The Cheltenham Township Planning Commission issued a letter last month to the Board of Commissioners regarding their assessment of the Enclave at Melrose redevelopment project’s proposed changes.

The letter, dated July 27 and obtained by Glenside Local today, notes that the commission was unanimous in its adoption of the assessment and stands in opposition “to the changes in plan that were proposed at the February meeting.”

The five-page letter states that the commission “has been very supportive of the previously submitted development plans and was enthusiastic about the mixed-use development providing a hub of activity for the community.” However, the authors outline various concerns with the current proposal, including the loss of “a much-needed new Community Center” in favor of townhouses, the deactivation of the intersection at Ashbourne, Ashmead and Front Street, and the loss of “significant retail square footage”.

The commission noted that it also opposes plans to renovate the existing Rowland Community Center in lieu of building a new Community Center.

“Instead of creating a vital and active development that will enliven the community, we will end up with the backside of a row of townhouses and a weak shell of retail that will not have the demographic pull to support the spaces,” the letter concludes.

The conclusion continues:

We cannot emphasize enough how poor these modifications are and had this plan been the original submission would not have received our support. Because of these changes, we want to make clear to the Township Commissioners that the Planning Commission does not support this development in its current configuration and will make every effort available to us to improve the design of this development as it is deserved by this Township.

Glenside Local reached out to planning commissioners Thomas Cross and Carl Freedman for comment but has not received a response at the time of this writing.

The Montgomery County Planning Commission’s recent review found that 33 more homes have been added to the original proposal. The MCPC said it “generally supports the applicant‘s proposal” but recommended several changes in the seven-page letter. The suggestions range from missing require plan elements, mix of uses, plaza design, vehicle circulation, parking, trails, stormwater management, and landscaping.

The Planning Commission’s letter is below:

More to come.

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