Proposed McIntyre Heights development in West Deer clears hurdle

A proposed housing development in West Deer has cleared a major hurdle.

The township supervisors have voted 4-0 to approve a conditional-use request by Richland Holdings that would allow it to build a 63-unit development off McIntyre Road.

Planned residential developments are permitted as a conditional use under the township code.

This is the second time developers have sought approval for the proposed 38.7-acre development, which has been downsized to make it more appealing. Representatives with Richland Holdings couldn’t be reached for comment Wednesday.

The new plan includes 31 single-family dwellings and 16 duplexes. The previous plan called for 35 single-family homes and 17 duplexes.

The planning commission recommended approval of both plans. Supervisors rejected the first plan in 2017.

“This has been, as it should be, an extensive vetting process,” Supervisors Chairman Arlind Karpuzi said. “We want to make sure that we’re doing right by our neighbors.”

Residents who live near the proposed development expressed concern about how it would affect traffic and stormwater runoff during a public hearing in February. Karpuzi said the supervisors weighed those concerns when making their decision.

“We added additional conditions onto it ensuring that they’re in compliance with the county and state stormwater regulations, ensuring that there’d be a traffic study,” Karpuzi said.

Bill Payne, West Deer’s zoning and code enforcement officer, said the developer will go back to the planning commission for approval of the next phase of the plan, which is land development. Land development includes details such as what trees will be planted and what the houses will look like. If that plan is approved by the planning commission, it will go to the supervisors for final approval, Payne said.

“Given the circumstances we have now and the steps that they still need to go (through), I would say that it would probably be into next year that they would start actual home building,” Payne said.

In addition to Karpuzi, supervisors Shirley Hollibaugh, Brandon Forbes and Beverly Jordan voted in favor of the conditional use. Supervisor Shawn Maudhuit was absent. The meeting was held via Zoom because of the coronavirus pandemic.