Firm seeks zoning change for parcel near controversial Pennbrook Parkway project off Church Road
A local developer has a new plan in the works, with a zoning change requested for a property on Church Road.
“The proposal involves redeveloping a large parking lot at 1180 Church Road, into a proposed 74 single-family attached homes. It’s a small parcel, six acres,” said code committee chairwoman Rafia Razzak.
Developer W.B. Homes has a long history of recent projects in Lansdale, including the ‘Cannon Square’ complex of 28 townhomes on Cannon Avenue built in 2011-12, the ‘Williamson Square’ complex of 30 twins on Line Street approved in 2013, and the similar ‘Cannon II’ project of 40 townhomes approved in 2016 across the street from the prior project. Last May W.B. also proposed a complex of 73 townhouses near the intersection of Valley Forge Road and West Fifth Street, and secured a zoning change needed for that project last June.
Their latest project: a proposed “small parcel transit-oriented development” zoning code amendment that could apply to the entire transit-oriented development district, according to W.B. President Chris Canavan, who said W.B. hopes to redevelop a parcel that’s currently a parking lot adjacent to the Pennbrook SEPTA station.
“The townhome use we are proposing is already allowed in the TOD ordinance. We are proposing a text amendment that provides what we think is appropriate criteria for a smaller parcel redevelopment within the TOD,” Canavan said.
The developer first presented a sketch plan of the project to the town’s planning commission in April 2025 and has since incorporated feedback from that group into the latest version of their plans, according to Razzak and minutes from planning commission meetings.
“They had previously presented to the planning commission, and it was recommended to come to the code committee,” Razzak said.
“The planning commission noted that in order to move this forward, a public hearing is required. Because of that, they will be in our business meeting,” likely either on Feb. 18 or March 18, she said.
Draft plans provided by W.B. show the location of the site, between a Homewood Suites hotel and the Pennbrook SEPTA station, and just a few steps away from a long-discussed site on Pennbrook Parkway where a different developer has drawn years of public comment from residents both backing and battling a plan for new housing there that secured final approvals last summer.
A preliminary plan shows a new private road looping through the development, with clusters of up to six townhouses throughout the site, driveways in front, and sidewalks behind, plus small clusters of excess parking spaces near several of the groups of townhouses. Councilwoman Mary Fuller asked for specifics on which parcel the developer was proposing, and Canavan then described the parking lot, “sort of on the arc of Pennbrook Parkway,” to which Fuller said she looked forward to learning more.
“You always put out a quality product,” she said.
Borough Public Works director Jason Van Dame said afterward that the underlying zoning of the area in question is currently industrial zoning, with the transit oriented overlay atop, and the request would cover the entire overlay district, not just the one property — a concern raised by Upper Gwynedd residents who challenged the zoning change for the Pennbrook project by alleging it was “spot zoning” approved for only one parcel or project.
Within that overlay zone are a mix of uses including apartments near the Station Square shopping center, a district court within that center, restaurants, transportation at the Pennbrook station, and “housing fits neatly into that package” but few parcels of 20 acres left to develop in that district, Van Dame said.
“This is one way they could develop a parking lot that really does not get used that much anymore. Replacing it with housing and some green space is a good opportunity,” he said.
And as for the project near Valley Forge Road and West Fifth Street, no talks have been held on that project at recent borough meetings, and revised plans should be presented to the planning commission in the next “month or two,” Canavan said.
Lansdale’s borough council next meets at 7 p.m. on Feb. 18 and March 18 and the code committee next meets at 7:30 p.m. on March 4, all at the borough municipal building, 1 Vine Street. For more information, visit www.Lansdale.org.
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