This article was funded by LebTown donors as part of our Civic Impact Reporting Project.
The South Londonderry Township Board of Supervisors heard a presentation from the prospective developers of Campbelltown Village Square at its workshop Jan. 22.
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Developer Ethos Residential detailed a conceptual plan for the 15.15-acre former Alger farm property including 38,000 square-feet of rental space in three buildings and 159 residential units in two buildings.
The most debated part of the plan is its three-story, 55,855 square-foot apartment building with 144 luxury one- and two-bedroom apartments.
Developers said the exterior of the flat-roof building would be “all fronts,” designed to fit in with local architectural styles.
The building would be surrounded by 241 residential parking spaces, with a 20-foot buffer of fencing, shrubbery and evergreens between the development and neighboring homes. The site would be accessible both through the intersection of Horseshoe Pike (SR 322) and Lawn Road, where developers have proposed a roundabout, and Old Farm Road through the back.
The conceptual plan includes a two-story, 14,950-square-foot farmhouse, constructed in 1827, being preserved and repurposed for community events. Adjacent to the farmhouse would be The Lawn, an outdoor space to be used by the community.
While earlier pitches for the project included the preservation of an historic dairy barn on-site, low first-floor height makes the barn unusable for the project.
This barn would instead be transported to a third-party buyer, with a two-story farmhouse-inspired 10,350-square-foot mixed-use building erected in its place for retail use, renting to local businesses. These two buildings have a proposed 69 and 83 parking spaces associated with them.
A 16,500-square-foot two-story building, proposed across the street from the barn and along Lawn Road, could serve as a food market.
Developers emphasized the walkability and bike-friendly nature of the development, with crosswalks and potential pedestrian beacons at all entrances to the roundabout.
Ultimately, all decisions concerning state road Horseshoe Pike (U.S. Route 322) are up the the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, explained developers, but the transportation authority has shown a preference for roundabouts in the past.
Developers also emphasized proposed landscaping, as well as a streambed restoration project.
The stream, Adam Davis explained, has shifted from its original location due to sediment deposits over the years from farming at and around the project site.
He said that restoring the stream, thus creating a marsh wetland space, would provide more storage for flood flows (helping with stormwater management). The presentation notes that “there may be potential to reduce stormwater from our project and other upstream developments,” citing neighbors’ issues with water in basements.
Other than that, stormwater on site would primarily be managed by rain gardens, which include a ponding area to be absorbed into mulch for vegetation following rain events. The site would also include subsurface stormwater beds under parking lots.
The mix of residential and commercial uses proposed is not permitted in the low-density residential land, nor any other zoning district in the township.
In order to go forward with the development, Ethos Residential would need supervisors to approve a form-based code, a site-exclusive agreement that both dictates new allowed uses on a property and other restrictions, including aesthetic choices.
As of now, no plans or requests have been submitted. The purpose of the meeting was to hear public comment and introduce the idea to the supervisors.
At Thursday’s meeting, feedback was overwhelmingly opposed to the project, with residents citing traffic concerns, the size of the apartment building, and worries about stormwater runoff as chief concerns. Others voiced that they felt the apartments would not sell for the luxury prices considered.
Resident Brian Huffman voiced concerns that the apartments could be offered as Section 8 housing if luxury apartments didn’t sell, which developers said was not planned.
Resident Frank Landis was worried about trucks navigating the roundabout, as well as the size of the development, noting, “You can’t change it after it’s done.”
Some residents voiced concerns that the project would inadvertently direct Horseshoe Pike traffic onto Old Farm Road, which is not built to be able to handle high volumes of traffic.
Resident Liz Ramirez said that Hershey, which developers cited as an inspiration, has several retail spaces meant for businesses that stand empty.
Randy Wright, a landscape architect from Hershey, asked, “What’s the overall benefit to the township of allowing this project?” citing its scope as being “more intensive than anything else the township has.”
The idea of the development being “a town within a town” was cited repeatedly over the course of the meeting.
Before the meeting closed, chairman Faith Bucks explained that she shares concerns with many of the residents in attendance, as someone who lives along Horseshoe Pike.
“Does this match the scale and the character of the town? I don’t know that it does.”
If and when plans or a form-based code proposal are submitted to the township, the planning commission and board of supervisors will examine them at that time. As of now, no plans are on the table.
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