Will the third time be the charm?

Tuskes Homes is proposing to build 88 rental town houses and one single home at 1030 E. Emmaus Ave., 1108 E. Emmaus Ave. and 1210 E. Emmaus Ave. on approximately 48 acres of former Salisbury Township School District property on Salisbury Township’s east side.

A vote on the resolution to approve the preliminary-final plan with itemized waivers and deferrals for Vistas at South Mountain is on the agenda of the 7 p.m. Aug. 14 Salisbury Township Board of Commissioners’ meeting in the municipal building, 2900 S. Pike Ave., Salisbury Township.

Township commissioners, by a unanimous 5-0 vote at its July 10 meeting, tabled a resolution to approve the conditional preliminary-final plan for Vistas at South Mountain.

Township commissioners voted 4-0 with one commissioner absent at the June 26 meeting to table a resolution to approve the conditional preliminary-final plan for Vistas at South Mountain.

The Salisbury Township Planning Commission voted 3-2, with two members absent at its April 23 meeting, to recommended approval of the conditional preliminary-final plan for Vistas at South Mountain to commissioners.

Also, a vote on a resolution is on the Aug. 14 township commissioners’ agenda to approve Salisbury Township’s Official Sewage Facilities Planning Module for Vistas at South Mountain, 1109 E. Emmaus Ave.

And a vote on a motion is on the Aug. 14 township commissioners’ agenda to authorize the Salisbury Township secretary to execute Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s Highway Occupancy Permit documents for Vistas at South Mountain development.

The Resolution for Vistas at South Mountain on the township commissioners’ Aug. 14 agenda states:

Vistas at South Mountain Holdings LLC filed with Salisbury Township a preliminary-final land development plan for properties at 1030 E. Emmaus Ave., 1108 E. Emmaus Ave. and 1210 E. Emmaus Ave.

Vistas at South Mountain Holdings LLC has requested Salisbury Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance waivers.

Approval of the following waivers was recommended by the Salisbury Township Planning Commission at its April 23, 2025, meeting:

1. Separate preliminary and final plan submissions.

2. Site boundaries, names of adjoining landowners and type of existing monuments be shown on site, grading, utility, PCSM (Post Construction Stormwater Management), E&S (Erosion and Sedimentation Control Plan) and landscaping plans. Vistas is requesting a waiver from showing the required items on the grading, utility, PCSM, E&S and landscaping plans.

3. Building setback lines to be shown on landscaping, PCSM and E&S plans. Vistas is requesting a partial waiver from the requirement to only show building setback lines on the site plans and lot consolidation plan.

4. Slope areas to be differentiated by shading on the PCSM, grading and E&S plans. Vistas is requesting a partial waiver from these requirements to show only 0-10% and 10%+ slope areas on the grading plan and 25%+ on the E&S plan.

5. Require a buffer yard where fencing is required around a basin.

6. Prohibit earthmoving on slopes over 25% to allow disturbance of approximately 0.28 acres with slope over 25%.

7. Require a minimum pipe diameter of 15 inches to allow roof drains and yards drains to be smaller than 15 inches in diameter.

8. Require basins to the extent practical, to have slopes less than four feet horizontal to one vertical to allow Basin 1 and Basin 2 to be graded at three horizontal feet to one vertical foot.

9. Standard specifications for the sanitary sewer which require basement sewer service.

10. Require street trees be planted every 30 to 40 feet in the rights of way of Emmaus Avenue and Honeysuckle Road. The recommendation to plant required number of trees elsewhere on the property.

The Salisbury Township Planning Commission recommended deferrals of the following SALDO sections:

11. Require curb and sidewalk along Emmaus Avenue and Honeysuckle Road. Sidewalk is not proposed east of Gaskill Avenue and west of proposed westerly connection of proposed Mountain Vista Lane. No sidewalk is proposed along Honeysuckle Road. No curbing is proposed along either existing street.

12. Require a 48-foot cartway width for Emmaus Avenue and a 36-foot cartway width for Honeysuckle Road.

13. Require improvements agreements and financial security be posted by the developer within 90 days after conditional preliminary-final plan approval by the Salisbury Township Board of Commissioners. Vistas is requesting to extend this requirement for one year from conditional approval of the preliminary-final plan.

1) If The Vistas plan is approved and the requested waivers and deferrals are granted, it’s subject to the following conditions:

a. All corrections, comments and additional submissions, as outlined in the June 20 review letter from Salisbury Township Engineer, Stan Wojciechowski, PE of Barry Isett & Associates.

b. At the time of recording the plan, Vistas shall record the plan and submit two paper copies and one electronic copy with recording information to the township;

c. At the time of recording the plan, Vistas shall, subject to review and approval of the township engineer and the township solicitor, record any and all deeds required if necessary;

d. Execution and recording of a Land Development Improvements Agreement and Maintenance Agreement, secured by an irrevocable letter of credit, cash escrow, bond or other security in accordance with the MPC, SALDO and subject to approval by the township solicitor, if deemed necessary;

e. Execution and recording, if necessary, of a Stormwater BMP, Operations and Maintenance Agreement subject to the approval of the Salisbury Township solicitor and township engineer;

f. Addition of notes to the plan identifying the approved waiver and deferral requests and the relief granted and conditionals approved thereof; and

g. Payment of a $172,000 recreation fee before the plans being executed by Salisbury Township and recorded.

2) All revisions to the plan shall be subject to review and approval by Salisbury Township staff, engineer and solicitor.

3) Approval of the plan is conditioned upon Vistas exercising good faith to timely secure all outside agency approvals, timely fulfilling all conditions of approval as set forth herein and timely recording of the plan in accordance with the Municipal Planning Code.

4) The resolution is further conditioned upon receipt by Vistas of all necessary outside agency approvals. If, in the opinion of Salisbury Township, any such approval results in a material modification of the plan, as approved by this Resolution, Salisbury Township may require the filing, review, and approval of amended plans.

5) The conditions of approval have been made known to Vistas and the same are contingent expressly upon Vistas’ affirmative written acceptance of said conditions on a form prescribed by Salisbury Township. Said form is to be executed by Vistas and returned in such a manner as to be received by Salisbury Township on or before Aug. 29, 2025.

If an unconditional acceptance of the conditions of approval is not received as set forth herein the application for approval shall be deemed denied based upon Vistas’ failure to fulfill said conditions or agree thereto.

The Aug. 14 agenda notes an executive session will be held before the meeting at 6:45 p.m. “to discuss potential litigation.”

A new plan for pedestrian and traffic control was presented by officials representing Vistas at South Mountain at the July 24 township commissioners’ meeting, which includes:

- A median strip to be installed in the center of East Emmaus Avenue in the vicinity of Gaskill Avenue and the proposed entrance to Vistas at South Mountain.

- Eliminated would be an overhead gate system across East Emmaus Avenue, a pedestrian crosswalk at East Emmaus Avenue and Gaskill Avenue and sidewalks along East Emmaus Avenue in the vicinity of Gaskill Avenue.

- Added would be a concrete pad for school bus pick up and drop off students along the south side of East Emmaus Avenue with a sidewalk connecting to the proposed entrance to Vistas at South Mountain.

Traffic volume and flow at the proposed development and the safety of school students traveling to and from nearby Salisbury Elementary School, 1400 Gaskill Ave., have been a concern of the township planning commission, township commissioners, township police department and township residents.

PennDOT has jurisdiction of Emmaus Avenue, which is a state-maintained highway.

PennDOT officials turned down a request from township officials for a traffic light at East Emmaus Avenue and Gaskill Avenue. Representatives of Tuskes Homes said the firm would pay for the traffic light.

Residents have expressed concerns about potential stormwater runoff problems into Trout Creek.

The overall lot size of the project is 48.5197 acres. Lot No. 1 is 46.7965 acres with frontage along East Emmaus Avenue. Lot No. 2 is 1.1903 acres with frontage along Honeysuckle Road.

The property, in the R3, Medium Low Density Residential and the CR, Conservation-Residential zoning district, is vacant land. All dwelling units will be within the R3 zoning district boundaries.

Salisbury Township School District sold the property for $1.45 million to Tuskes Homes on Oct. 25, 2023.

The property was taken by eminent domain by Salisbury Township School District in 1967 as a site for a senior high school.

Salisbury Township officials considered purchasing the property in 2008 to connect it to Franko Farm Park.

A project for 70 to 90 homes for those age 55-plus for the property fell through in 2005.