Penn Township commissioners voted last week to approve the preliminary land development plan for an independent living facility proposed for Harrison City-Export Road.
The 119-unit facility was proposed by contractor Concordia of Monroeville for 21 acres of land behind the Westmoreland Country Club. Commissioners tabled the vote Oct. 18, primarily due to concerns of the facility’s sewage plan.
The proposed site falls between the service areas of two sewage treatment facilities — the Franklin Township Municipal Sewage Authority and the Western Westmoreland Municipal Authority — township Community Development Director Bill Roberts said.
The preliminary plan comes with a series conditions, Solicitor Michael Korns said, meaning the commissioners’ approval is contingent upon Concordia completing a series of steps, including a sewage facilities planning module. The module must be approved by relevant sewage authorities, the commissioners and the state Department of Environmental Protection, Roberts said.
“The purpose of a preliminary approval is typically to give the developer and the township a roadmap on the conditions and requirements of the plan,” Korns said.
Commissioners also approved a modification of the landscaping requirements for the Concordia plan, but no action was taken on an agenda item regarding the facility’s zoning approval.
The zoning hearing for the facility opened before the commissioners’ meeting Nov. 8. It was supposed to wrap before the commissioners’ voting meeting Nov. 15, but the applicant and one of the objectors asked to present additional evidence, Korns said.
The hearing is set to conclude before the commissioners’ voting meeting Dec. 13. Commissioners will vote on the facility’s zoning approval Dec. 20, Korns said.
