Bentley Homes presented a sketch plan to Schuylkill Township officials for a 49-home residential community on the roughly 46-acre former Conference Center at Valley Forge property at 1485 Valley Forge Road, drawing questions about traffic, emergency access, and public access to a historic barn slated for preservation.
Jesse Carpino of Bentley Homes told the board of supervisors on Monday evening the plan calls for single-family detached homes on lots averaging just under 10,000 square feet, with houses ranging from about 3,200 to 4,000 square feet. He said projected sale prices would range between $1.3 million and $1.5 million.
Carpino said the plan was developed under the township's R-1 zoning conservation overlay, which clusters development to limit disturbance. He said 62 percent of the property would remain open space, with the heavily vegetated eastern portion left largely untouched. The site is divided by two Aqua water main transmission right-of-ways running north to south.
The development would center on a green space incorporating the existing barn and a tenant house foundation, with trails, gathering areas, historical signage, and a trellised seating area.
Carpino said residents would access the community through a landscaped boulevard entrance off Valley Forge Road, with a median separating one-way entrance and exit lanes.
Access and Traffic Concerns
Supervisors and residents focused on the plan's single point of entry. Board Chair Bob Cooney asked whether other developments in the township of comparable size operated with a single ingress and egress; Carpino said he was not aware of any in the township that did.
Supervisor Danielle Jouenne asked whether PennDOT studies had been completed and whether a traffic signal would be installed. Carpino said the company was in preliminary discussions with PennDOT, which he said had indicated a signal was not warranted but that left-turn lanes and street widening would likely be required.
During public comment, a resident said Route 23 already experiences heavy congestion and questioned the impact of additional vehicles and the number of children who would attend local schools. Another resident expressed concern that a single entrance could limit access for emergency vehicles and said school buses would not be able to enter the development if the streets remain private.
Historic Barn and Public Access
Jouenne questioned whether the general public could reach the preserved barn if the community's streets are HOA-restricted. Carpino said the matter was "tricky" and would require further discussion. Board members indicated they plan to revisit the issue after township staff reviews the sketch plan in more detail.
Carpino said Bentley Homes intends to meet with nearby neighbors while continuing to refine the proposed plan, and estimated a land development submission within roughly three months. The application would then begin the township's land development review process, including consideration by the planning commission.
