The Lower Towamensing Township Zoning Hearing Board held a public hearing Tuesday to hear a request from MSP Development.

The company has proposed to subdivide property to construct a Tractor Supply store at 780 Little Gap Road in the township.

Attorney Holly Heintzelman, Chairman James Ord and members Keith George, Georgia Mock and Ralph Cortazzo were in attendance for Lower Towamensing Township, as was the zoning officer, Duane Dellecker.

Nicholas Urbanowicz, permit coordinator of MSP Development, discussed store signs, one of the variances sought.

A free-standing sign would be at the entrance of the property.

“The township only allows 50 square feet,” Urbanowicz said. “We are requesting 147 square feet for a free-standing pylon sign.”

A variance for two signs that would be mounted on the side of the building was withdrawn after it was determined those signs would be within zoning requirements of 15% of the square footage of the front of the building.

Sarah Ritsema, project engineer from Widmer Engineering Inc., addressed the three main variances being sought.

One is that the store is looking to be built in an industrial zone, which does not allow retail stores.

“Our Tractor Supply does not normally fit into the definition of a retail store,” Ritsema said. “The site is currently zoned industrial. Generally, our retail use would go into commercial; but we were looking at it, and the market of the Tractor Supply, and most of our products are more in line with industrial use.”

A section of the township’s zoning ordinance requires a maximum lot coverage of 35%, and minimum front yard setback of 50 feet.

“In the ordinance, we are not allowed to have product displayed in the 50 foot front setback from the road,” Ritsema said. “The display area extends about 8 feet into that 50 foot setback area.

“We are requesting the variance because that is generally Tractor Supply’s preferred area to display those kinds of goods.”

During the meeting, it was brought up that instead of 50 feet, the front setback would be 80 feet, as PennDOT issued a “future right of way.” Therefore, the encroachment will be 35 feet instead of 8 feet.

The other part of the variance being sought has to do with a maximum lot coverage.

“Per ordinance, we are allowed to have 35% of the site covered,” Ritsema said. “That includes the building, that includes parking, anything impervious can only cover 35% of the lot. The site that we are proposing would cover 55%, and that’s because we do need to have additional parking to meet the parking requirements.”

Generally, Tractor Supply needs 70 to 80 parking spots, but, it has to provide 120 spots under the ordinance.

Ord, the board chairman, asked if the free-standing sign would be lit 24 hours a day, or would it be off when the store is closed.

Urbanowicz replied that he believed the sign is turned off when the store is closed. Ord asked if the company would consider making it a requirement that the sign should be turned off when the store is closed.

Urbanowicz also pointed out that the photometric of the sign and the other lights on the property would keep the lights from exceeding the property limits.

The engineers still need to do a survey of the property and work with PennDOT on several issues.

After a recess, the board reconvened and voted that it will render a decision on April 15, when the board will be meeting again.