Attorneys

Marc D. Jonas Additional Representative Matters

Marc D. Jonas Profile

• For a large-scale industrial proposal, obtained zoning and land development approval from the New Britain Township Board of Supervisors (Bucks County). The approved plan would permit a 120,000 square foot industrial building on more than 16 acres of ground. Land development approval followed a height variance obtained by Mr. Jonas from the zoning hearing board to allow the warehouse building to exceed the height limits of the township zoning ordinance.
• Successfully represented obtained zoning and land development approval from the Hatfield Township Board of Commissioners (Montgomery County) to allow for the development of a 212,500 square foot industrial building in Hatfield Township on a 26-acre parcel. Land development approval followed a height variance obtained from the zoning hearing board to allow the warehouse building to exceed the height limits of the township zoning ordinance.
• Successfully represented the Rothman Institute, securing approval from the Upper Moreland Township Zoning Hearing for significant renovations of a medical office building located in Willow Grove (Montgomery County). The renovations will increase significantly the number of physician exam rooms.
• Successfully represented the Keystone Sanitary Landfill in dismissing the land use appeal filed by disgruntled residents and their anti-landfill civic association seeking to stop the expansion of a landfill in Dunmore (Lackawanna County). The court order affirmed the Dunmore Borough Zoning Hearing Board’s prior decision that the residents and association lacked standing to appeal, as they failed to establish that they are “aggrieved” parties with direct, immediate, and substantial harm.
• Obtained final land development approval on behalf of Nappen & Associates for the expansion of the Montgomeryville Nissan car dealership in Montgomery Township (Montgomery County). The approved land development will see the demolition of the existing showroom buildings and construction of a new automobile showroom building of approximately 15,000 square feet and a 2000 square foot addition to the existing service facility adjacent to the showroom building on the same property. The plans include a future pedestrian walkway connection and the installation of stormwater best management practices.
• Obtained zoning approval from the Hatfield Township Zoning Hearing Board for a 21,000 square foot collision repair facility which will be operated by Caliber Collision, the largest auto collision repair provider in the United States.
• Obtained land development approvals for a split-zoned property in Whitemarsh Township (Montgomery County) for a development of townhouses and single family homes. The first step was to obtain approval of an amendment to the township zoning map to accommodate the proposed townhouses. The next step was a zoning hearing board approval which was granted, permitting the proposed mixed residential use development to move forward with other township approvals.
• Obtained zoning hearing board approval to permit conversion of a tennis center into a soccer facility as the continuation of a lawful, non-conforming use in Cheltenham Township (Montgomery County). The zoning relief granted by the zoning hearing board also included the modification of certain conditions previously imposed by the zoning hearing board.
• Prevailed in a zoning appeal before the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas, filed by a neighboring property owner attempting to squelch the adaptive reuse of the former Wyndmoor Montessori School in Springfield Township (Montgomery County). The building, no longer an operating school and in need of significant repair and updating, had been vacant for almost one year. The former school had eight classrooms with an enrollment of 95 children. The Zoning Hearing Board of Springfield Township approved zoning variances in to permit adaptive reuse of the school building for eight luxury apartments, along with 2-single-family detached homes on the property. Marc successfully argued on appeal that the Court should accord deference to the zoning hearing board, which is uniquely knowledgeable and situated to determine whether the developer had met its burden with respect to the zoning variances. He cited a recent Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision, contending that the zoning hearing board appropriately considered the preservation of a notable structure, adaptive reuse, and community support for a project.
• In a unanimous vote, Hatboro Council voted to rezone a property in Hatboro Borough (Montgomery County) on behalf of the client, Rite Aid Pharmacy.
• The redevelopment of the 50-unit North Hills Manor residential development is a significant step closer, as a result of the passage of a zoning ordinance text amendment submitted by Marc to Upper Dublin Township on behalf of Pennrose Management Company. The property, located in Upper Dublin Township (Montgomery County), was acquired by Montgomery County Housing Authority in 1952. The current barracks-style housing will be replaced by a combination of modern twins and apartment buildings. The redevelopment and management will be the responsibility of Pennrose. The project is slated to cost $17 million and take approximately three years to complete.
• Secured preliminary and final land development approvals from the Upper Dublin Township Board of Commissioners for Life Time Fitness, a nation-wide leader in resort-like fitness centers. Marc previously obtained conditional use approval from the Upper Dublin Township Board of Commissioners, as well as a significant number of variances from the township zoning hearing board. These approvals will permit construction of an 113,000 square foot Life Time Fitness center on 14.5 acres in the Fort Washington Business Park (Montgomery County).
• Obtained final subdivision approval from the Board of Supervisors of Warminster Township (Bucks County) for a 35-home residential subdivision. This plan approval for the developer was the latest in a series of approvals that included the residential rezoning of the property, accompanied by the creation of a new residential cluster development option with increased common open space. The approved plan provides buffers for abutting neighbors and a walking trail.
• Obtained the approval of Springfield Township to expand the existing CVS pharmacy located in Erdenheim (Montgomery County). The renovations to the property include significant improvements resulting in additional landscaping, more green areas, less building and impervious coverage, and enhanced stormwater management.
• Obtained final land development approval from the Horsham Township Council for an urgent care facility located in Horsham Township (Montgomery County). Previously, Marc had obtained zoning relief from the zoning hearing board, followed by preliminary land development approval for the property, which is located in 2 zoning districts: a residential district and an office/professional use.
• In 1993, Marc was successful in representing an orthopaedic practice in obtaining a number of variances permitting a medical office use at the property, in addition to variances relating to parking, impervious and building coverages, and signage.

Marc D. Jonas Profile