More work is still needed on a proposed 57-home development in Kidder Township that has been moving through the planning phase for years.

Last week, the Carbon County Planning Commission again reviewed plans for the Lake Shore Development by Blue Ridge Real Estate Company on 62.31 acres just south of Big Boulder Lake.

Ivan O. Meixell Jr., county planner, said that the review is based on comments from ARRO Engineering completed in January.

He said the planning commission has been reviewing updates to the project since 2013; however, Blue Ridge keeps filing extensions because the company “can’t seem to come to an agreement with the (Kidder Township) supervisors over roads, sewer and water.”

The plans have been scaled down over the years, from four phases to two phases, and the number of homes changed to 57.

Meixell said he worked with ARRO on its review comments to address the planning commission’s preview review problems and updated the board on those items.

However, even with the updated comments, Meixell said that there are still outstanding items that need to be mitigated before final plan approval should be given.

It was noted that Kidder Township Planning Commission has already recommended conditional plan approval for the project based on ARRO’s review.

The Carbon County Planning Commission comments will now be sent to Kidder, Blue Ridge Real Estate and the engineer, with Meixell noting that the township needs to make sure it doesn’t set a precedent regarding compliance with Kidder’s subdivision and land development (SALDO) ordinances.

Township SALDO ordinances for future developments.

Hotel project

In another updated review of a proposed hotel in Franklin Township, the planning commission outlined the plan comments from DesignBLD for Eagle Hospitality’s Interchange Investment Group LLC for a 17,225-square-foot, four-story, 97-room hotel on the site of the former Jimmy’s Gym off Interchange Road.

Meixell noted that the comments were addressing the planning commission’s Jan. 21 review of the project.

While some areas of noncompliance have been addressed, Meixell said there were still several areas that need to be addressed, including documentation regarding the proposed water supply and fire protection being reviewed and approved by the Franklin Township fire chief.

“The Carbon County Planning Commission, in again reviewing the above submission believes our previous Jan. 15, 2025 comments have been addressed by the applicant, however, the comments remain open because the required approvals/permits from the Department of Environmental Protection regarding the NPDES permit sewage facilities planning module have not been received and forwarded to the Franklin Township Supervisors per the requirement of the Franklin Township Land Development Ordinance. …

“Until these permits and approvals are received from the various review agencies the Carbon County Planning Commission cannot recommend final plan approval. We therefore recommend conditional final plan approval until all open items are completed and/or adequately mitigated.”

In February, the township supervisors granted Eagle Hospitality with a 90-day extension regarding the plans.