents could be accommodated, the developers said.
As proposed, the development also would include public open spaces, a nature trail and a dog park, he said.
The supervisors have 45 days to render a written decision. A verbal decision is expected to be made at the next regularly scheduled supervisors’ meeting, Sept. 23.
If approval is granted, the supervisors may impose reasonable conditions as part of their decision.
About 50 residents, many of whom were homeowners in the adjacent housing development, attended the hearing. Several asked questions, but none requested party status, which would allow them to question witnesses, present testimony and have the right to appeal the final decision.
Tuohey said the development is not intended to mimic Broadcasting Square Shopping Center.
“Our goal is to take the energy and momentum that Broadcasting Square created and elevate it,” he said. “So, our grocer is going to be a more elevated grocer. Our restaurants are going to be more elevated restaurants. We’re not having drive-through fast-food restaurants here.”
Tuohey said the most successful mixed-use communities have a combination of shopping, dining, residential and recreational uses.
“A successful mixed-use environment is a walkable community,” he said. “You drive in, you park your car in your garage and you can walk to whatever you need.”
In addition to the sidewalks that would be placed throughout, the developers plan to build a trail along a natural water course that runs through the site.
“One of the things we wanted to incorporate was a public, open nature trail that connects from Paper Mill Road,” Tuohey said. “It’ll meander through the site along the watercourse, and then wrap around the homes, and then we’ll tap into the retail area.”
The plan is to tie the trail system to a planned pedestrian underpass that would be built beneath Route 222 to allow students and others to safely cross Broadcasting Road from the nearby Penn State University campus.
Several residents raised issues about traffic, but Peter Spisszak, traffic engineer for the project said a February 2023 traffic study showed the development would not create adverse traffic congestion.
Some residents asked if a traffic signal could be placed at the intersection of Papermill Road and Ethan Drive. Since Papermill Road is a state road, Spisszak said, that decision would have to be made by PennDOT.
The plan is in the conceptual phase only, Tuohey said, noting details have not been finalized.
If the supervisors grant the conditional request, the project will still need approval from the zoning hearing board. Special exception zoning relief is needed due to drive-thru windows planned for a proposed bank and coffee shop.
Township Engineer James Moll said the applicant also needs to submit land development plans to the township and county.
Source: Berkshire mont