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Developers and township spar over Shauny Valley PRD phasing, access and $6M in public-improvement estimates
Summary
Township staff and the Shauny Valley developer discussed $6 million of estimated public improvements for Stage 1B and raised safety and code concerns about proposed phasing that would leave more than 100 units with only one access; the developer said the overall project will be built in seven phases and proposed sequencing and security instruments are under review.
Township staff and the developer of the Shauny Valley planned residential development (PRD) engaged in an extended discussion about the phasing and security for Stage 1B, focusing on public improvements, access and financial guarantees.
Engineer John Trestler and township counsel reported the developer submitted construction-improvement escrow estimates that, after staff adjustments, amount to roughly $6 million in public-improvement costs for the stage. Township reviewers said the way the developer has broken proposed work into "phase one" and "phase two" would result in more than 100 units temporarily having a single access to the public road network, a configuration the engineer said is not allowed under township standards and raises safety concerns.
Developer representative Ted Hunter, who identified himself as manager for Sun Mountain LLC, said the project is planned in seven phases and asserted that bridge work and additional infrastructure are scheduled in later phases; he acknowledged that financial security arrangements would need to be structured to ensure public improvements are completed if the developer cannot finish later stages. The developer said he has a HOP permit in process for Shuny Valley Drive and has priced the bridge and infrastructure that would cross the dam, and that some infrastructure elements are forecasted in year three of the build schedule.
Township counsel and the engineer urged that public improvements for all of Stage 1B be reviewed and bonded such that the township could complete required work if development halted after initial phases. Counsel also warned that substantial plan changes could trigger full re-review and repeat approvals rather than administrative adjustments.
What’s next: staff and the developer will continue dialogue about how public improvements are apportioned across phases, the amount and form of financial security, and whether conditions tying further occupancy or permits to completion of key infrastructure are warranted. No vote was taken at this meeting.
