CRANBERRY TWP — Supervisors have approved preliminary land development and conditional use applications for the Summerwind Residential Development.

The approval, during a meeting Thursday, Dec. 11, paves the way for construction of 66 townhouse units on about 6.7 acres of land along a stretch of Freedom Road. It calls for nine three-story buildings, eight of which would sit just off Freedom Road, and another six two-story buildings in the interior of the community.

As the development methodically made its way through the township’s planning commission, residents who live on LaPorte Court, Greenwood Drive Extension and Bucks Road levied sharp criticism of the proposed plans.

Residents consistently raised concerns over privacy, stormwater management, noise levels and traffic flow. More than a half-dozen residents spoke at a public hearing that began at an Oct. 30 meeting and wrapped up three weeks later at a Nov. 21 meeting.

During the time between those meetings, the developer, in coordination with township staff, acknowledged privacy concerns by agreeing to establish a 6-foot high privacy fence along the perimeter of the development.

“Privacy was a large one (concern) that we heard about as well,” Ron Henshaw, the township’s planning and development services director, said at the Nov. 21 meeting. “The developer has agreed to install a 6-foot high privacy fence along the entire inner perimeter of the site adjacent to the existing homes that would aid in privacy concerns from the existing neighbors.”

Some residents in nearby condominiums had brought up the potential for noise being an issue during the construction process. However, township staff explained that all residential developments of that kind can be built only between certain hours.

The developer had agreed to limit hours of construction to 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

After both of those issues were addressed by the developer and township staff, the development checked all of the boxes in order to move forward.

“At this time, this development does meet your code and staff has to recommend that it is time for this to move on,” Henshaw announced to supervisors before the vote at Thursday’s meeting.

While vice chairman Bruce Hezlep and Karen Newpol were absent from Thursday’s meeting, chairman Mike Manipole, Bruce Mazzoni and John Skorupan approved the plans.

It is uncertain when construction will begin.