BUTLER TWP — The township planning commission voted Tuesday to recommend approval of the two-phase Highfield Trails 100 subdivision to the township commissioners.

The commission's unanimous decision comes a day before the developer, Great Living LLC, has a hearing before the township zoning hearing board seeking an interpretation of a Jan. 15 determination by the township zoning office about the density of homes permitted in the development.

While Tuesday's recommended approval is to build 100 homes, Wednesday's hearing stems from the planning commission's March 2 recommendation against Great Living's original subdivision proposal to build 113 homes.

The developer is asking the zoning hearing board to interpret the zoning office's determination that 113 homes exceeds the number permitted by zoning ordinance, based on the size of the property.

Highfield Trails would be built on a 39.17-acre lot on Highfield Road, between South Duffy and North Boundary Street at the site of the former Highfield Park.

The Highfield Trails 100 subdivision was divided into two phases. The commission recommended preliminary and final approval of phase 1 that has 75 lots, and preliminary approval of the 25-lot phase 2.

“It will be a development Butler Township will be proud of,” said Brad Simmons, who represents Great Living.

He said the stormwater system is designed to capture runoff in a retention pond and release the water at a slower rate than it is now through a culvert.

The development includes a parking lot for the Highfield Community Center, which is adjacent to the development, Simmons said.

He said the developer plans to contact the American Legion to come up with a plan for the war memorial that was on park property, but is on the land the developer purchased for the subdivision.

Jerome Oliver, owner of Great Living, assured the commission that a war memorial will be treated with respect to those who served in the military. He said his father served in the Korean War, and other family members are serving in the military.

The homes Oliver plans to build will be “starter homes” selling for $260,000 to $320,000.

“These will be affordable homes,” Oliver said.

One or two model homes will be built, but the rest will be built to suit after buyers make deposits, he said.

He said he has completed residential developments in Forward and Jackson townships and is building homes in Evans City.

“It's our goal to do something we're proud of,” Oliver said.

He said Butler Township needs more homes, and he would like to build more in the future.

Two residents asked the developer to consider moving the planned access roads into the development so headlights from vehicles entering and exiting the plan don't shine in their windows.

Another resident asked the commission to impose an impact fee on each resident living in the development to cover the cost of a possible failure of the stormwater system in the future.

Township officials said the stormwater system meets the township's strict stormwater management ordinance, and the township does not have the authority to impose such an impact fee.