While representatives of High Real Estate Group, the project's developer, attended the meeting, all they did was ask the commissioners to accept a request for a text amendment to the township's zoning ordinance.

The amendment would allow for a planned commercial development overlay district in the I-1 industrial and B-4 commercial districts without having to rezone the land.

If approved by the township, the amendment would allow High to construct The Crossings at Conestoga Creek, which at 650,000 square feet would be the second-largest shopping center in the county, behind Park City Center, which is a quarter-mile down the road.

Tied into this project would be extensive changes to the intersection of Route 30 and Harrisburg Pike. To handle the already excessive traffic in the area, High is proposing a "single point urban interchange," a concept used only once before in Pennsylvania.

This design would modify the ramps exiting Route 30 so they curve past each other into the center of the bridge, where a sole signal would control traffic.

The commissioners took no action on the text amendment.

They will not do anything until the amendment has been reviewed by both the Lancaster County Planning Commission and the township planners. The amendment will likely be discussed at the next meeting of the township planning commission on April 20 at 7:30 p.m. at the township building.

"If it passes, the next step is that the High Real Estate Group will come before us and ask for our approval to permit them to develop under that zoning text amendment, which would be another lengthy process, including a public hearing," said Carol Simpson, chairwoman of the commissioners. "If that is positive for them, then they must go through the actual land development plan process."

Simpson said there are positive aspects to the project.

She said it will allow the township to preserve farmland through its transferable development rights program, which allows for growth in one area while saving farmland in another.

Simpson also said the project would "bring between $2 million and $3 million in tax revenues" into the township and school district.

The "hinge point" for the project that could derail it would be if High is unable to obtain federal tax dollars to pay for the needed highway improvements.

"If there are not dramatic improvements (to the traffic patterns), they won't move forward with the project," Simpson said.

Asked by one resident why the township would approve the plan without rezoning the land, Simpson said "a lot of things could go wrong" with the project and it might never get built. But if land is rezoned, "it is lost."

Resident Ed McClune reminded the board of a 2002 plan for the property that called for construction of baseball stadium and a shopping center anchored by a Target store.

"There was such a controversy about that over there back then, are we going to make this another controversy?" he asked

"I don't know," Simpson replied.

A major concern that helped lead to that plan's defeat was the prospect of increased traffic congestion, especially considering the proximity of Park City Center and Long's Park.

Tom Smithgall of High Real Estate Group, however, believes his company's plan will address any and all traffic concerns.

"We think our plan will significantly improve that road," Smithgall said after Monday's meeting. "Everyone knows how bad it is now. With the preliminary work we've done on this, we feel the new intersection will improve the level of service. If we do nothing, it's only going to get worse."

The new retail center is described as being a pedestrian-friendly, open air "lifestyle" shopping facility with about 50 retailers.

The new center would employ about 2,000 people. blog comments powered by Disqus