A $25 million corporate campus which could create 250 to 300 jobs and bring hundreds of thousands of dollars to the cash-strapped Octorara Area School District is currently under planning consideration in Sadsbury Township.
Bill MacCauley of John Rock, Inc., who purchased the historic 115-acre Brown farm in Sadsbury Township last year, told Sadsbury Township supervisors April 5 he is in negotiations with a prospective buyer and asked that the matter be considered by supervisors and the township’s planning commission.
Although MacCauley is keeping the identity of the buyer confidential during sensitive real estate negotiations, he told supervisors the buyer is interested in creating a corporate campus for one wholesale business with loading docks and office, packaging and storage space.
MacCauley explained the buyer has in mind a corporate space similar to the business park in Chester County which houses businesses including Keystone Helicopter, CDTI and his own John Rock, Inc.
He said the proposed campus could occupy between 40 and 70 acres of the Brown tract, which is just north of the Dutchway Farm Market and J.B. Zimmerman Hardware on Route 41. Access to the new site would be through that existing Sadsbury Business Park, and would therefore not require a new road or traffic light, MacCauley said.
During the meeting supervisors noted the proposed development is in the township’s mixed use zoning, which allows manufacturing, packaging, storage and commercial businesses along with residences.
“We are looking for your feedback,” MacCauley told supervisors, noting the prospective buyer is also looking at other properties.
“It sounds good to me,” said Supervisor Greg Esh.
“I’m with Greg; I’m very interested,” said Supervisor Eugene Lammey. “We’ve been looking for something like this for a while. That is our urban growth area in the township.”
Township Zoning Officer Bill Beers said he thought the light industrial warehouse and office space would be a good mix, and township planners will need to agree the proposal meets the township’s definition of mixed use zoning.
“This is what we need here,” MacCauley said following the meeting. “It will bring in tax revenue and good jobs.”
“When you are writing an ordinance you are writing in a cloud, and then someone drives a truck through it,” MacCauley said. “Too many of the townships zone it wrong. We need little corporate parks.”
David Blank, a planning commission member, invited MacCauley to present his plans to the township planning commission on April 13.
In other business supervisors signed a letter for the Heritage Group confirming that since PennDOT took a portion of the group’s property, lots one and two of the subdivision are not buildable; signed plans for the Zook subdivision on Mount Vernon Road; and agreed they would prefer a 10-year franchise with Comcast, rather than a 20-year agreement.
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