Ephrata Township planners Tuesday night may recommend approval for 176 homes, as well as a controversial plan to build 84 apartments.

Developer Gerry Horst wants to build 176 homes on 81 acres near State Street and Mohler's Church Road, a former industrial zone known as the Nolt tract.

Township Manager Steve Sawyer said the planning commission on Tuesday probably will recommend approval of the final plan because there are not many issues with it.

A separate plan to build 84 apartments near Ephrata's schools has been more controversial due to safety and traffic concerns by residents and township officials.

Landmark Homes wants to build the apartments on nearly six acres at Meadow Valley Road and Hammon Avenue. The complex would have an entrance onto each road, with one being close to the Route 272 intersection.

Area residents have said at previous meetings that fast-moving traffic along the roads needs to be somehow slowed down before more cars join the mix.

Sawyer said the township is sending a letter to ask PennDOT to lower the 45-mile-per-hour speed limit on Meadow Valley Road and to consider making the intersection of Meadow Valley and Hammon roads a four-way stop.

"It's a direct route between the high school and middle school," Sawyer said. "There are people walking, kids driving."

Township officials also are concerned about Meadow Valley Road intersections at Rettew and Royer roads, he said. Meadow Valley is a state road.

Landmark Homes has not yet secured all the approvals it needs from PennDOT, Sawyer said. The township hopes PennDOT will consider its letter while those reviews are taking place.

But the township manager doesn't think the letter will hold up the apartment plan's approval process. Township planners could recommend approval of the plan Tuesday. They will meet at 7 p.m. at the township building, 265 Akron Road, Ephrata.

Ephrata Township supervisors will have the final say on both projects.


Staff writer Ryan Robinson can be reached at rrobinson@LNPnews.com or 481-6032.