Development proposal could speed Waynesboro traffic light installation

June 19, 2008|By JENNIFER FITCH

WAYNESBORO, Pa. -- Development of a Pa. 16 property could expedite the installation of a traffic light for the road's intersection with Northeast Avenue, according to Wednesday's discussion between the Waynesboro Borough Council and a Camp Hill, Pa., developer.

George Lulos, representing WAM Enterprises, said his company recently met with representatives of Waynesboro Mall.

"We talked about ways to coordinate access to 800 E. Main St., the property part of the application" to be rezoned, Lulos said.

WAM Enterprises has asked the Waynesboro Borough Council to rezone the property between Waynesboro Mall and Waynesboro Area YMCA from medium-density residential to general commercial. On Wednesday, several council members said they liked the plan, but any decision on the rezoning was ultimately pushed to their July 2 meeting.

"This just came to us and we haven't had much time to look it over. ... (I) would like to have more time to review materials," Councilman Craig Newcomer said.

The Waynesboro Planning Commission recommended that the council not rezone the property, sharing fears that the developers could build anything they wish at the site.

"Our illustration shows a 40,000-square-foot office building," Lulos said. "That's a legitimate (option) we're considering."

"The planning commission's quandary was the other possible occupants if it was zoned general commercial. ... It's the possibilities other than office occupants that was worrisome," said Stephen Monn, a member of the planning commission.

The planning commission suggested that the property be rezoned to hospital/office use instead.

"The hospital/office is very limited and only allows the buildings to be used in conjunction with medical use," Councilman Ronnie Martin said.

"It'd be a handcuff on us and our ability to tenant that building," Lulos said.

Lulos promised a "class A redevelopment of some type" if the property is rezoned to general commercial, but said he cannot commit to any tenants.

"We don't get the cart before the horse," he said. "We don't spend a lot of time engineering or marketing" without the proper zoning.

Lulos reminded the council that other controls exist to determine the type of occupant, such as local ordinances, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation permits and the "law of marketplace" as it relates to the quality of the location.

Lulos said WAM Enterprises is working under the assumption that PennDOT won't provide any funds for the traffic light, meaning that cost would be passed onto "others and us." He said a traffic study would be done as part of the land development process.

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