S. Londonderry conditionally approves McDonald’s land development plan

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South Londonderry Township supervisors on Aug. 11 unanimously approved a land development/minor subdivision plan for a McDonald’s franchise at Northside Commons.

The board’s approval came with the conditions that McDonald’s satisfy all comments in a RETTEW letter dated July 9 and add dashed guidelines from the proposed Northside Drive left turn lane into the shopping center.

The township planning commission recommended supervisors conditionally approve the plan at its July 21 meeting.

Supervisors unanimously approved three waivers: requirement to submit separate preliminary and final plan, requirement to show features within 200′ of land to be subdivided, and requirement to show features within 100′ of the site. The planning commission also recommended approval of these waivers on July 21.

Justin Klee, project manager at Bohler Engineering, the civil engineer for the applicant, McDonald’s USA LLC, presented supervisors with information and answered additional questions regarding the plan on behalf of McDonald’s.

The plan would subdivide the shopping center, totaling 15.93 acres, into the McDonald’s parcel (1.65 acres) and the remaining shopping center parcel (14.28 acres). The 3,780-square-foot building would feature 36 seats.

The lot would feature an ADA-compliant connection, a pedestrian sidewalk connection, a bicycle rack, and 44 parking spaces, with only 24 required by code. The drive-thru lane would feature two order lanes that converge into a single lane for the three windows: pay, pick-up, and pull-forward. There would also be enhanced vegetation to act as a buffer and beautify the intersection.

Klee said the subdivision would benefit the township in various ways, including demonstrating economic growth and development through using a commercial lot that has sat vacant for the past 18 years.

“Being able to not only have construction jobs created with this but part- and full-time jobs that are associated with the workers,” he said. “McDonald’s model is to have local owner-operators. They’re not going to have somebody transplant into the area. They’re going to have a local franchisee that runs this restaurant. And they hire local.”

Supervisors unanimously approved reducing the financial security from $436,136.95 to $260,429.29 for the Palmyra Area School District, based on RETTEW’s letter dated Aug. 7.

Supervisors unanimously approved a CoStars quote of $13,118 from CM High for the installation of battery back-up equipment for the traffic signal at U.S. Route 322 and Thistledown. Township manager John Eberly said the project has become a priority due to traffic signal outages associated with power outages.

Supervisors unanimously approved a CoStars quote of $39,160 from Coastal Technical Sales for the gas pump replacement system, which includes two tanks — one with diesel and one with regular gasoline — to be relocated to the Lingle sewer plant, plus software equipment. Eberly expects the project to come in under the original budget of $50,000.

Supervisors unanimously authorized the township manager or assistant manager to initiate sales and transfer all paperwork for a 2005 Ford Expedition and a 2013 Ford Interceptor. The township intends to take the vehicles to the Grantville auction.

Supervisors unanimously approved conditional offers of employment for Corey Clark and Brennigan Myers for the wastewater operator position. Eberly described them as “two very qualified individuals.”

In other news, supervisors unanimously moved to:

• Approve the July 14 supervisors’ meeting minutes.
• Approve the 14-26 and 15-26 bill and payroll lists.
• Approve the township manager’s report, which included:
  • An announcement that South Londonderry Township is the only municipality in Lebanon County to receive a Green Light-Go grant. The $338,000 grant will be used to upgrade all four traffic signals in the township from existing in-pavement detection loops to advanced radar detection systems, and no matching funds from the township are required. Eberly described it as “a huge win for the township.”
  • An announcement that the board is seeking a member at large from the public to serve on the fire board through the end of this year. Letters of interest should be submitted to the township for consideration.
• Approve reports from township police, which included 223 calls in July; Palmyra Public Library, which included $14,795.95 raised by the annual book sale; Campbelltown Volunteer Fire Company, which included 72 calls — 109 if counting all the calls from the storm — in July; Lawn Fire Company, which included 37 calls in July; First Aid and Safety Patrol of Lebanon; and Palmyra Area Recreation and Parks Commission.
• Approve meeting minutes from the planning commission, fire board, municipal authority, and Western Lebanon County Regional Emergency Management Agency.

During public input, Jane Popko asked supervisors to clarify the location of the playground for which, at the July meeting, they approved a low bid of $53,538.60 from Fontana Outdoors/Adventure World for a playset to replace one that was removed for safety reasons. Vice chairman Jack Custer confirmed that the playground is on Royal Road in the development off Schoolhouse Road.

The South Londonderry Township Board of Supervisors’ next regular meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 8, at 7 p.m., at 27 W. Market St., Palmyra. The municipal building features an on-site parking lot with ADA-accessible spaces.