G. Geiselman v. Hellam Twp. Bd. of Supers. v. WWBK Real Estate Holding, LLC & W. & W. Hewitt

CourtCommonwealth Court of Pennsylvania
DecidedOctober 20, 2021
Docket805 C.D. 2020
StatusUnpublished

This text of G. Geiselman v. Hellam Twp. Bd. of Supers. v. WWBK Real Estate Holding, LLC & W. & W. Hewitt (G. Geiselman v. Hellam Twp. Bd. of Supers. v. WWBK Real Estate Holding, LLC & W. & W. Hewitt) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
G. Geiselman v. Hellam Twp. Bd. of Supers. v. WWBK Real Estate Holding, LLC & W. & W. Hewitt, (Pa. Ct. App. 2021).

Opinion

IN THE COMMONWEALTH COURT OF PENNSYLVANIA

Gary Geiselman, Suzanne McConkey, : Adrienne Johnson, and Devin Winand, : Appellants : : v. : No. 805 C.D. 2020 : ARGUED: September 23, 2021 Hellam Township Board of Supervisors : : v. : : WWBK Real Estate Holding, LLC and : William and Wendolyn Hewitt :

BEFORE: HONORABLE RENÉE COHN JUBELIRER, Judge HONORABLE MICHAEL H. WOJCIK, Judge (P.) HONORABLE BONNIE BRIGANCE LEADBETTER, Senior Judge

OPINION NOT REPORTED

MEMORANDUM OPINION BY SENIOR JUDGE LEADBETTER FILED: October 20, 2021

Objectors, neighboring landowners Gary Geiselman, Suzanne McConkey, Adrienne Johnson, and Devin Winand, appeal from an order of the Court of Common Pleas of York County. The trial court denied Objectors’ land use appeal and affirmed the decision of the Hellam Township Board of Supervisors granting an application for a conditional use to operate a Winery, Type B under Section 490-12(C)(30) of the Hellam Township Zoning Ordinance (Ordinance). (Ordinance § 490-12(C)(30).) Applicants, WWBK Real Estate Holding, LLC, and William and Wendolyn Hewitt, are the equitable owners of the property located at 4865 Libhart Mill Road, Hellam Township,1 and this is their third application for a conditional use at that location.2 We affirm. The facts as found by the Board are as follows.3 Kreutz Creek runs through the subject property, located in what locals and Township personnel refer to as “Owl Valley.” (Dec. 10, 2019 Board Decision, Finding of Fact “F.F.” No. 3.) Zoned Rural Agricultural (RA), the property consists of 2 parcels: KK-15B (6 acres) and KK-17 (10.62 acres). (Id., Nos. 2 and 3.) Improved with a single-family home, a barn, and a garage, the property fronts on Libhart Mill Road, a public road from which ingress and egress occurs. (Id., No. 4.) “Both the house and the barn are situate in close proximity to Libhart Mill Road, with each being located 20 feet or less from the cartpath.” (Id., No. 7.) In addition, less than 150 feet from the barn, there are at least 2 neighboring homes on Libhart Mill Road. (Id.) According to Hellam Township records, the property has been used for residential and agricultural purposes at least as far back as the 1970s. (Id., Nos. 4 and 5.) In July 2019, Applicants filed the present application for conditional use approval. In addition to planting no less than two acres dedicated to wine crops, Applicants propose updating and renovating the existing buildings to accommodate

1 The legal owner of the subject property is the Estate of Evamae B. Crist. (Dec. 10, 2019 Board Decision, Finding of Fact “F.F.” No. 5.) 2 In April 2019, appeals involving the two prior applications were argued seriately: Hewitt v. Hellam Township Board of Supervisors, (Pa. Cmwlth., No. 1342 C.D. 2018, filed June 26, 2019) (“Hewitt I”) and Hewitt v. Hellam Township Board of Supervisors, (Pa. Cmwlth., No. 1518 C.D. 2018, filed June 26, 2019) (“Hewitt II”). In Hewitt I, we considered the original application to convert the existing barn into a wedding/event venue for 230 people. In Hewitt II, we considered a revised application proposing construction of a 55ꞌ x 90ꞌ accessory building toward the center of the property to host weddings and other events. We concluded that both applications were deficient for failure to meet the Ordinance’s noise control requirements. 3 The trial court did not take additional evidence. Consequently, we look to the Board’s findings of fact.

2 the proposed Winery, Type B. (Id., Nos. 6 and 12.) “The house will be used for wine tastings, bridal parties, photo sessions, . . . and similar small events. The garage and the barn will be used for storage, farming operations[,] and wine-making operations.” (Id., No. 6.) “Ingress and egress for the proposed use will continue to be from Libhart Mill Road, with a new entranceway to be constructed by . . . Applicants.” (Id., No. 4.) To accommodate larger winery events such as wedding receptions, Applicants plan to construct a building in the property’s interior with a capacity of 300 people and parking facilities in front of and adjacent to that building for a total of 129 spaces and 4 spaces for disabled persons. (Id., Nos. 8 and 9.) “The new building [would] be located at least 400 feet from Libhart Mill Road and 375 feet from the Lang property to the west.” (Id., No. 8.) None of the new parking facilities would be located in the floodplain, and Applicants plan to update and improve the landscaping to screen the new building and parking areas from neighboring properties. (Id., Nos. 10 and 18.) In addition, they plan to implement illumination consisting of either inward focused lights or dark-sky friendly lighting. (Id., No. 9.) Musical entertainment would be limited to the inside of the new building, with no outdoor concerts or other music events.4 (Id., Nos. 14 and 15.) There would be an outdoor patio on the building’s north side, which patrons could use as an outdoor seating area. The patio would be designed to limit the noise escaping the area and to direct it away from neighboring residences. (Id., No. 14.) To provide adequate water supply and sewage disposal for the upgraded property, they plan to construct a second well and additional septic system. (Id., No. 11.)

4 The only outdoor activities allowed would be wedding ceremonies and events expressly permitted under Section 490-12(C)(30) of the Ordinance. (F.F. No. 15.)

3 In support of the application, Applicants submitted a written plan with “a detailed description of proposed winery events, sanitation provisions, [a] plan for noise control, an explanation of how amplified sound [would] be addressed, an explanation of how noise complaints [would] be addressed, and provisions for the control of lighting.” (Id., No. 19.) On weekdays, the hours of operation would be from noon until 8:00 or 9:00 p.m., with the closing extended to 10:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. (Id., No. 14.) Sunday hours would be from noon until 5:00 p.m. (Id.) All outdoor winery events would end by 10:00 p.m. and indoor ones by 11:00 p.m. (Id.) Following extensive hearings, the Board by a vote of three to two approved the application subject to the following conditions: (1) Applicants shall limit noise generated on the property during winery events to no more than 65 dBA at all adjoining property lines; (2) Applicants shall provide the Township with confirmation that they have obtained a limited winery license from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, along with confirmation of a commercial trash contract before commencing any use of the property as a winery; and (3) Applicants shall take into consideration the historic nature of Owl Valley and historic features of the property and its existing structures in developing and improving the property. (Id. at 7.) On appeal, the trial court denied Objectors’ land use appeal and affirmed the Board’s decision. Objectors’ appeal to this Court followed. Objectors present the following issues: (1) whether the Board erred in determining that the principal use would be as a vineyard; (2) whether it erred in determining that proposed events would be winery events under the Ordinance; (3) whether it erred in determining that the proposed use complied with the definition of Winery, Type B; (4) whether it erred in determining that Applicants met all of the

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Bluebook (online)
G. Geiselman v. Hellam Twp. Bd. of Supers. v. WWBK Real Estate Holding, LLC & W. & W. Hewitt, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/g-geiselman-v-hellam-twp-bd-of-supers-v-wwbk-real-estate-holding-llc-pacommwct-2021.