JACKSON TWP — Supervisors gave final approval for a new Aldi, O’Reilly Auto Parts and restaurant Thursday, Sept. 21, as part of the planned Jackson Village shopping center.

“Phase 1 is Aldi, phase 1A is O’Reilly Auto Parts, and we don’t know what restaurant yet,” said Nikki Colton, planning director and zoning officer for the township.

Colton said the developers have already begun preliminary work at the site for the new Aldi, which will include the 19,000-square-foot shopping center and 85 parking spaces.

“They want occupancy by spring,” she said.

The new 7,000-square-foot O’Reilly Auto Parts and the 3,000-square-foot “sit-down” restaurant are expected to finish construction not long after, according to Colton, along with an additional 34 parking spaces.

“I’m thinking they would be done by summer with phase 1A,” she said.

Subsequent phases will include a 6,000-square-foot convenience store and gas station, with a proposed 16 pumps and 27 parking spaces, as well as four fast food restaurants and a drive-through bank.

Wendy’s has already submitted an application for one of the fast food restaurant spaces, Colton said, making it the potential second phase of the project.

“And then they’re saying that it’s probably going to be the gas station and convenience store that’s probably going to come next,” she said.

Supervisors also approved an agreement with the county to accept a $104,383 Community Development Block Grant.

“The township is allocated direct CDBG moneys, and the county helps us administer it,” township manager Chris Rearick said. “Essentially, we’re somewhat limited in terms of the expenditures because it has to be for the benefit of a low- to moderate-income neighborhood.”

Of the funds, Rearick said the program allows 30% to be used for “blight remediation.”

“That is, essentially, tearing down or demolishing structures,” he said. “So we typically reserve that 30% for blight, and that allows us to use it in areas in the township where there are blighted structures that need to be condemned.”

The remaining 70% will likely be used for housing rehabilitation then, Rearick said.

“For the balance, we work with the county housing authority to administer a program for low- to moderate-income individuals for home repairs,” he said.

Additionally, the township approved an ordinance for a speed limit reduction on Textor Hill Road to 25 mph.

“Residents along Textor Hill came to the board with concerns of speeding,” Rearick said. “I think that given construction on Route 68, they’ve witnessed more regional traffic as people use it as a shortcut and have observed more speeding.”

Rearick said the township’s engineer recommended the speed reduction after studying the alignment of the road and “site-distance issues.”

“That’s for the entire length, and we’ll be replacing the existing signs on Monday and the new speed limit signs will be up,” he said. “Given our engineer’s report and the ordinance, we’ll be able to enforce it.”