ADAMS TWP — A township resident questioned the approval earlier this month of a planned residential development that many property owners oppose.

Rob Crouthamel said at Monday’s supervisors meeting that the township received a letter from the Butler County Planning Commission that included several concerns about the Hickory Glen PRD four days after the development was approved by the township supervisors.

Crouthamel said the letter contained significant negative feedback on the plan that is consistent with the concerns voiced by residents before the plan was approved.

What points did the county planners raise that the residents also raised?

He asked why the township planning commission passed the Hickory Glen plan on to the supervisors without any comments.

Crouthamel suggested that the planning commission does not have the skills necessary to review a PRD or found it difficult to give negative feedback on a plan submitted by Weaver Master Builders, which he said is co-owned by the commission’s vice chairman, Brett Schultz.

Crouthamel told the supervisors that they should ask for Schultz’s resignation.

Supervisor Tom Franceschina, who is also on the planning commission, said the township followed the state requirements on the time allotted to approve a PRD.

Franceschina said most plans that come before the planning commission have been tabled until the commission can get more information.

“With a PRD, the way the state has it set up, we don’t get that,” he said. “It’s not the planning commission’s fault.”

Franceschina said township officials will now ask developers questions at the beginning of the process to avoid the situation in the future.

He also defended the planning commission members.

“We believe there are quality people on the board,” Franceschina said.

Resident Tina Wilson asked the supervisors how PRDs were initiated in the township.

Wilson and many others in the rural-conservation zoning district oppose the placement of PRDs in the R-C (Rural-Conservation) district.

Township code enforcement officer Gary Peaco explained that about 10 years ago, the township looked at the property available in the R-C district.

Because the existing zoning would have allowed developers the latitude to severely impact the landscape, the township decided to require flexibility in zoning.

“We worked for close to two years, and finally settled on some standards that seem to work,” Peaco said.

While he said the formula may not currently work as intended, it was not a “knee-jerk reaction.”

The supervisors in past meetings have promised to review the PRD ordinance.