AN OPEN LETTER TO THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF THE WEST SHORE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND ALL RESIDENTS OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY
September 11, 2007

The members of the Board of the West Shore School District (WSSD) previously received a letter from me, dated August 24, 2007, setting forth some background and benefits of a proposed residential development called the Villages of Liberty Forge (VLF).

At a recent meeting of the board of Commissioners of Lower Allen Township (LAT), some commissioners objected to my statement in such letter that the “commissioners seem enthused about the project…” They asked that we make clear that the township commissioners have not taken any action to approve or reject the proposed development. By this letter we are so doing. I did not intend to convey anything other than my personal opinion by the words, “seem enthused.”

The commissioners are presently in the process of evaluating the proposed development, including such matters as follows:

  1. The real estate tax analysis shows additional real estate taxes from the VLF of more than $5,500,000, annually, including more than $3,800,000 per year to the WSSD, or about 9.4% of the budget of the school system derived from real estate taxes for the 2007 school budget, 61.9% for LAT, and 2.3% for Cumberland County. Such will represent an approximate savings over ten years for each property owner in LAT with an assessed value of $400,000, of more than $10,000, and possibly the same for others in the WSSD and less for those in Cumberland County and not residents of LAT or part of the WSSD.

    As applied to the VLF, additional savings and economies will accrue to LAT, since all roads will be owned and maintained by the VLF and the WSSD will not experience additional pupil attendance from this “age restricted” community.

    One commissioner noted the only significant area of LAT remaining for development is zoned R-2, primarily south of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. How will traditional land planning for this area of one acre or more for one house impact existing land owners in the WSSD? The tax study for LF and the huge impact on taxes illustrate the need to use Smart Design. To explain specifically the impact on you and your property, let me try by the comparison to the VLF.

    One hundred acres will produce at the VLF over $5,500,000 in annual real estate taxes, with more than 75% of the land area devoted to open space, gardens, and recreation. Compare to traditional land planning of one or more acres per house.

    Take the same one hundred acres. Such will produce according to land planners about eighty acres for residential lots (assuming no wet lands or slopes), after allowing twenty-five percent for roads, storm water etc. Using one acre per lot results in eighty homes, say at $300,000 per home or a total of $24,000,000 and will produce about $360,000 dollars in annual real estate taxes, a difference of $5,140,000 per year.

    Take possibly one thousand acres, of various sizes and dimensions in LAT that remain to be developed. Such would produce real estate tax revenue over ten years:

    Traditional land planning $36,000,000
    LF Smart Design $550,000,000

    A difference over ten years of $514,000,000, (over one-half Billion Dollars) in real estate tax receipts if such assumed 1,000 acres are developed pursuant to Smart Design.

    Such a difference will produce a monumental impact on every property owner’s real estate taxes. Traditional planning will not contribute any relief to your tax load, whereas LF Smart Design will assure immediate tax relief and minimal millage increases annually since the assessed valuation under Smart Design will be monumentally greater.

    Just as important, the landscape, recreation and community amenities will be materially greater and better under Smart Design. We will have in the illustration over 500 acres in open space and amenities using Smart Design and not one acre of open space under traditional land planning.

    Can we expect the 1,000 acres, more or less, in LAT to be developed pursuant to Smart Design? Maybe something less, but the final results will be significant. However, we believe there are many who share the same concerns about the environment and better land planning and will embrace Smart Design.

  2. The VLF will bring to the areas of Lower Allen Township (LAT) and Fairview Township (FT) and areas along the proposed water pipe line, public water access at a cost to the VLF in excess of $3,000,000. Certain areas of both townships dependent on wells, will be able to tap on to such public water line. Public officials and many homeowners recognize the urgency of public water in these specific areas. Public officials will need in the future to address such public water needs at taxpayer expense, if not addressed as we propose. In addition, public water will address public safety concerns by fire departments since adequate fire hydrants and convenient water sources do not exist in many areas.

  3. The plans for the VLF are based upon “Smart Design” land planning that will, in the case of the VLF, limit the residential and resident parking footprint to merely 6% of the total tract, less than any other residential development in Cumberland County, with or without comparable amenities, since all parking is underground. This is significant for many reasons, including the preservation of farms and open areas, retaining almost 94% of the existing tract for the golf course, gardens, and the many recreational programs that exist at LF.

  4. To duplicate the VLF using present, traditional land planning techniques, instead of Smart Design, would require more than 850 acres (8.5 times more land consumption than VLF), per Dawood Engineering, or about 750 acres (7.5 times more land consumption than VLF) for the residential portion alone and nothing for the golf and other recreational amenities. Smart Design is for your children and grand children. History shows that within the next decade most open space in LAT will be residential tract development with no open space.

  5. The intelligent use of low rise buildings, by taking advantage of the varied topography of the property of VLF, and incorporating underground parking, will allow efficient use of land to retain the many recreational programs at VLF. None of the buildings will exceed the height of buildings in Bethany Village, and most will be lower, with a mean height at VLF not to exceed sixty feet. None will have visual impact to traffic along Lisburn Road or neighbors, as such will be clustered and protected by mature trees, and material topographical differences.. We have spoken to many neighbors who endorse the project. Most objectors, based upon remarks at the public meeting on August 20, 2007, approve the project, but object on the basis of “NIMBY” (not in my back yard), yet endorse it elsewhere in the township. Some objectors have incorrectly labeled the proposed buildings in the VLF, as high rise buildings, which they certainly are not, as demonstrated at the Commissioners Meeting on August 20, 2007. The mean height of the VLF buildings (60 feet) will be merely 25 feet above the present maximum height of homes in R-2.

  6. Most buildings will be fire resistant and include sprinkler systems, elevators, terraces and windows to enjoy the gardens of VLF, golf course, and the five lakes with walking and golf cart trails. Residents at the VLF will own their units, as contrasted to many other communities of this type where some or all of funds paid are not refunded upon death, as for example Bethany Village. We can expect the value of such units to increase over the years because the VLF and amenities will have no comparison or equal to any existing or planned community in Pennsylvania.

  7. The community is proposed to be an “age restricted” community as defined by federal law that limits to 20%, persons less than 55 years. We propose an adjoining community on the site for Green View Condominiums, for persons of all ages. The units will be sold and part of the sale will include condominium ownership to most recreational amenities existing or the right to elect to take ownership at some future date for nominal consideration. Demographics show that Pennsylvania will experience a “tsunami” of need for elderly housing by 2009. We propose to address this need by providing an enhanced quality of life and life style choices for everyone. The present Wedge Restaurant will become the Community Center with a variety of dining venues for owners and the general public. A private dining room will be reserved for Owners. All will be accessible by walking and cart paths. The Mansion on the property will be dedicated to Resident Services and programs, travel, and 24-7 security services.

  8. The 70 acres of golf and recreational amenities that will remain open to the public on the VLF property will continue to complement the existing LAT Community Park and will increase such public park area by about 70% at no taxpayer cost for purchase, maintenance or taxpayer cost to duplicate the many amenities already existing.

  9. The pending amendment is based upon an existing section of the Zoning Ordinance (ZO), namely R-2, Section 220-129. A comparison of the existing ordinance and the proposed amendment shows changes need to be made, such as height, density and low rise condominiums. These changes make possible the retention of the golf course and most amenities for the residents and the general public. And economically, it will allow private funding to bring needed public water to the area, as noted in paragraph 2, above, at no cost to the taxpayers.

  10. Of special interest, “R-2, Section 220-129, Open Space Development Standards of the ZO has never been used or implemented. It is under this section of the ZO we wish to proceed since the nine specific purposes of Section 220-129, are important. Such purposes address desirable policy objectives needed to retain open space and the use thereof. The amendment will make Section 220-129, a viable developer choice since the intent and purpose of such section are commendable. The amendment mandates an increase in open space to 50% and defines specific recreational amenities to entitle the developer to greater density and height. A new feature allows adjoining property owners to act in concert or to join LF or any developer by a Joint Operating Agreement to encourage better planning to preserve open space and provide recreational amenities. Joined properties will result over time in more open space and recreational amenities for the general public (see paragraph 2, above). The adoption of the amendment does not modify the original provisions of the ordinance, but adds a layer of provisions to encourage use of the Open Space section of the ZO that has heretofore never been used.

We can do little to stop population growth, but we can address such growth by better land planning for our grandchildren.

We are enthused about our ability to bring to Pennsylvania a unique community, like no other, that will become an icon for others to adopt Smart Design and intelligent land planning. Should you desire more information or wish to discuss any aspects of this letter or the VLF, please call us at the number on this letter to arrange a meeting.

Dawood Associates, Inc., Engineers and Land Planners, approve the contents herein.

Sincerely yours,
Luke A.V Grumbine, President and CEO

Related Links

• Real Estate Tax Analysis & Results
• Land Area Comparisons for
one Acre Lots & Villages of Liberty Forge

Read related PATRIOT-NEWS article

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