Jackson OKs development, despite concerns
JACKSON TWP — Despite concerns from residents, township supervisors voted Thursday night to approve the first phase of a new residential development project on Youngblood Road.
The development by Newman Holdings LLC would consist of 87 single-family homes.
Before the vote, many residents on and near Youngblood Road asked questions and voiced concerns about the development.
Harmony Mayor Cathy Rape sought reassurances that flooding issues wouldn't worsen as a result of this construction.
“Jackson, Zelienople and Harmony have been, hopefully, working together on flooding issues,” Rape said, “and I would just like to be assured that this plan and the excavation and the final plan and landscaping of this project are not going to put any water down toward (Interstate) 79 and the Harmony area.”
Jackson Township Manager Chris Rearick said he is confident that engineers and others working on the project will be able to do so without causing further flooding issues.
Resident Patrick Bryan said his concern was that trees in the area would be taken down and not replaced.
“Is the township going to go green, stay green and replace trees?” Bryan asked.
Rearick said it's a goal of the township and developer to maintain a trail and keep as many trees as possible when extending the right of way into the limestone path.
Approval of the plan came with a few conditions to improve the area, including widening Youngblood Road, building a recreation trail at the existing right of way, establishing a water line extension for the area and reforestation for any trees torn down during construction.
Officials from Newman Holdings said the water line extension would be accessible to all residents on Youngblood Road.
Other newsIn other development news, James Mings, a bus driver and safety professional, addressed supervisors about the finished construction on Magill Road.Mings said he was pleased with many of the road changes supervisors have made over the past decade, but added that he disagrees with the need for a stop sign on Magill Road.He said it is an annoying stop for bus drivers, with which others in his field have agreed. Mings added that he has seen many people “blow through the stop sign.”“To me, a 'slow truck entrance' sign would give the same notification as what's being observed now,” Mings said.Rearick told Mings that the ordinance to enforce the stop sign has not been approved yet and he will get input from the township engineer, supervisors and others before making a final decision.
