Exeter Township School District’s Site Acquisition Hearing

In the Nov. 26 issue of The Southern Berks News, I wrote a story on the site acquisiton hearing. Unforunately, I didn’t have enough space to publish all of the useful information so I am placing it on my blog.
The site acquisition hearing covered three sites: Fairview Chapel Road, Faber Road and Greth Development properties. Information about these properties was provided by EI Associates.
The school board was scheduled to meet on Nov. 25 for a voting meeting. According to the agenda, Under Business Functions:
• It is recommended that the board of school directors approve submission of PlanCon Part C – Site Acquisition to the Pennsylvania Department of Education for review and approval. The school district is seeking reimbursement for site costs and is planning to acquire approximately 92 acres of land located along Boyertown Pike, Route 562, currently owned by Walter Greth for the purpose of constructing a new elementary school and for future needs of the district.


Fairview Chapel Road Property
Estimated cost: $5,920,000
Total acres: 68.38
Zoning: Light Industrial, schools by special exception
Accessibility: Good
Aesthetics: Future land use could conflict with school use
Characteristics: tree farm, rectangular parcels, Conrail railroad, flood plain
Legal: No known issues
Utilities: Adjacent to size
Availability: Unknown
Size: Approximately 38 acres in single parcel
Transportation: Limited traffic movement at Route 422, may require shifting students

Faber Road Property
Estimated cost: $1,150,000
Total acres: 76.31 (Divided by Faber Road)
Zoning: Rural district, schools by special exception
Accessibility: Fair
Aesthetics:Pleasant vistas, absences of traffic noise, open areas, wooded areas
Characteristics: Irregular shape, moderate to steep grades
Legal: No known issues
Utilities: Adjacent to site
Availability: Unknown
Size: Irregular parcel: 18.91 acres south side of Faber Road, 57.40 acres north of Faber Road
Transportation: Fair, nearby residential area

Greth Development Property (Also known as the Amber Hill Development)
Estimated cost: $3,950,000
Total acres: 105.84
Zoning: Rural district, schools by special exception
Accessibility: Fair to good
Aesthetics:Pleasant vistas, absence of noise, open fields, wooded areas
Characteristics:Irregular shape, moderate grades, existing pond, some wetlands
Legal: No known issues
Utilities: Adjacent to site
Availability: Owner willing to sell
Size: Irregular parcel
92.149 acres northwest parcel
16.684 wooded acres southeast parcel
Transportation: Good, no walkers

Advantages/disadvantages of sites

Fairview Chapel Road: Advantages
• Site bordered by and bisected by good road and good site lines
• Existing tree farm: some vegetation is worth retention
• Largest parcel of four sections: 36-acre site has gentle slope (the area of the tree farm)
• Site size provides for site flexibility and a future school

Fairview Chapel Road: Disadvantages
• No access to north and west of Fairview Chapel Road
• Approximately 8.5 acres of property is unusable because of location and flood plain
• Adjacent light industrial zoning could produce undesirable land uses close to school site
• Township sewage treatment plant within a half mile of school site
• High cost

Faber Road: Advantages
• Site size provides for site flexibility and a future school
• Located close to new growth area of district
• Site size provides for site flexibility and a future school

Faber Road: Disadvantages
• Sanitary sewer adjacent to site off of Schoffers Road, may require pump station for sanitary sewer
• Owner potentially unwilling to sell
• Site requires considerable grading to develop educational facilities
• Woods consume approximately 70 percent of site

Greth Development: Advantages
• Located close to new growth area of district
• Good road frontage
• Site size provides for site flexibility and a future school
• Owner willing to sell

Greth Development: Disadvantages
• Topography of site limits use of road frontage
• Site requires considerable grading to develop educational facilities
• Woods, wetlands and a pond consume more than 60 percent of site