Residents who live near The Hills, the proposed housing development on the former Rutz farm, are concerned about increased traffic on Walbert Avenue and nearby roads in South Whitehall.

Neighbors packed the Planning Commission meeting Wednesday night to learn and comment about the Jaindl Land Co.'s plan to build 90 single-family homes on about 94 acres of cornfields between Hampton Road and Penn's Crossing.

The sketch plan presented was a reduction from the original plan for 130 homes, developer David Jaindl said. A presentation in June 2011 was for 106 single-family homes.

Several residents disagreed with engineer Larry Turoscy's assessment of current and future traffic projections in the area near 40th Street and Penn's Crossing, particularly when school buses make stops or when an accident on Route 22 causes traffic to back up on side roads.

Planning Commissioner William MacNair was concerned about the limited access into the development from only two roads, 40th Street and Penn's Crossing.

Jaindl said the steep slope near the water tower at the top of the development near Brickyard Road prevents the company from building an arterial road.

Commissioner Steven Seyer acknowledged that growth has increased traffic throughout the township over the years, but he said residents need multiple options to get in and out of developments.

Some suggested access be created next to Shoemaker Dodge, across from Hampton Road, but Turoscy said Shoemaker would have to agree to numerous restrictions PennDOT would impose.

After more than an hour of discussion in front of the board, Jaindl told residents he would continue to speak with them in the hallway outside the meeting. Jaindl said he would incorporate some of the comments from the meeting and will present a revised plan in several months.