WEST NORRITON — Township officials last week resumed discussions surrounding a proposed state institution overlay district on the grounds of the Norristown State Hospital, with residents repeating concerns about a potential homeless shelter.
No action has been taken on the matter that, if approved, would implement a zoning change for “permitted uses” on the state-owned property which currently has the state hospital forensic unit on it. While the most immediate need focuses on reconstructing a 420-bed forensic unit to allow for increased capacity, area residents have expressed concerns over the possibility of a homeless shelter.
“Homeless shelter and related short term transitional residential uses” is language included as a possible option for the 67-acre parcel. The site was previously home to CHOC, the Coordinated Homeless Outreach Center operated by Resources for Human Development as the county’s only shelter for homeless men. It closed in June 2022 when the lease lapsed, and it has not been replaced with a new facility.
West Norriton has been mentioned as a potential site for a shelter or similar housing facility, as well as Lansdale, Lower Merion, and Upper Moreland, in a county homelessness task force report.
Recommendations for a 30-to-35-bed shelter potentially within the West Norriton section of Norristown State Hospital land were suggested, aiming to help “those living in encampments,” according to county documents. The report projected a “desired open date” of the fourth quarter of 2024, but formal plans for a shelter have not been presented to the township.
Township Manager Jason Bobst has said the language in the overlay district proposal does not refer to a specific plan and is intended to ensure the township retains input into any future possibilities.
Public comment ramps up
During a meeting last month, resident Kimberly Haymans-Geisler gave public comment, expressing reservations about how the proposed ordinance is being put forth. She pressed officials about a proposed shelter.
Bobst maintained during the April 9 meeting that “there’s no submission of an application for a homeless shelter.”
“If I may, nothing has been advertised. All of this, respectfully, is in your head,” interjected West Norriton Township Commissioner Martin Miller to Haymans-Geisler’s comments.
That exchange came up again last week as resident James Riehman blasted Miller for his conduct. Riehman asked if Miller would apologize, to which Miller responded, “this is public comment.”
“You’ve proven yourself to be a bully, and like all bullies, like my mother told me, you’re really a coward in reality,” Riehman said. “I would hope the commissioners show more courage than Commissioner Miller and vote down the ordinance or choose to table it as I’ve outlined in my comments.”
“I’d like to hug that gentleman,” said Haymans-Geisler, as she followed Riehman’s public comment. “I don’t know him, but I was the woman that was bullied last month in the meeting, and as we can all see, this was not all in my head. So thank you sir for recognizing that.”
Resident Mary Ellen Moran questioned neighboring Norristown’s land conveyance, which includes a proposed mixed use development involving commercial, residential and light industrial components.
“Somehow Norristown got to do what they wanted. The homeless shelter was originally on the Norristown property that’s been shoved to West Norriton,” she said.
“There aren’t any discussions that have come up with the county,” said West Norriton Township Commissioner Roseanne Milazzo, addressing the commenters at the meeting. “I know that there was a date at one time in the fourth quarter, but considering what’s going on at the state hospital building that’s going here, when would it be reasonable to expect any type of shelter to be available?”
Bobst said state or county monies would be crucial for development, adding that “without funding or anything like that and the timeframe for the construction of a forensic unit you’re looking at 2027 at the earliest.”
When addressing the idea of a homeless shelter, Milazzo was candid in her response.
“The county may have talked about putting a homeless shelter on there, but we have not. We really haven’t had any communication with them other than being aware that’s what they talked about,” Milazzo said. “These are things when it comes time for something like that to happen, certainly we want to be involved, but we cannot put the cart before the horse. We can’t.”
Residents: Language is vague
Area residents expressed frustration with the vagueness of the draft ordinance.
“This is extremely vague and it’s really startling because as you said the state government supersedes the local powers,” Haymans-Geisler said. “However, there’s going to be a large tract of land when the old forensic unit is demolished, and that is way forward of where the upcoming units are going to be placed on the property, and I would like to know what the plans are for that vacant lot and that’s what I assume is all the other uses are coming and we don’t know what they are.”
Bobst said the space is planned to become a parking lot for the forensic unit.
“Well, first of all, we cannot predict any of the uses that the state may have, and if we were to insist upon that, the state could just turn around and say, ‘well, sorry we’re going to do what we want to do. We don’t really have to follow your laws,’” Milazzo said. “So we have been working very hard to collaborate with the state with what they want and because of that, they have given us a lot of input.
“They didn’t have to ask us at all. They didn’t have to come to us in the beginning at all. We were all a little surprised when they did. So the fact that they’re working with us and we have a good relationship with them is something that we want to keep,” she continued. “We can’t predict every possible use.”
Haymans-Geisler insisted more concrete language is needed.
“There might be one thing that comes outside of it that would be good for the entire community, and we’d have to say no,” Milazzo said. “So by giving us the conditional use, somebody comes to us with a great idea, we can say ok … as long as it fits into the design of what’s going on it would be great. See what I mean? You can’t predict every possible use. You cannot write that on paper. It’s absolutely impossible to do.”
Haymans-Geisler repeated that it is “unclear what this ordinance permits.” Along with the forensic unit and shelter spaces, other proposed “permitted uses” under that zoning on the state-owned land include hospitals, mental health treatment facilities, practitioners offices, as well as offices for county, state, police, and other nonprofit entities, according to the ordinance.
Milazzo offered the Red Cross as an example to operate a facility on the state hospital grounds for emergency purposes. She stressed that any organizations would be vetted.
“We’re not going to just let some fly-by-night company come in. It’s our township, too,” she said.
Bobst agreed.
“This is wholly owned state land. There are leases involved. The state just doesn’t give up land to anybody,” he said.
“Ok, so we’re guaranteed to know what’s coming forward through the … local planning commission?” Haymans-Geisler asked.
“With this ordinance, I promise you it guarantees that you will have a say. If this ordinance wasn’t in place you wouldn’t have a say,” Bobst said.
Bobst said a motion to advertise the ordinance could take place in May, with a hearing and vote to adopt in June.
The next West Norriton Township Board of Commissioners meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on May 14 at the township building, 1630 W. Marshall St. Visit westnorritontwp.org for more information.
