Everyone's favorite developer, High Associates, has again won approval from a local municipality to convert a large lot into a mega-center for big box stores. Hooray for progress!
According to an article in today's Lancaster Newspapers, High and their development partner from North Carolina got the approval of their conditional use application from East Lampeter Township supervisors to develop a 35 acre tract along east Route 30 (our major tourist trap and strip mall in "amish country" east of Lancaster City). The tract will house a 300,000 square foot shopping center, just what the residents need along that stretch of hyper-congested roadway. After all, who doesn't need another Home Depot or Walmart?
One lone supervisor, Michael Landis, voted against the development, although apparently his objection was to the traffic, not the taking of the land. One abstained (why? wondering...) and the other 3 voted yes. I'm curious how many citizens attended the public hearings beforehand, and what the feedback was that the supervisors received before casting their vote. One supervisor was quoted in the newspaper article with "when I consider some of the other things that could possibly go on that property, I think this is one of the possible fits". OK, but it's not just "possible" anymore - it's happening.
High is also behind the effort to convince Manheim Township to approve the "Crossings at Conestoga Creek" mega-center along Harrisburg Pike across from Longs Park. I have close relatives who live nearby who are part of the citizen battle to stop this shopping center. If you're interested in attending the public hearings where High officials are testifying before the Manheim Township supervisors, check the township website for the next date & time. Some residents have taken up the cause to incorporate the planned site of the "Crossings" development, an historic farm, into Long's Park. Visit their site here. High Associates is also a major player in the Penn Square convention center project, the subject of countless meetings, articles, editorials and wonderment over the last few years. High is not the only mega-developer in play in the county but they are arguably the highest-profile, with their corporate offices located here.
In my humble opinion, Lancaster County doesn't need any more suburban mega-centers. Period. How about helping to intelligently redo some Lancaster City blighted neighborhoods and redevelop unused buildings as urban shopping centers? As a transplant to the county I place a high value on the land here - it's all the area has! No beaches, mountains, Disneyland, etc. People come here and love Lancaster because of the land. Farms. Meadows. Parks.
