During a meeting held on March 15, Franklin County Commissioners expressed their opposition to the proposed construction of a 676-unit apartment complex in the Guildford Hills area of Greene Township.
The Development Plan
Wyomissing-based Metropolitan 4 LLC applied for a conditional use permit in December 2022 to develop the 70-acre vacant farmland currently zoned as ‘R-1 low-density residential.’ This zoning designation permits single-family homes or buildings with a limited number of housing units. The company’s application requests authorization from Greene Township for the development of a 33-building, 676 garden-style unit apartment complex.
Project Contradicts County’s Comprehensive Plan
Although the final decision rests with Greene Township, Franklin County Commissioners have made their opposition to the project known. They argue that the proposed development goes against best practices for smart, harmonious growth in the community. Their concerns include insufficient infrastructure to support the increased population density and traffic volume, as well as the contradiction with the County’s Hazard Mitigation Plan. The plan, adopted by Greene Township in 2018, identifies five of the 33 proposed buildings as being in the Long Pine Dam inundation area. Moreover, the project does not align with the county’s comprehensive plan, which promotes suburban residential development in areas with existing transportation and infrastructure investments.
Public Hearing Scheduled for March 22
Greene Township will hold a public hearing to discuss the proposed apartment complex project on March 22 at 6 p.m. at the Fayetteville Volunteer Fire Department Social Hall, located at 101 W. Main Street. It remains unclear whether the township will make a decision on the project that night. As of the time of publication, Metropolitan 4 LLC has not responded to requests for comment.
