The builders of a proposed $40 million shopping center along Route 30 passed a major hurdle Tuesday night as the East Lampeter Township supervisors approved their conditional-use application.

East Lampeter supervisors voted 3-1, with one abstention, to move Mill Creek Square, a 300,000-square-foot center to be made up of more than 20 tenants, into the land-development phase after conducting 10 hearings on the project.

Michael Landis was the lone no vote, saying he had no problems with the design of the center. His concerns centered on increased traffic on Route 30.

"Throwing another big box on the strip and creating even more of a problem, I really struggle in supporting it," Landis said.

Mill Creek Square is proposed to be built on a 35-acre tract on the south side of Route 30, east of Lancaster Host Resort and Passport Inn. High Real Estate Group and Faison Enterprises Inc., of Charlotte, N.C., will jointly develop the center.

Much of Tuesday night's debate by supervisors dealt with ways to mitigate traffic flow problems on Route 30 from the intersection of Route 462 to Route 896.

The builders have agreed to several traffic improvements, including a new traffic-light synchronization system and an additional right-turn lane at Tanger Outlets.

The supervisors also have called for the builders to conduct a feasibility study for adding a third traffic lane running from the Wawa on Route 30, passing Lancaster Mennonite High School and ending at Tanger Outlets. The third lane now ends at Wawa, creating a bottleneck.

"We've got to take this traffic situation to the next level, because what is there for the folks that live in the neighborhood and in this community will live with this for the rest of our lives," Landis said.

Township supervisor Roger Rutt said his desire would be for the builders to conduct a traffic study on adding the additional lane but not to pay for the entire cost because the traffic problems have been present for several decades.

The supervisors said the tract is the last major spot along Route 30 in East Lampeter that could see major development.

"When I consider some of the other things that could possibly go on that property, I think this is one of the possible fits," township supervisor Wil Sollenberger said.

E-mail: myoder@lnpnews.com