by Brendan Sample

At its latest monthly meeting, the Chestnut Hill Community Association’s Land Use Planning and Zoning Committee took the next step in a potential full approval of a proposed garage and pool house on 601 West Gravers Lane.

The application for the structures was initially given a refusal by the Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections, but the LUPZ voted to recommend approving the plans in advance of the applicants’ hearing in front of the Zoning Board of Adjustment.

The garage and pool house were rejected by L&I due to existing codes preventing construction with a slope of 25 percent or more and multiple buildings from being built in a single lot in that particular zoning district. The steep slope of the property has led to the proposed structures being called into question, though the plans do take the slant into account for both designs.

Several neighbors attended the meeting, and in addition to expressing concerns about the construction disturbing the slope, they also questioned how the applicants would deal with increased amounts of stormwater runoff. The applicants did confirm that they would be implementing a new drainage system to control excess runoff and direct it to a nearby rainwater collection source. They will also be monitoring the system and making proper adjustments if it proves to not be fully effective in managing the runoff.

Separate from the pool house and garage, the overall plans also included a new pool, which had already been approved and is currently being constructed. This was because the company working on the pool’s construction submitted a separate application just for the pool, although everything was included together in the full renovation plan. While LUPZ co-chair Joyce Lenhardt expressed her concern that all of the structures were not submitted at the same time, it ultimately did not prevent the committee from passing its motion.

While the LUPZ offered up a motion to recommend approving the plans to the Chestnut Hill Community Association, it did come on the basis of several conditions being met. The Committee requested that the applicants submit their full plans for the garage and pool house, as well as their calculations for how their stormwater management system will adequately account for the expected levels of runoff.

In addition, the applicants would also be required to run a full test of their drainage containment system after one year to ensure that it is working as it should. Finally, the LUPZ required that neither structure would end up being used as a residence, which would also be something that the ZBA would require. The applicants agreed to all of the conditions, and the motion passed.

Under normal circumstances, the LUPZ would usually relay its information to the CHCA at the next Board of Directors meeting, which the CHCA would then use to make a formal recommendation to the ZBA to approve the proposal or not. In this case, however, the applicants’ ZBA hearing is scheduled for June 20, the day before the CHCA’s next official meeting.

To accommodate for the unusual timing, the CHCA had already agreed, over email, to discuss the LUPZ’s insight and vote on whether or not to empower the Development Review Committee to make a formal recommendation on its behalf. This decision will ultimately be relayed to the applicants at the next DRC meeting on June 19.

The next LUPZ meeting is set for July 5 at 8 p.m. at the Chestnut Hill Hospital.