Published: January 08, 2009 12:06 am      

Housing plan moves ahead

By RANDY GRIFFITH

RGRIFFITH@tribdem.com

SALIX – Construction could begin this summer on the first homes of a new 81-lot residential development that has also re-established the Richland-Adams township border.

Adams Township Planning Commission accepted “sketch” plans Wednesday for Watkins Glen subdivision, noting that drawings have been adjusted to reflect a recent survey.

Watkins Glen is being developed off Solomon Run Road near Birtle Lane. New streets will focus around a primary road looping through the subdivision, connecting to Solomon Run Road at each end.

“I think we have most of the kinks worked out,” said Brian Kelly, an engineer for the developers. “We’ve been talking about the border line. We just want to bring this thing forward.”

Planning commission member and township Supervisor William “B.J.” Smith said Adams leaders welcome the new residential development, but the township would not accept drawings until they showed the proper border line.

Previous drawings put the boundary in the location shown on Cambria County tax maps.

That line is a few hundred feet east of the line established by Fredrick Brown Surveying.

Brown’s work was funded equally by both townships and recognized by both Richland and Adams supervisors.

“I removed the approximate location of the line and went by the proper location of the line,” Kelly told the commission.

Accepting the survey puts all but about six Watkins Glen lots in Adams Township. Sam Carpenter, who is developing the project with partner David Horten, said all lots are at least one-half acre. He expects the development to attract middle- to upper-income families. The first home already is being built at what will be the neighborhood’s south entrance with access from Solomon Run Road.

Groundbreaking for the first 20-lot phase could be held this spring, Carpenter said. The first houses would be built along a cul-de-sac street behind existing Solomon Run Road homes.

Brown’s survey shows six homes currently taxed in Richland Township are actually in Adams. Two others taxed in Adams are actually in Richland.

Although the townships have no plans to force a change on current property owners, Smith said when the properties are sold, supervisors expect the new owners to accept the Brown-surveyed border.