A Limerick Township property owner is asking the zoning hearing board for relief from a required commercial component at 3323 W. Ridge Pike, proposing a dog park in its place as part of a 51-home development plan. The request drew skepticism from several supervisors during a discussion at the May 26 Limerick Township Board of Supervisors meeting.
Attorney Rob Gundlach, representing Commercial Pursuit Capital, LP, told supervisors that property owner John Petko has owned the 22-acre Ridge Pike parcel for more than 40 years and hopes to sell it to a developer that intends to construct 51 single-family homes. Gundlach argued that the township's current zoning requirements make that difficult to accomplish.
Applicant Argues Commercial Requirement Is Unworkable
The property is located within Limerick's Main Street zoning district. Gundlach said a 2024 amendment requires commercial space to be built and occupied before a residential component can proceed, a requirement he said has made the property difficult to market.
"You will never see anybody ever who will do that in this township to build single-family homes," Gundlach told the board. "It's impossible."
According to Gundlach, a by-right development could require between 60,000 and 100,000 square feet of commercial space, which he argued is not financially viable at that location.
Instead, Commercial Pursuit Capital is proposing 51 single-family homes averaging roughly 2,500 square feet, along with a dog park of approximately 40,000 square feet near Ridge Pike. Gundlach said the plan also exceeds the township's open-space requirements and includes 32-foot-wide roads, surpassing the township's 30-foot standard.
Supervisors Raise Concerns
Several supervisors expressed concerns about the proposal and indicated they believed any development should generally conform to the township's existing ordinances.
Supervisor Linda Irwin was particularly direct.
"It's not our job to help developers get a market for their property," Irwin said. "It's for you to conform to the ordinances and build the commercial."
Board Chair Connie Lawson focused on a different issue: access to the site. She noted that the proposed development currently has only one entrance crossing a bridge and questioned how emergency responders would reach residents if the entrance became blocked.
"There is no other way to get to those residents," Lawson said.
Gundlach acknowledged the concern and suggested potential solutions could be explored through the township review process, including emergency access connections, a possible link to Fruitville Road, or connections through neighboring properties.
Supervisor Cheryl Walraven expressed greater openness to continuing discussions, noting that the township is preparing to update its comprehensive plan and that the future of Main Street zoning could be revisited as part of that process.
Walraven also said she liked the idea of adding a dog park, noting that Limerick currently does not have a formal public dog park.
Supervisor Patrick Morroney raised concerns about potential liability issues associated with a dog park but said he was willing to continue discussions through the staff review process.
Board Takes Two Separate Actions
The board considered two separate agenda items involving the proposal.
First, supervisors voted to allow the applicant to move forward with staff review and discussions. The motion passed, with Irwin voting against it.
The board then considered a zoning hearing board advisory related to the variance request as currently submitted. Supervisors voted 3-1 to authorize the township solicitor to oppose the application in its present form, with Walraven casting the lone dissenting vote.
Supervisor Kara Shuler was not present for the meeting.
Although the zoning application has already been advertised, Gundlach told the board the applicant is willing to continue the matter and work with township staff to address concerns before returning with a revised proposal.
"We'll see if we can make it a better plan and something that you can support in this case, given all the facts and circumstances related to this property," Gundlach said.
This article was generated with AI assistance. All content was reviewed, edited, and fact-checked by John McGuire.
