As a Real Estate Broker who knows the County and Municipal rules, regulations and codes, I am finding what is happening to Lancaster County quite alarming.
High Density, which is the way this County is going in future development, is too much too fast. High Density is a very big part of Lancaster County’s problem of flooding. Common sense dictates that when land is covered with buildings and parking lots, storm water is directed to fewer outlets at a faster pace, thereby causing flooding.
There needs to be a moratorium on developing until the engineers are made accountable for all the storm water plans that are being approved by the Municipalities. Although I am not an engineer, I have eyes to see what is happening and where it is happening. Many of these plans are the result of very poor storm water management decisions.
Recent examples include: the projected Crossings shopping center in Manheim Township; Hershey Mill Road off of Columbia Avenue in Manor Township; Jackson Drive off of Columbia Avenue in Lancaster Township. These are just a few examples of what is going wrong with the high density mentality, proposed in the name of saving farm land by putting more people on less land.
If you would look at a topography map of the County, you would clearly see that Lancaster County is shaped like a bowl. Our county has a high water table. The largest area ,which is also the lowest lying area, is Lancaster City, and areas North, South, East and West from the City. Consider the recent flooding and see for yourself!
Residents need to attend the County and their municipal planning meetings, as well as the County Commissioners and their Municipal Supervisors meetings. They need to let the officials that they elected know that enough is enough and there should be a moratorium on developing and building until all existing housing and commercial buildings are sold and occupied. Then and only then should land development commence and then only after all new plans and information on storm water management have been presented, reviewed and approved.
We are in big trouble as no one is listening in the name of economic growth! What about existing ownership becoming uninhabitable due to high cost of repairs from flooding, mold and above all flood insurance? It is only going to get worse, unless new construction is delayed until all current applications and proposals for new developing are reevaluated.
The flooding at College Row was only reported in this week’s College Reporter. This is just more evidence of what happens when large formerly open areas are covered with parking lots.
F&M and LGH plan to turn the whole area into a “mixed use” district with dozens of new buildings. The entire former railyard area will be paved. Just take a look at their “future” architectural drawing.
As I went to work that morning from N/E Lancaster City, the Marshall Ave. bridge was flooded, Plum St. flooded so I went via New Holland Ave and just barely got through.
Throughout the day several roads were closed Dillerville Rd. between Manheim Pike and Fruitville and problems at Manheim Pike and Steel Way, Keller Ave and Lititz Pike and the above comment mentions College row. I know that at McCaskey the students had to be bused to East because of flooding
.
I think this article is right on and will do my part to bring it to the attention of City Officials.
The premise of this letter is that high density residential development is causing flooding.
In support of that three examples are given.
The Crossings hasn’t even been build yet, and isn’t high density residential development. The example makes no sense.
Jackson Drive in Lancaster Township is one of the oldest suburban development in the county. The housing is neither new nor high density. Finally the areas of flooding cited are either substantially upstream or on an entirely different watercourse than the Hershey Mill development.
Instead of anecdotal observation and unsubstantiated accusations, the conversations regarding the impact of high density development is better served by objective evaluation and detailed analysis.
Then again, a moratorium on building would have the immediate effect of driving up housing prices. But I’m sure that wouldn’t have anything to do with shaping the opinions of a real estate broker.
Although the Crossings shopping center is not high density residential development, it is high density commercial development. It will be built in the flood plain of Conestoga Creek, which is why it is called The Crossings at Conestoga Creek.
As soon as High Real Estate Group gets its requested $23 million federal grant to pay for infrastructure projects (usually paid for by the developer), the Crossings shopping center will be built. A 90-acre tract of land – the size of 13 football fields – will be covered with concrete and on this will be built up to 650,000 square feet of large and small retail stores, restaurants, a 14-screen movie theater as well as hotel and office space. It will be the second largest shopping center in the county, second only in size to nearby Park City Center.
The Manheim Township Commissioners waived its own floodplain ordinance to allow the developer to build closer to the creek than the township ordinance allows.
When the Crossings was first proposed, the Manheim Township Planning Board rejected the project because it would require changing the township’s comprehensive plan. At that time, the 90-acre site was zoned industrial. High Real Estate lobbied for a zoning change that would permit the shopping center. The Manheim Twp. Commissioners changed the zoning and gave conditional approval to the Crossings in a split 3-2 vote.
The current water problem on Jackson Drive is definitely due to water flow from Park City Center and South from there. When Park City Center was built, current storm water regulations were not in effect and this area was classified as a 500-yr. flood plain. After the building of Park City Center, it was re-classified as a 100-yr. flood plain.
The creek that runs behind Jackson Drive to the West overflows frequently and water enters the basements of homes close to Columbia Avenue. These homeowners are now having to get flood insurance at a cost of approximately $100 per month.
If the Crossings shopping center is built, where is all that water going to go? Current engineering and storm water regulations WILL NOT handle that problem. Is it so wrong to possibly think ahead for a change and protect existing homeowners in the path of all this water run-off?
A Moratorium will not drive up home prices; however, that is not a bad idea for all the buyers and sellers that are taking losses due to current market inventory. Whether a Real Estate Broker, such as myself, sells a new home or an existing home, commission is commission. Personally I am for RECYCLING Real Estate, helping areas of this County recycle old buildings and recreate new. Work can and should be done on blighted areas – that are increasing in numbers due to many factors – before new development projects are begun.
Alexandria, Va. put a Moritorium in effect until they were able to have their infrastructure catch up to all the developing. We are not far from having that same problem and we should do the same.