Allen Township Board of Supervisors gave preliminary approval of Phases 3, 4 and 5 of the Willowbrook Farms development at the Aug. 22 meeting.

The plans propose 256 apartments, 225 town houses and 27 single-family homes, totaling 508 homes along Willowbrook and West Bullshead roads.

Project representatives were present at the board’s July 25 meeting to discuss what the township wanted in regard to fire access and sewer planning.

Rob Lewis, with law firm Kaplin Stewart, also discussed sidewalks along the south side of West Bullshead Road. The original plans for Willowbrook propose a crosswalk in this area, rather than a sidewalk.

Lewis said the sidewalks could only be 4 feet wide due to a pinch point, an area of land particularly responsive to rainfall and flooding. The township requires a 5-foot sidewalk.

Tests were run with a wider firetruck than developers previously used, and though it behaves differently, Lewis said he believes emergency vehicles will have no issues accessing the development.

As for the sewer, the main line will be owned by the township, with the smaller offshoots being owned by the homeowners association.

The board gave preliminary approval for all three phases, along with multiple waivers specific to Phase 5.

In other business, supervisors discussed the ongoing issue of trucks turning down East Bullshead Road, despite warning signs. They discussed a roundabout, raising the bridge and other physical barriers. However, road barriers are not allowed by Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

There is a meeting scheduled with township Manager Ilene Eckhart, FedEx Ground and the county to further discuss the situation.