Mar 14, 2017 3 min read

Chairs in the meeting room of South Strabane Township’s municipal building were full Tuesday night, but officials would not address the matter that drew most of the residents in attendance.

Citing ongoing litigation, supervisors and solicitor Dennis Makel did not discuss the status of a proposed mixed-use development owned by Chapman Properties.

At the Feb. 28 meeting, supervisors directed Makel to enter into negotiations with the developer after Steve Thomas, chairman and chief executive officer of Chapman Properties, said the cornerstone of the development, Ensinger Inc., would select a different location if the master plan – which calls for the township to accept a portion of Tanger Boulevard – was not approved. He told the board time was of the essence.

At that meeting, Makel said he would call Chapman’s attorney, Jeffrey G. Wilhelm, the next morning to negotiate.

Messages left to Wilhelm were not returned. Thomas said in an email he could not comment on the matter.

Supervisor Jack Keisling attempted to talk about Ensinger, but was quieted by Chairman Thomas Moore, who banged his gavel and said Keisling was out of order.

“This appears to me to be somewhat of a gag order,” Keisling said. “It seems to me that’s unfair to the public.”

Makel said litigation involving Ensinger was discussed during an executive session before the meeting.

A land-use appeal filed by Chapman in Washington County Court in October has not yet been ruled upon.

Thomas previously said Ensinger, a plastic fabrication company, would be the anchor of a development adjacent to Tanger Outlets that would include retail, restaurants, offices and hotels.

Located in North Strabane Township, Ensinger entered into negotiations with Chapman two years ago to move its North American headquarters to the 158-acre site. The $40 million complex would encompass a light manufacturing space, offices and a robotic warehouse system on 30 acres.

The sticking point has been Chapman’s request the township accept a portion of Tanger Boulevard. Supervisors would not concede to that request.

Chapman offered to pay for the cost of maintaining the road through 2026, repaving, money for the purchase of a snow-plow truck and a donation of a 1-acre parcel to Strabane Manor homeowner association.

Residents of that community, which abuts Chapman’s property, continue to speak out against Ensinger.

Leigh Lyons, president of the association, asked supervisors Tuesday why Chapman is able to repeatedly come back to the board with proposals.

“I’m not sure why they are continuously allowed to bring this up,” she said.

Supervisors previously approved Chapman’s conditional-use application for Ensinger, but denied the master plan. Chapman maintains, because of a township ordinance prohibiting more than four parcels on a private road, Tanger Boulevard must be made public to proceed with Ensinger.

Lyons and several other Strabane Manor residents also urged the board to remove light manufacturing from C-3 commercial districts, which Chapman successfully petitioned the board to add in 2015.

Supporters of the development said the plant will add jobs and create significant tax revenue.

Messages left for William R. Matthews III, vice president of administration for Ensinger, were not returned.