A resolution involving a planned unit development of 116 town homes and single-unit homes was unanimously approved by the Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners at its March 10 meeting.

According to supporting documentation, the units, to be located at 3626 Rural Road, will comprise 35 acres. The planned area is coined Emerson Village.

According to Christopher Canavan, president of W.B. Homes, the town homes are expected to cost around $400,000, while the single-unit homes will cost between $525,000 and $535,000. The development is projected to take three years to complete and will be done in two phases.

Commissioner Ken Snyder raised many questions and concerns about the development plan, including his plea for the developers to provide more parking spaces in the area to offset street parking. He noted there is additional parking provided on the north side of the unit but not enough spaces for parking on the south side of the plan.

This resolution was approved by the board with conditions, including adding six to eight parking spots on the south side of the development, not removing trees on the east and south sides until phase one is completed and the developer providing a report of the tree inventory and wooded areas to the board. The last condition was suggested by board President Thomas Slonaker.

Justice Strahorn, W.B. Homes project manager, reported there will be 506 trees and 101 shrubs planted at the commencement of this project. W.B. Homes will be placing 234 of those trees along the street.

In this land development plan, there is also a call for removing existing woodlands and forested areas in the surrounding areas of the property. This condition raised concerns from local residents, especially among the Whitehall Environmental Advisory Council members and residents who live adjacent to the property.

Karen S. Poshefko, EAC vice president and a neighbor to these units, expressed her concerns regarding the removal of existing trees and other green space for these units to be built.

“I am not opposed to this development, but I am opposed to clear-cutting 85% of the forested area. It’s not just some trees, it’s 85%,” Poshefko said. “If people don’t understand the value of woods, they won’t want to protect it.”

Poshefko opposed Snyder’s request for additional parking, noting it would result in greater disruption of the area and take up more green space. She asked the board to eliminate units 113-116 of the plan, reporting this would save trees surrounding the area and reduce the parking congestion on the south side of the development plan.

“If you don’t have enough parking, reduce the number of units,” Poshefko said. “You must understand that street trees are not the equivalent to a forest.”

She also asked for a tree inventory to understand the health of these trees.

Deb Rosene, EAC president, also shared concerns about the tree situation and wanted more information about what trees are in the area and what will be removed.

“I believe that forest removal will result in increased air pollution, noise, ambient temperature and bright lights from the stadium nearby,” Poshefko said.

Poshefko reported that, according to township Engineer Frank Clark, a registered landscape architect was sent by W.B. Homes from Keystone Engineering to evaluate the existing portion of the property covered by trees. The results of that document are not public as of now, according to Clark.

Concerns were also raised about this development disrupting and harming the environment nearby, specifically regarding the animals that frequent these areas.

“We have multiple deer families that live back there, eagles in nests and trees, multiple kinds of birds and foxes. All kinds of animals live back there. We would like to preserve our land as much as we can,” a Brynwood Drive resident reported.

Residents were also concerned about the traffic flow, especially regarding nearby schools letting out and Mechanicsville Road backing up to this development. The developers said a traffic analysis was conducted, and the distribution of traffic was not reduced, especially when they included rush hours in the area.

Slonaker and board Vice President Jeffrey Warren were hesitant toward the vote on the Emerson Village development going forward.

“A reluctant yes. I think we need to do better on our growth of wooded areas,” Warren said during his vote.

“You haven’t wavered in what I think of you as being honest and forthright,” Slonaker said of the developer. “I have faith in these guys. I don’t know why, but I do. So, I’m voting aye.”