The Chestnuthill Township Planning Commission approved Pleasant Valley School District’s renovation plans for the high school on Wednesday evening, with a stipulation.

The school district had submitted its plans to the township as preliminary/final. Christopher McDermott, township engineer, said the plans could only be submitted as preliminary or final, not both.

“They need to have a waiver or modification to consider this final,” he said. “They need to pick one.”

McDermott said the planning commission could accept the plans as final, but the district must send a letter to the township requesting a waiver. The waiver would request that the plans bypass the preliminary stage and move straight to final.

The planning commission agreed to that suggestion. Jeff Weiss, the vice chairman of the commission who was leading the meeting, suggested that the district submit its waiver request by July 31. If the request is not submitted by that date, then the plan would be approved as preliminary.

No one from the school district was present at the meeting.

Matthew Neeb, director of planning and zoning, said he was contacted by the district shortly before the meeting and told that no one would be present.

The district renovations involve a space of more than 25,000 square feet, McDermott said, with a projected cost of more than $100 million.

Pleasant Valley Town Centre

Representatives of Pleasant Valley Town Centre also called in shortly before the meeting to cancel their appearance before the planning commission.

The Pleasant Valley Town Centre is a proposed land development plan along Route 209 in the vicinity of the Burger King near Pleasant Valley High School.

Neeb said that it would be in the lot that is currently being used as the staging area for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation during work on the roundabouts on Route 209. That project is expected to be completed in November.

The planning commission tabled any decision on the land development plan at its meeting in June, after the applicant, Joe Amato Ventures LP, requested that it be tabled.

The proposed town center would include a fast-food restaurant with a drive-thru lane, a bank, four retail stores and a restaurant with a bar on the approximately 20-acre vacant lot, according to the June minutes.

The project would also include parking, sidewalks, stormwater management facility, associated site amenities, as well as on-lot well and septic.

The planning commission voted to recommend that the supervisors deny the plan, unless the applicant sends a letter requesting a waiver for a time extension. The request has to be received by Aug. 6.

Schrader subdivision

In other business, both the Schrader minor subdivision and the land development plan for the Barns at Shallow Creek were listed on the agenda as tabled.

According to the minutes from the planning commission’s June meeting, the members wanted a letter to be sent to the Schraders asking them to attend the July meeting to provide an update. The members wanted to know if the plan was advancing or if the Schraders wanted to withdraw it.

Cathy Martinelli, township secretary, told the planning commission that the Schraders responded with a letter that they still want to proceed. They are in the process of getting a new engineer and surveyor, and obtaining funds for the project. They would like an extension to July 1, 2025. The Schraders expect to have it worked out sooner than that, but wanted to give themselves “some leeway.”

Martinelli said there are complications with the road. The planning commission decided to not approve an official extension, but instead to continue to table the matter.

Barns at Shallow Creek

As for the Barns at Shallow Creek, located at 610 Gilbert Road, is currently operating as a wedding venue and related activities, according to the June minutes. It has been issued both zoning and building code violations for not obtaining the required permits and inspections.

Township engineer Christopher McDermott said, “So much of their plan is dependent on receiving relief. There’s a lot of things they need to rethink.”

The minutes stated that the business wants to convert an existing chicken coop into a banquet hall and another building into bathrooms. The property lies within a general commercial zoning district and a banquet hall is a permitted use in that district.

The business also plans to provide catered food services for events. The project includes planning for parking, stormwater management, lighting, sewer system and landscaping.

The business had submitted the plan as preliminary/final, and McDermott said in June that a plan should be submitted for the two buildings separately.

The planning commission voted in June to recommend approval of the modifications to the township supervisors and to combine the preliminary and final plan. There is a 90-day review period that ends Sept. 19.