Highland Country Club: What's Next? Ross Commissioners Hint There's Room for Compromise

The Ross Township  commissioners’ 5-4 vote Monday to reject  tentative approval for 167 townhomes and 134 single-family homes on the former site of the Highland Country Club doesn't mean the issue is going to go away.

Far from it.

Attorney Jonathan Kamin, who represents the developer, Limerick Land Partners, said he would appeal  to Allegheny County Common Pleas Court.

“We’re going to take them to court," he said. "There’s no question in my mind that we met each and every condition of the ordinance. I think they made a political decision that’s short-sighted on behalf of the township.”

Several of the commissioners who voted no also hinted that they would be open to compromise, if some key parts of the proposal were changed.

Commissioner Chris Eyster said he voted no because the developer was trying to put too many homes into an area that already suffers from traffic issues.

"If they would come back with something more palatable in terms of a plan that doesn't cram 300 homes in this site, I would certainly entertain it," he said. "But I think they should come with a reasonable possibility of ameliorating these traffic problems.”

Commissioner Jerry O'Brien biggest objection was the projected five-to-seven year construction period.

"If Mr. Kamin could drop 300 homes in there tomorrow, ready to roll, I have no problem with that project," he said. "I think the traffic will work out, they can mitigate that."

Commissioner Lana Mazur said for her, traffic remains the biggest sticking point.

"Our attorneys say the traffic study they were supposed to have, they didn’t have it, they didn’t meet the criteria because of the traffic study,” she said. "We’ll just have to wait and see what happens." 

Commission Chairman Grant Montgomery also did not close the door to some sort of compromise.

"As information becomes available and things change, decisions may change,” he said.

If you were opposed to the current plan, what changes would make you change your mind? Tell us in the comments box below.

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