The High Real Estate Group (HREG), under the umbrella of the Lancaster County Transportation Coordinating Committee, has applied for $21,278,000 of federal transportation stimulus funds for the reconstruction of the Route 30/Harrisburg Pike interchange. This same interchange was improved only 8 years ago with over $45 million state taxpayer dollars.
The promise was to improve the Route 30/Harrisburg Pike intersection in return for township approval and a zoning change that would allow a shopping center, called The Crossings, to be built a few hundred yards from Park City Center.
The Crossings shopping center will be located only a few hundred yards from Park City Center, which is financially distressed due to economic conditions. There are currently 12 vacant stores in Park City Center.
Lancaster City receives taxes from Park City Center. If competition from The Crossings causes Park City Center to go out of business, Lancaster City will lose that tax base since taxes from The Crossings will go to Manheim Township. The per capita income from ManheimTownship ($28,730) is almost double that of Lancaster City ($15,813). Clearly, the City is in greater need of these taxes than is Manheim Township. Also, East Hempfield Township, whose local roads stand to be more affected than those in Manheim Township by The Crossings traffic, will receive none of this tax money
The Crossings project is projected to generate 459 new daytime trips and 1,476 new evening trips every weekday and 2,332 new trips on Saturdays, according to a study done by a traffic engineering company hired by HREG.
The proposed Crossings shopping center, as well as the planned 14-track Norfolk Southern rail yard to be located nearby, may be affecting property values in two established, upscale neighborhoods: School Lane Hills and Barrcrest. At last count, there were 28 houses up for sale in School Lane Hills alone.
The Crossings will be built in a flood plain. Many homeowners in the School Lane Hills and Barrcrest neighborhoods have been experiencing water run-off problems due to past development. At one time, School Lane Hills was designated a 500-year flood plain, but a few years ago that was changed to a 100-year flood plain. At a meeting in January, the Manheim Township Commissioners waived the township’s storm water ordinance upon the request of HREG.
Another consideration is the noise and light pollution from The Crossings shopping center, affecting park Long’s Park that is directly across the highway from the shopping center and is the site of a popular music series on weekends throughout the summer.
Two petitions with hundreds of names opposing The Crossings shopping center were presented to the Manheim Township Commissioners, yet the commissioners voted 3-2 for conditional approval of The Crossings.
The Crossings Traffic Impact Study, Stormwater Management and Zoning Ordinance Amendments are available on the township’s website. Citizens may email the Manheim Township Deptartment of Planning and Zoning at [email protected].
The last thing we need is another shopping center. Before removing more fertile land, let’s fill all those empty store fronts and if it really is needed. Then think about a new center, but not there.
It’s a traffic nightmare most any day. It’s time for responsible growth.. not just because someone said the population numbers warrant another shopping Mecca.
Take a good look around, it might make jobs, but in the end, some will lose jobs as their stores will close due to the new ones opening.
People are not spending and I for one have not been in most of the places that have already come and gone. The last thing we need is another shopping center.