Conversation Continues for Chatham University

Chatham University's efforts to get approval for a master plan for its Eden Hall Campus moved a tiny step forward Wednesday night.

The held a public hearing on a conditional use permit for the 388-acre property, but it made no decisions. 

The supervisors will hold another hearing at 7 p.m. May 18 at the . The board is waiting for a recommendation from the township's planning commission, which will review the plans again May 16. for a story about this week's planning commission meeting. 

The campus is in an area designated by the zoning ordinance for regulations aimed at protecting the rural character of existing single-family residential properties from potential impacts of campus development. The ordinance was  enacted in 2009.

"The regulations are complicated," said township Manager Dean Bastianini, who
noting that Chatham is the first to do this in Richland Township.

The university's plan must go through the process of a conditional-use review, and the township's job is to review the master plan to ensure it complies with township zoning rules and regulations, Bastianini said. The supervisors can attach conditions to their approval, he said.

For the most part, Chatham's plans meet or exceed the township's requirements. The university has asked for some modifications to the regulations. 

One regards the township's requirement to connect to a public sewer system. As part of its vision of sustainability, Chatham plans to use its own self-sustaining wastewater treatment system.

Chatham plans to connect buildings on the property to a public water supply, as required, but the university's representatives explained that its main source of water will come from harvesting rainwater from building roofs.

Improvements for Ridge and Glasgow roads have also been a discussion point -- the timing of when to improve the roads with regard to submitting land development plans was discussed earlier at the planning commission meeting.

Dr. Graham Bullen, a traffic expert who is retired from the University of Pittsburgh, outlined results of a traffic study.

"Traffic (from the campus) is not going to overwhelm the road system," he said.