The Warminster Planning Commission unanimously approved the Redevelopment Authority of Bucks County's (BCRDA) proposal to rehabilitate the Shenandoah Woods neighborhood and ready the site for future residential development.

Representatives from the BCRDA gave an overview of how they would demolish the military housing and support structures, tear out the roadways, reconnect the utilities to the township system and grade the surface as preparation to the construction phase of the project.

The RDA was tasked with coming up with the plan after the Department of Defense and HUD gave its stamp of approval to the plan submitted by the Shenandoah Woods sub-committee of the Horsham Land Reuse Authority (HLRA). As proposed, the 199 military units that were used as off-site housing for the Willow Grove Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base would be replaced by 113 single and twin residences.

According to Jeff Darwak, deputy director of the BCRDA, an assessment completed in November 2011 valued the 51 acre property at $3 million, with the BCRDA anticipating a negotiated purchase from the Navy for 24 acres at approximately $1.5 million. The remaining 27 acres would be divided between two other entities, 25 acres conveyed to Warminster's Park and Recreation Department as open space, and 2 acres conveyed to Aldie Counseling Centers. Aldie will then sell those two acres to the BCRDA and use that money to fund its services.

Wednesday night's approval is the first of several steps necessary before a negotiated sale of the property can be completed. On March 7, the BCRDA will appear before the Bucks County Planning Commission, followed by a public hearing in Warminster on March 15 before the regularly scheduled board of supervisors meeting, and, finally, a request for approval from the Bucks County Commissioners on April 4.