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The Concerned Citizens to Preserve Zoning
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[This letter appeared in the December 4, 2003 edition of the Hershey Chronicle] Rezoning Has Potential to Impact Township Editor, Hershey Chronicle: As expected, developers have resubmitted their request to rezone the Nye/Hart properties at the southern end of the township. I am writing to oppose this proposal and to ask members of the community to oppose it. I understand that the proposal asks the Township to rezone about 120 acres of primarily forested land from Conservation/Agriculture to Suburban Residential. I oppose this proposal for several reasons. First, this rezoning request, if granted, will set a dangerous precedent in the Township that will open the door to many other such developments. As I understand it, the Township's Comprehensive Plan protects our quality of life by designating certain areas as appropriate for residential housing, others for commercial projects, and still others for farms and forests. If we stray from that Plan-especially for such a large project in a remote, wooded area like this one-developers will see the Plan as no real barrier to whatever plans they might generate. Second, the addition of 70 to 100 or more new homes in this part of the township will worsen the already dangerous traffic conditions on nearby roads: Nye Road, Roush Road, Bullfrog Valley Road, Sandhill Road, and others. The roads in this area are narrow, winding, and dangerous; the intersections are offset and dangerous as well. Nearby development that is already underway-the new Hershey Christian School on Sandhill Road, and the Hills of Waterford on the township's border-will add significant new traffic to these dangerous conditions. Adding a residential development on the Nye/Hart property would add even more cars to these roads, and would jeopardize the safety of current residents. Third, this additional residential development would add to the crowded conditions in our public schools. Like many of my friends and neighbors, I am concerned about the extraordinary growth in school enrollments, and the costs-both educational and monetary-that such growth entails. Additional developments like the one proposed here will worsen that situation. Finally, this piece of land-which is heavily wooded and contains steep ravines-is unique in Derry Township. Once this land is developed, its beauty and value as a natural habitat will be forever lost. In short, this rezoning proposal is bad for
residents of Derry Township. It will not improve the
quality of life for Township residents, but will
detract from it in several important ways. Because
the proposal threatens to undermine the only legal
protection we have against over-development and
sprawl-the Comprehensive Plan-I urge citizens to
oppose it. The first step is to come and to the
Planning Commission meeting on December 9th at 7:00
P.M. at the Derry Township Municipal Building. Joseph Miller
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