Credit: Chris English/NewtownPANow.com
Major upgrades at a Newtown Township restaurant took a big step toward reality Thursday night when the township zoning hearing board voted 4-0 to approve eight variances and a special exception for the Grey Stone Restaurant at 552 Washington Crossing Road.
Owner-operator Brandon Smith is proposing two additions totaling 3,218 square feet to the 9,000 square-foot restaurant and also an increase in parking on the restaurant side of Washington Crossing Road from 22 to 118 spaces. With such limited parking now on that side, most patrons must now park in a lot across the road and walk over to the restaurant, something Smith and his representatives called a safety concern. The lot across the road will continue to be available with 83 spaces.
With the zoning relief now granted, the project must still go through the complete land development process and receive land development approval from the township supervisors in order to proceed. Smith estimated the work is a year or two from starting, provided it gets land development approval, and he added Grey Stone would remain open during the project.
Thursday night’s approval of the special exception and variances come with the condition that plant buffers be installed between the restaurant and some neighboring properties, and also along Washington Crossing Road between the highway and the new parking spaces on the restaurant side. Details of the buffers will be worked out during the land development process, and both must be done in a way that will not impair sight lines for patrons driving out of the restaurant parking lot.
The buffers were suggested by neighbors Raymond Majewski and Thomas Ames, who were both granted party status during the hearing so they could ask questions of witnesses. Both praised the parking plan as a nod to increased safety. Smith added that valet parking will continue to be offered at the restaurant.
Zoning relief granted Thursday night was from usual requirements regarding impervious surface, expansion of floor area, front yard setbacks, parking space distance from the road’s ultimate right-of-way and others.
The original Grey Stone building is about 200 years old, according to Smith, and the establishment has existed as a commercial enterprise – mostly a restaurant/banquet facility – for many decades under different names and different owners. Smith has owned and operated it for the last five years.
“The present situation is untenable from an operations and safety standpoint,” said Nathan Fox, Smith’s attorney on the project. “We’re not looking to do anything outlandish. These are the types of variances needed to modernize an old building.”
Grey Stone accommodates both regular restaurant patrons and also hosts events like wedding receptions. Smith said the current building’s layout is “choppy”, making it difficult to smoothly separate the a la carte and events functions, but that the project should greatly improve that situation.
“We want to improve efficiency and modernize and make the parking as safe as possible,” he said.
Engineer Heath Dumack said that designated woodlands areas will be slightly disturbed by the parking expansion but that other natural resource protected areas, including wetlands and wetlands buffers, will not be disturbed.
Ames said he was sometimes disturbed by noise coming from the business under previous owners but not since Smith has owned the establishment. While not pressing the matter, Ames asked why Smith had not spoken to neighbors to talk about and work out issues before coming to township agencies for review and approval.
“That was shortsighted on my end,” Smith responded. “I apologize. It was not intentional by any means. I want to add to the community, not take away from it.”
He added that the policy of not allowing music in outdoor dining areas will continue. Hours of operation will continue to be 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, Smith said.
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.”
Other highlights include 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.
