CRANBERRY TWP — The new UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex has taken another step toward construction.

The township supervisors Thursday approved the project’s subdivision and preliminary land development for Cranberry Springs, which includes the sport complex’s plans.

The development is along Route 228 and borders Interstate 79 near the new ramps that are under construction.

Final plan approvals from both the township planning advisory commission and the supervisors are the final steps needed before building construction could begin.

Township manager Jerry Andree said he expects the final plans to come before the supervisors in the next month or two.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held in the fall on the complex even though the final township land development approvals are still pending.

The complex is projected to be opened by the summer of 2015. It combines hockey rinks and training facilities with 50,000 square feet of clinical space that will be used for medical purposes.

The entire facility is to be more than 190,000 square feet, complete with two ice rinks. One of those will be used by the Pittsburgh Penguins for practice, while the other will be for youth hockey, ice skating or other community events.

There also will be 16,200 square feet of retail, 30,000 square feet of restaurants and a 59,650-square-foot hotel planned in the first phase of two phases.

Plans for the second phase are unknown.

The only part of the first phase of development that is finalized and ready to go is the sports complex.

Building fee options

The supervisors are considering updating the township’s Recreation Fees-in-Lieu program that imposes a fee on new construction to help pay for recreational improvements.

That fee is $1,050 per dwelling unit.

In its long range plan, the township has identified $28 million in recreation improvements that officials would like to make through 2030.

New fees could help pay for those improvements.

Consultant Tom Comitta said other communities such as West Chester in the eastern part of the state impose the fee on both residential and commercial construction projects.

This is something Cranberry may consider.

One fee change would be to continue to assess the fee only on new residential construction and increase the fee from $523 to $3,000 per dwelling unit.

That would push the fee to $1,500 or up to $4,000 per unit.

The other option is to assess the fee on both new residential and commercial construction and then set the fees at some level.

The supervisors in January will decide between the two options and set what fees will be assessed.

EMS gets $3,000 grant

The Cranberry Township EMS ambulance service was presented a $3,000 grant from the Alcoa Foundation to use for the service’s community outreach programs.

Two of the ambulance services major initiatives include the Safe Landing Program, aimed at reducing infant mortality, and its Community Wellness Check program for the elderly.

Paul Harris, human resources at Alcoa (Traco) Cranberry, discussed Alcoa’s commitment help the community. The foundation recently gave the township $20,000 to install bike racks at 14 locations.