Credit: Chris English/NewtownPANow.com
Big changes will be coming to the Grey Stone restaurant in Newtown Township if various township and other approvals are eventually granted.
At Tuesday night’s planning commission meeting, members voted 7-1 to recommend that the township board of supervisors take no position on eight zoning variances requested by representatives of the restaurant located at 552 Washington Crossing Road. The supervisors will consider whether to follow that recommendation, or take a position to either support or oppose the variances, at an upcoming meeting. Soon after, the township zoning hearing board will consider the variances.
Engineer Heath Dumack and attorney Stephen Zaffuto, representing Grey Stone, appeared at Tuesday night’s planning commission meeting to present the restaurant owner’s case for the variances that are connected to a plan for major expansions of parking and building space at the establishment.
The two professionals said the restaurant’s owners want to increase parking on the side of Washington Crossing Road where the restaurant is located from less than 20 spaces to about 200 spaces. Currently, other Grey Stone parking consists of about 70 spaces on the other side of the road, forcing many patrons or workers with the restaurant’s valet parking service to walk back and forth across Washington Crossing Road.
“There is currently no pedestrian crossing and no lighting to guide their way,” Dumack said. He added that if plans eventually go forward, it will not officially eliminate but should significantly minimize the need to park across the road.
In addition, the restaurant’s owners are proposing two building additions totaling 3,335 square feet. Among the eight variances requested are those asking for relief from normal requirements regarding impervious surface, expansion of floor area, front yard setbacks, parking space distance from the road’s ultimate right-of-way and others. If the variances are granted, the project would also need land development approval from the supervisors in order to proceed.
While the plan will necessitate cutting down some trees, the project will not involve disturbing officially designated woodlands or wetlands or other protected areas, Dumack said.
The business has been at the location for many decades under various owners and names, with the present owners taking over about five years ago.
The only dissenter on the planning commission’s 7-1 vote to recommend the supervisors take no position on the variances was member Terry Christensen, who said he felt the amount of relief being requested was excessive and the supervisors should oppose it.
“It is a lot of relief you’re asking for,” PC Chair Peggy Driscoll added before the vote. “It’s a long-time business in our township. I don’t want to oppose, but it would be nice to reduce (the amount of zoning relief) a little here or there.”
Zaffuto responded that the project to a significant degree would serve to improve already existing nonconformities at the site.
“I think it looks worse than it is,” he said of the requested zoning relief. “In a lot of ways, we’re bringing it closer to what the zoning requires.”
After the hearing, Zaffuto said he didn’t have a projected timeline for the project, and didn’t know if the restaurant would close or remain open during the work.
According to its website, greystonefinefood.com., “Grey Stone Fine Food and Spirits offers a combination of modern and classic American comfort foods in a vibrant, upscale casual atmosphere.”
The restaurant features a “locally sourced seasonably changing menu, 24 craft draft beer options,a world-class wine list and a house curated cocktail list,” the website stated. Other attractions are “private dining rooms and an expansive outdoor dining and bar area, and rooms accommodating up to 250 guests,” it added.
