Montgomery County · Upper Gwynedd · MCPC #24-0233-001
1500 Pennbrook Parkway
1500 Pennbrook Parkway, Upper Gwynedd, PA · 60 homes, apartments · 5.65 acres
About this project
The Walters Group plans to combine two existing lots at 1500 Pennbrook Parkway in Upper Gwynedd Township and build six residential buildings with 60 apartments, 118 parking spaces, a basketball court and three stormwater facilities. A large part of the site is currently wooded. The project would also remove parking on a neighboring property that encroaches on the site.
County planning commission: Supports, with comments
Issues raised: Landscaping does not appear to meet new township standards, Tree preservation and replacement information is missing, Stormwater basin plantings do not meet the tree and shrub requirement, Proposed Ernst seed mix in stormwater basins
- Applicant
- The Walters Group
- Engineer / rep.
- Howell Engineering
- Zoning
- Office Light Industrial (TOD-2 overlay)
- Approvals needed
- conditional use, preliminary land development plan approval, waivers
- Utilities
- proposed sanitary sewer lines, proposed water lines
- Demolition
- Removal of parking on an adjacent property that encroaches onto the site
Filing history
- 2024-10-25 · MCPC #24-0233-001 · Land Dev Plan, Prelim Plan, Conditional Use · 60 homes
County review letters
2024-10-25 · UGWYN 24-0233-001ra.pdf
The full picture AI research · Nov 1, 2026
The Walters Group wants to join two lots at 1500 Pennbrook Parkway in Upper Gwynedd Township. It would build six residential buildings holding 60 apartments on about 5.65 acres. The plan also includes 118 parking spaces, a basketball court and three stormwater basins, which are areas that hold and slowly release rainwater. Much of the site is wooded now. The plan would also remove parking on a neighboring property that spills onto this site.
The township has already changed its zoning to allow about 60 apartments in this industrial-zoned area. The supervising board approved that change in August 2023. The change drew opposition from some residents, who raised concerns about crime, crowding and schools. A 2023 news report also said critics had filed a legal notice challenging the vote. The developer filed its detailed site applications in October 2024, and they were still under review in the township's latest update. Who would live in the apartments was not found in the sources.
What it could mean nearby
- Traffic: 60 apartments and 118 parking spaces would add cars to Pennbrook Parkway. No traffic study was found in the sources reviewed.
- Open space: part of the wooded site would be cleared for buildings, parking and stormwater basins.
- Housing: the project adds 60 rental homes. The township has pointed to many local renters spending a large share of income on rent.
- Schools: residents raised school capacity concerns during the zoning debate. No enrollment estimate was found.
Where it stands
The zoning change was approved in 2023. The land development and conditional use applications, filed in October 2024, were under review, and the township page showed no final decision. Next come further Planning Commission and Board of Commissioners meetings, with a conditional use hearing and a vote on the plans.
- Nov 17, 2025 Developer presented the project to the Board of Commissioners
- Nov 13, 2024 Developer presented to the Planning Commission
- Oct 2024 Conditional use, map amendment and land development applications filed
- Aug 22, 2023 Board of Commissioners approved the zoning text amendment allowing about 60 apartments
- Jul 12, 2023 Planning Commission recommended approving the zoning text and map changes
- Jun 14, 2023 Planning Commission hearing on the project
Want to weigh in? The Upper Gwynedd Township Planning Commission and Board of Commissioners review the plans at public meetings, where residents can comment. Meeting dates are listed on the township website.
Who's behind it
The Walters Group · A Delaware Valley developer that builds multi-family apartment communities and also senior housing and beach houses.
Around the web
- Get the FactsUpper Gwynedd TownshipGives the township's timeline from the 2023 zoning change to the 2024 applications and later presentations, with no final decision recorded.
- Affordable apartments in Upper Gwynedd controversyThe Philadelphia Inquirer · Nov 16, 2023Reports resident opposition and a legal challenge to the vote that expanded the zoning for the site.
- Planning Commission PresentationUpper Gwynedd TownshipDeveloper presentation that names the site and the Walters Group, and cites local rent burden figures.
Planning terms explained
- Conditional use
- A use the zoning code allows only if the governing board holds a hearing and finds the project meets set conditions.
- Land development
- The township's formal review of a site plan covering buildings, parking, roads and stormwater.
- Zoning text amendment
- A change to the written zoning rules that alters what can be built in a district.
- Stormwater facility
- A basin or similar feature that collects rain runoff from roofs and pavement and releases it slowly.
- Board of Commissioners
- The elected township body that makes final decisions on zoning changes and development plans.
Researched by AI from public sources on Nov 1, 2026. It can make mistakes, so check the linked sources and the municipality before relying on it.
Scope estimate for contractors
Estimated construction value: $14.4M
- ~360 roofing squares
- ~60 HVAC systems
- ~60 kitchens / 120+ bathrooms
- ~60,000 sq ft of finished living space
- ~5.7 acres of site work (grading, stormwater, landscaping)
- Basketball court
- On-street parking and sidewalk along Pennbrook Parkway frontage
- Stormwater management facilities with planting
- PCSM and erosion control plans
- Lighting plan
- Sanitary sewer laterals
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