JACKSON TWP — Emerald Valley Development moved forward with tentative approval from supervisors during a meeting on Thursday, April 17.

The plan calls for the construction of 269 single-family lots off Fanker Road. Heurich Construction submitted the application to supervisors in early February.

While all of the lots will be located on 161 acres in the township, a portion of the development, specifically the access point, will be in Beaver County’s Franklin Township.

“Their access is primarily on Route 288, so the access in either case had to be through Beaver County because there wasn’t land accessible within the Jackson Township side of the property,” said township manager Chris Rearick following a public hearing on March 20.

Before the vote, Rearick noted that several revisions had been made to the plan since that contentious public hearing, where many residents voiced their concerns regarding traffic, safety and potential harm to the parks and recreational areas.

One of those changes eliminated one of the access points to Fanker Road, leaving only one access point to the plan.

There was also an agreement that could help reduce the township’s financial burden when it comes to controlling traffic.

“There’s also been an agreement voluntarily consented to by both the builder and developer for an additional contribution that will in part go toward traffic calming and speed humps on Fanker Road and a contribution relating to reparations to the parks involved within the township since this does impact the parks system,” Rearick said.

He also said the additional funding “could potentially be used” for utility extensions in the area after several residents had posed the idea of gaining access to public water off High Acres Road and Ridgeview Lane.

The developer said during the public hearing last month that a community center would be built sometime between phases two and three. Sidewalks are to be installed throughout the plan.

According to the developer, the project will be five phases and will likely take at least five years to fully construct.