At their meeting on February 12, the West Whiteland Township Board of Supervisors approved an amendment to the Township’s zoning ordinance, limiting the allowable density for housing and apartments within the Town Center District. The updated ordinance will apply to new development applications filed after February 17, 2025, as an ordinance’s effective date in Pennsylvania is usually five days after it’s adopted. The passage of this ordinance reflects the Township’s commitment to responsible growth, maintaining a balanced mix of residential, commercial, and public spaces. By limiting high-density residential development, the Township aims to ensure sustainable infrastructure, maintain quality of life, and support local businesses.
At that same Board of Supervisors meeting, representatives from Abrams Realty and Development, the equitable owner of the 75-acre Exton Square property, provided an overview of their Master Plan for redevelopment of the mall property. The Master Plan proposes multiple uses of the land, including retention of Boscov’s and the east parking garage at current locations and relocation of Main Line Health. It adds new office space, commercial space for new retailers and restaurants, and 619 new dwellings.
It is important to note that the Master Plan was submitted to the Township on February 10, before the effective date of the zoning ordinance amendment. For that reason, Abrams’ Plan is not subject to that amendment, but – as required by State law – it will be reviewed in accordance with the land development regulations in effect at the time of submission. For comparison purposes, based on the acreage of the Exton Square property, the new ordinance would limit the number of apartments to 450 units and would not allow for townhomes; the commercial and office spaces would not be affected.
The Master Plan for the mall will be reviewed by the Historical Commission on March 10. That discussion will be limited to the impact of the plan on the historic resources on and around the property. The Planning Commission will review the Plan on March 18, with a more general discussion of the overall plan. Finally, the Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing to receive comments on the plan; that date will be set following the plan review process of the Historical and Planning Commissions, who are advisory boards to the Board of Supervisors.
The Township’s website, www.westwhiteland.org, contains the specifics of the new zoning ordinance, as well as a condensed version of the 51-sheet plan set that was submitted. The full plan is available for review by appointment. Please contact John Weller, the Township’s Planning and Zoning Director, by emailing gro.dnaletihwtsew@rellewj to make an appointment to view the plans or with questions about the ordinance. The Township will post updates about the review of the mall plans on the website, via eNews, and on social media as information becomes available.
