Washington Township OKs Rite-Aid rezoning request

December 01, 2008|By JENNIFER FITCH

WAYNESBORO, Pa. -- The Washington Township Supervisors on Monday approved a rezoning request that could allow for the development of a Rite Aid Pharmacy, F&M Bank and professional offices at the intersection of Pa. 16 and Midvale Road in Rouzerville, Pa.

While land development plans could actually be submitted with any combination of businesses on the existing car lot, property owner D. Curtis Mummert said he intends to proceed with the businesses he discussed with the supervisors. He said he will reveal the new, larger location of his car dealership along with those land development plans.

Mummert, whose formal application only applied to six-tenths of an acre, described the intersection as an ideal location for the development he's proposed.

"That part of Washington Township and Franklin County is very growth-oriented. At some point, some use other than a car dealership makes sense," he said.

The unanimous vote to rezone the land, house and two-car garage came from Christopher Firme, John Gorman, Stephen Kulla and Carroll Sturm. Supervisor Elaine Gladhill was absent.

Mummert owns Buchanan Auto Park, which has two dealerships on Pa. 16 -- one at the intersection with Midvale Road, the other across from Renfrew Park just east of Waynesboro.

Mummert's original request was denied in September when the supervisors said they had unanswered questions about the flow of traffic at the busy intersection. In response, Mummert this week presented final revisions that allow left and right turns from vehicles exiting the property onto Midvale Road, and prohibit left turns from the property onto Pa. 16.

To enter the businesses from Pa. 16, motorists could turn left or right.

"We're using the center left-turn lane that already exists," said Suzanne Hoffer of Trans Associates Engineering Consultants.

On Midvale Road, only northbound traffic could enter the property.

Wayne Fisher, who lives just south of the affected land, expressed concerns about tractor-trailers and stopped vehicles blocking motorists trying to exit the commercial area onto Midvale Road.

"The traffic stacks up way down past my house at certain times of the day," Fisher said.

"The land development plan is usually when the traffic thing is dealt with. That is the second part of this," Township Manager Mike Christopher said.

The supervisors' approval converted the six-tenths of an acre at 13138 Midvale Road from low-density residential (R-1) zoning to commercial. The affected land is immediately behind the car dealership.

"I've been trying to get this accomplished for three or four years," said Mummert, who has owned most of the land since 1999.

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