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Supervisors stand firm on S curve

Residents air concerns

ADAMS TWP — A group of residents who feel they will be negatively impacted by a new housing plan attended Monday night’s supervisors meeting to share their concerns with the board.

Steven Victor of Victor Wetzel Associates, who represented the landowners and developer, said Cypress Fields will be comprised of 35 half-acre lots on 43 acres on both sides of Davidson Drive near Good Luck and Oak lanes.

Victor and the supervisors heard the neighbor’s complaints last Monday at a public hearing on the plan, where Victor was told by the supervisors that an S curve on Davidson Road near the proposed plan should be straightened out.

Several neighbors are concerned about the potential for accidents when the plan’s new traffic is added to Davidson Road because of the curve.

On Monday night, Victor showed the supervisors a new plan that would move the main entrance to Cypress Fields from its original spot across from Good Luck Lane to an area between Good Luck and Oak lanes.

Victor also said the developer would remove several trees along Davidson Road on the bend that he thinks are in the township right of way.

He thinks removal of the evergreens would allow motorists to see through the curve, which would make it safer.

He said removal of the large trees also would improve the sight distance for those turning from Good Luck Lane onto Davidson Drive.

“Those trees should not be there,” Victor said.

Removing a bank on the bend also was part of Victor’s new plan, which he said would improve the sight distance for motorists pulling out of Oak Lane.

But several residents of the area disagreed with the new plan, and added that removing the bank would increase runoff that could freeze on the road in the winter.

When supervisors vice chairman Tom Franceschina said the developer’s refusal to straighten the road would be “a major stumbling block” in the approval of the plan, Victor said traffic would go faster on the straightened road and create a more hazardous situation.

But Franceschina was unmoved.

“Instead of cutting trees, why don’t you take the money and straighten the road?” Franceschina said.

Resident Nancy Vogel, who lives on the sharp bend, said the road is very narrow and the curve is on a hill.

“I’ve watched numerous cars go up the hill in the winter, start spinning, and now they’re crossways on the road at the bend,” Vogel said.

She said adding the traffic from 35 more families would compound the problem.

Beverly Weston of Davidson Road said she has seen vehicles lose control on the frozen water from the hillside that pools on the road.

Weston said cutting out the 12-foot bank would only make the problem worse.

“If that water issue isn’t addressed, I fear there is going to be an accident,” she said.

Fred Hyde, a longtime resident of Good Luck Lane, said the developers should address an area adjacent to the development where horse medicine, syringes and other dangerous waste was dumped or burned years ago.

“You’re talking about now putting a family in close proximity to that?” Hyde said.

After the residents’ concerns were aired, Franceschina held his ground.

The supervisors really, really want that road straightened,” he told Victor.

After a short conference with the developer, Victor told the supervisors the road would be straightened.

But Franceschina recommended that approval of Cypress Fields be tabled. He said supervisors Chairman Donald Aiken, who was unable to attend Monday’s meeting, would like to be part of the decision.

He said the supervisors also would like to consider the other concerns brought up at the meeting before voting.

The supervisors tabled any action on Cypress Fields.

The vote is expected to be held at the next supervisors meeting on Oct. 12.

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