Correction — A Manheim Township resident who spoke against an ordinance approved by township commissioners on Monday allowing apartment buildings up to 50 feet in height was misidentified in the story below, posted on LancasterOnline Tuesday. The resident's name was Phil Rule.

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Hoping to spur farmland preservation, Manheim Township's board of commissioners think bigger may be better.

The commissioners on Monday approved an ordinance allowing developers to erect apartment buildings of up to 50 feet in height by purchasing transfer development rights.

Presently, apartment buildings may be up to 30 feet high.

The purchase of TDRs saves farmland in the township's agricultural district, while allowing higher density housing in residential and some business districts.

Currently, if zoning allows four houses per acre of land, a developer can build more houses on that acre by buying TDRs from farmers, one TDR per housing unit.

The new ordinance allows developers to build up rather than out.

Casselbury said the TDR program needs "serious revamping." When the program was begun in 1991, about 1,300 TDRs were created. Since then only 144 have sold, and most of them were purchased by the township.

"The program has not been effective," he said. "It has not worked."

Allowing taller buildings, which could be erected within 75 feet of single-story residential homes, Casselbury said, is "unacceptable."

Farmers must be compensated for giving up the development rights to their properties, he said, but this idea was not the answer.

Keebler agreed.

Only 10 percent of the TDRs have sold in 17 years, she said, and the program has been administered in a "willy-nilly" fashion.

The ordinance allows for up to 25 percent of the buildings in a cluster development to be 50 feet high. The township, she said, is being "insensitive" to the farmers.

Downing said the ordinance is a way to manage growth, which is one of the board's prime responsibilities. He called talking about 50-foot buildings "popping up everywhere" a "scare tactic."

A number of residents spoke against the ordinance.

Farmer Nelson Rohrer, who was a commissioner when the TDR program was begun, said the problem is that the township "never made it a priority."

He said the board should "treat the farmer fairly."

Bill Ruhl said that in a recent township survey an overwhelming majority of residents put preserving farmland as their top concern.

It was suggested that the township purchase all the remaining TDRs and retire them. TDRs sell for about $15,000, and Downing said it would cost about $15 million.

"The survey showed that the taxpayers are willing to spend tax money to preserve farmland" Keebler said.

Also Monday, the commissioners were presented with a traffic impact study for a proposed shopping center at Granite Run.

The 300,000-square-foot Granite Town Center would be between Granite Run Drive and Route 283. The center would incorporate about 72,000 square feet of existing buildings.

The 40-acre site also would include 200,000 square feet of new construction, mostly small stores, restaurants and boutiques — rather than large chain stores — flanking a broad main street with trees and sidewalks. New construction would cost about $30 million.

The traffic study looked at 15 intersections along Fruitville and Manheim pikes and Route 283.

One issue of concern was the proposed widening of Fruitville Pike between Granite Run Drive and Delp Road. A right-turn lane northbound onto Delp would be built along the entire length. To add that, homeowners along one or both sides of Fruitville Pike could find the highway between five and 10 feet closer to their front doors.

Keebler voiced concern about residents losing part of their front yards, but traffic engineer Jodi Evans said the right of way belongs to the state.

"It's not really their front yards," Evans said.

"In their minds it is," Keebler said.

Homeowners would be compensated for their loss, attorney Charles M. Suhr, said.

The discussion on the traffic study will continue on Sept. 8 at 5 p.m. at the township office.

E-mail: lalexander@lnpnews.com