Peters Township Council looks at putting swimming pool at Rolling Hills property
Peters Township Council at a July 18 workshop meeting discussed allocating funds it set aside for a community swimming pool feasibility study and rolling that money into a master plan for the Rolling Hills Country Club property.
The township and Peters Township School District want to buy the shuttered country club’s 198 acres from a group of developers called Pinehurst Land Partners LLC, a consortium led by developer F. Daniel Caste.
Pinehurst acquired Rolling Hills for $8.7 million in a deal that closed June 28, according to documents filed with the Washington County Recorder of Deeds. Members of Rolling Hills now belong to Southpointe Golf Club, which is owned by Horizon Properties, a major developer at Southpointe.
Paul Lauer, assistant township manager, said the reasoning behind diverting the swimming pool feasibility money to a recreational master plan, is that if the township builds one, it will likely be located at Rolling Hills.
Lauer told council members that they need to decide the size of the bond issue the township will need to issue to fund the acquisition of Rolling Hills. He also suggested possibly using the bond issue, which could total $10 million, to help pay for a new aerial fire truck for the Peters Township Fire Department, which could cost as much as $1 million.
“Interest rates are favorable right now,” he said.
Ed Zuk, Peters planning director, updated council on changes made to the township’s plans to implement two proposed overlay districts -Conservation Residential, or CR, and Mixed Residential, MR – within its residential zoning ordinance.
A public hearing was held last month to get input from residents on the proposed zoning changes. Residents who spoke at the June hearing were divided on the overlays. Some said they welcome the opportunity to see a different kind of housing stock in the township. Others were worried the proposed changes would impact the values of their property.
If a parcel of land is 15 acres or less, there can only be single-family homes, said Zuk, adding if the land is 15 to 100 acres, the split is 85 percent single-family homes and 15 percent multi-family units. And if the parcel is more than 100 acres in size, 70 percent will be zoned for single-family homes, while the remaining property will be zoned for multi-family units.
“We took out some of the multi-family options,” said Zuk, explaining the changes. “We used tighter language too.”
“All we are doing is giving developers flexibility,” said Councilman James Berquist.
The township will hold a public hearing Sept. 6 to address the latest changes.
In other workshop business, council discussed whether it should monitor tax assessment appeals.
“Everyone has received their assessment and will soon be filing appeals,” said Lauer, adding he doesn’t think the township should get involved in the residential appeals. “But we should pay close attention to the commercial appeals.”