Coalition for Responsible Growth
and Resource Conservation (CRGRC)

Montour Crossing Issues of Concern

The Project
The proposed retail development project known as Montour Crossing would be built on the flood plain just north of the intersection of I-180 and Route 87 in Fairfield Township. The property is presently used as farmland and is owned by Richard Snyder. The developer is Roger Hirschhorn and RD Management, LLC of New York City.

The proposed development would entail the construction of a shopping mall consisting of 519,792 square feet of retail space and over 2,700 parking spaces. It would also entail the excavation of 47 acres as a flood mitigation pit, with the fill from the pit (350,000 cubic yards estimated) being used to raise the shopping center 18 inches above the flood plain. In total, nearly 100 acres of flood plain, farmland would be destroyed by the proposed Montour Crossing.

Building on a Flood Plain
The Snyder farm is completely within the 100 year flood plain of Loyalsock Creek. It has flooded 27 times since 1906 and it was completely underwater in the flood of January 1996. The Loyalsock Creek records a damaging flood on average every seven years. This property is also subject to flooding from Mill Creek #2.

To see more photos of the proposed Montour Crossing site and surrounding areas in the flood of January 1996, click here>>>
NOTE: These photos may be downloaded or printed from this website.

Mill and Loyalsock Creeks – Flood of January 1996

The 47-Acre Excavation
This proposed “flood mitigation’ pit would be 47 acres in size and only would be 30 feet from Loyalsock Creek. It would have to be maintained in perpetuity as a buffer against flood waters. Flood debris would have to be removed from the pit after every flood, and the pit would have to be constantly kept free of other debris and rainwater. It is not clear who would bear the responsibility for this cost in future years. Such close proximity to Loyalsock Creek, an unpredictable waterway that continually changes course, could cause erosion of the pit into Loyalsock Creek, polluting the creek with waste from the pit and run off from the development.

Project is Not Consistent with Multi-Municipal
or County Comprehensive Plans
Both the 2006 Lycoming County Comprehensive Plan and the Montoursville-Muncy Comprehensive Plan, which includes Fairfield Township, specifically state that within any flood area new construction, development, use, activity, or encroachment that would cause any increase in flood heights shall be prohibited.

Not a Growth Corridor
The Lycoming County Comprehensive Plan has designated areas in the county as growth corridors. The Route 87 North Corridor, where Montour Crossing is proposed, has not been so designated, in part because of the potential environmental damage that could be caused by development there. Designated growth areas have infrastructure in place or in the planning stages. The proposed Montour Crossing property is without public water or sewer lines and would require upgrading roads, widening a bridge and adding traffic lights.

Bridge Widening
Taxpayer money - $500,000 - has been set aside by Governor Rendell to widen the bridge on Rt 87 solely for the purpose of this development. This would be done to a perfectly good bridge at a time when the Governor is seeking funds to repair and replace bridges all over the state.

Retail Growth
Significant retail growth is occurring at and near the Lycoming Mall and the City of Williamsport which has been working to revitalize its down town. Recently, the City of Williamsport received a letter of intent from a major department store. Both of these locations are designated areas for retail growth by the Lycoming County Comprehensive Plan and each has sufficient infrastructure in place for major retail development. Not only is Montour Crossing proposed for the wrong location, it has been questioned because the population may not be sufficient to support additional retail development.

Project Ignores Keystone Principles
Montour Crossing violates all four of the applicable Core Criteria of the Keystone Principles for Growth, Investment and Resource Conservation. These principles have been endorsed by Governor Rendell as keys to balancing economic growth with environmental conservation.

Read the Keystone Principles (PDF) here >>>

Download Adobe Reader for PDF here >>>

Cultural Considerations
Archaeological excavations have uncovered and continue to uncover Native American artifacts that suggest that this was the site of an ancient Native American village. Montour Crossing would be constructed over this site, thus obliterating a valuable piece of our region’s history.

Historic Stone Barn, site of Native American Raid in Revolutionary War era

Pennsylvania Wilds
A scenic drive along Route 87 leading north along Loyalsock Creek is the southeast entrance into The Pennsylvania Wilds. The Governor has endorsed The Pennsylvania Wilds as an economically important area of the state for attracting tourism. Montour Crossing’s construction would have significant and negative impact on this scenic view - degrading the tourist experience in Northcentral Pennsylvania and decreasing the economic benefit of The Wilds for the many business owners who depend on tourists traveling this Lycoming County route to The Wilds.