"We have a lot of questions that are unanswered about the impact on schools, traffic, water, recreation, aesthetics - and there are more, of course," said Juliann Green, one of the group's organizers.
Tonight the group will make its first formal contact with the township. At a supervisors' meeting scheduled for 7:30 at the Glenmoore Fire Hall, members will outline their slate of concerns. They hope the township will use the questions when it begins review of Hankin's proposal at a Planning Commission meeting scheduled for March 28.
"This is a pivotal time for the township to rally around this issue and develop a win-win strategy for the township, its residents and the Hankin Group," said Steve Green, Juliann Green's husband and another of the organizers.
The group, which says it has about 50 active members, was formed after a meeting on Jan. 30 in which Hankin presented its first concept plan. Hankin said it would put three clusters of development on a 650-acre parcel it owns in the northern part of the township, between Route 282 and Little Conestoga Road.
Andy Leitzinger, also a member of the group, said about half of the residents involved own property that abuts the proposed development. He said they are interested in the effect such a development would have on property values, and they also have concerns about the environment, traffic, and the impact of the project on the Downingtown Area School District.
"Our real goal is not only to influence the design but the overall size of the development," Leitzinger said. "What we are going to ask the township is, allow us to help you maintain the character of the township. Let us review the plans as they come out."
