The plan for a long-term facility for the elderly to be built near Lehigh Street in western Salisbury Township has again been tabled by the Salisbury Township Planning Commission, but more aspects of it have been approved.

Planners voted 7-0 to table the plan, which is expected to be discussed again at the 7:30 p.m. June 11 meeting in the township Municipal Building, 2900 S. Pike Avenue.

Planners also voted 7-0 at the May 14 meeting to approve the plan as a preliminary plan, but not as a combined preliminary-final plan.

Planners also voted 6-1 to approve a variance for grass and plantings on sloped areas, on recommendation of the planners' consulting engineer, David J. Tettemer of Keystone Consulting Engineers, Inc.

Legacy Place is proposed as two one-story buildings for approximately 22 assisted-living residents on a 2.45-acre vacant lot at Bevin Drive and Regent Court.

Residents in the vicinity concerned with possible stormwater runoff and sightlines of the buildings from their properties have been attending the planners' meetings. Three residents attended the May 14 meeting.

The facility is described by its developer, Posh Properties, as an assisted living-memory care facility. It is in the C1 zoning district, which is designated for offices and laboratories.

Tettemer read from his May 8 review letter, which contained 10 general comments, some of which he highlighted at the May 14 planners' meeting.

"This project proposes a number of gravity wells, or injection wells," Tettemer said.

The wells will direct rainwater from the buildings' roofs to underground holding areas. There will be layers of stone, sand and charcoal "to help filter out possible pollutants" from the aquifer, said Tettemer.

Pipes of 36 inches in diameter would be perforated. "It's going to drain very, very slowly," said Tettemer.

"I think this is the most economical and efficient filtration system," Tettemer said. The sand would take out the solid particles, the charcoal would take out the biological or natural particles, according to Tettemer.

Tettemer said there will be baseline testing of the system, which will be inspected twice annually for two years to make sure that it is properly functioning.

"I think we put together a pretty good test and observation program," Tettemer said.

Planner Richard Schreiter expressed concerns about the drainage system. "Do we have a Plan B? This new technology," he said.

Tettemer said that if there is a problem, the developer would be responsible to correct it.

At one point during the approximate one-hour discussion about the Legacy Place plan, the residents attending the meeting looked at drawings at the planners' table.