Ross Commissioners To Vote on Heartland Homes Plan for Highland CC

On the agenda at Monday night's Ross Township Board of Commissioners meeting are initial plans to build 170 townhouses and 130 single-family homes on the former site of the Highland Country Club. The meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. in the commission boardroom on the second floor of the Ross Municipal Center.

When the proposal first came before the Ross Township Planning commission on Nov. 29, many in the crowd of 150-200 people voiced their opposition, saying they fear an increase in traffic on already busy Highland Avenue and Gass Road.

Traffic has been the issue, which has delayed a decision on the project for several months now. 

At the Ross Commissioners meeting on Feb. 19, attorney Jonathan Kamin, who represents the developer, Limerick Land Partners, acknowledged that their own traffic studies indicated the new housing plan would negatively impact traffic at two key intersections: Highland Avenue and Gass Road, and Highland and Cornell Avenues. 

The author of the traffic study, Ray Caruso, told the commissioners the best solution would the installation of traffic lights, however neither intersection currently meets the criteria set by PennDOT, which owns both Highland Avenue and Gass Road.

"PennDOT is the one who decides the standards," said Kamin. "If PennDOT said to us, they would want a light to be put in, we would be happy to put in a light."

Kamin also said PennDOT would be unwilling to order new traffic signals based on projected traffic from a housing development which has not yet been built, much less approved.

"The solution that we have offered is that we would make a contribution to pay towards going ahead and paying for a light when the light is finally needed," he said.

In the meantime, traffic engineers from PennDOT, the developer, and Ross Township have been meeting to see what, if anything, can be done now.

The Heartland Homes plan is just one item on Monday's very busy agenda. Click here to find out what other issues will be discussed and voted on. 

Are you planning to attend Monday night's meeting? What do you think of the plan to build homes and townhouses on the site of the former Highland Country Club? Tell us in the comments box below.

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