ADAMS TWP — Adams Planning Commission is looking at zoning standards following the first peeks at the Culver property, a residential development expected to cross the Middlesex Township border.

“Part of the development resides in Adams Township,” said Martin McKinney, planning commission chairman, at Monday night's work session. “It has created a question.”

The Culver property originally came before the planning commission in February. It would sit south of Route 228 next to Sienna Village, a mixed use townhouse/retail development that will be built at the Route 228-Weatherburn Drive intersection.

The plan, which includes 65 housing units on about 28 square acres, got preliminary approval from Middlesex Township in February. Half of Sienna Village received final approval in March.

The majority of the Culver property is in Middlesex as well as its only access road, but 12 townhouse units would spill over onto about four acres in Adams.

However, that part of Adams is zoned residential agricultural low density (RAL). While quad housing units are allowed, four-unit townhouses are not permitted. Although they have the same density, townhouses are considered more “city” looking.

Townhouses are permitted on the Middlesex side of the development. Four-unit townhouses are also allowed as a permitted use in Adams Townships's residential agricultural moderate density (RAM) zone, but not RAL.

This isn't a new problem, according to township manager Gary Peaco.

“This subject (with) the RAL has come up before,” Peaco said. “This has been floating out there for a number of years.”

Property developers could receive special approval for the townhouses via a conditional use hearing.

Sean Gallagher, planning commission solicitor, said the Culver property won't have a reason for a conditional use hearing if what is proposed isn't a conditional use for RAL.

The township would need to add four-unit townhouses as a conditional use.

“The Culver property doesn't move until we come up with a resolution one way or the other,” Gallagher said.

Gallagher asked if the planning commission has any special considerations to implement on potential conditional uses for townhouses in RAL zones.

McKinney suggested the standards be similar to those for RAM zones, including capping the density at four townhouse units per structure.

“We don't want to rewrite the book,” McKinney said. “What we're really trying to do is be friendly to our neighbors.”

Resident Rob Crouthamel argued the township's “founding fathers” designed current zones on purpose.

Specifically, Crouthamel said those reasons probably included the fact that quad units don't look as urban as townhouses.

“There's distinct zoning districts for a reason,” Crouthamel said. “I don't think it's accidental.”

Crouthamel suggested accommodating one development like the Culver property could “open up a can of worms” on other RAL properties.

Gallagher said he'd draft a conditional use proposal for the planning commission.

In the meantime, McKinney said he'd like to hear from other members of the planning commission about the situation.