Butler County · Forward Township · #26006
Walnut Square preliminary master plan (townhomes, retail)
SR 68, Forward Township, PA · 54 homes, 31,000 sq ft non-residential, mixed use
About this project
Preliminary master plan for 54 townhomes, two 11,200 sf warehouses with 1,800 sf offices each, and a 5,000 sf retail building with a possible drive-through. The county says the recorded subdivision is not finished and an ACT 537 letter is missing. A traffic study and approved stormwater plans are also needed.
Issues raised: Recorded subdivision/consolidation not completed, Eastern stormwater basin drains toward a neighbor's house, ACT 537 letter missing, Approved stormwater plans and traffic study needed
- Plan type
- Preliminary master plan
- Land use
- mixed-use
Filing history
- 2026-01-21 · #26006 · Preliminary master plan · 54 lots/units · 31,000 sq ft
The full picture AI research · Nov 1, 2026
Walnut Square is a proposed mixed-use development along SR 68 in Forward Township, Butler County. The preliminary master plan calls for 54 townhomes, two warehouse buildings of about 11,200 square feet each (each with a 1,800 square foot office), and a 5,000 square foot retail building that might have a drive-through. In total, about 31,000 square feet of non-residential space is planned.
The county's records say the recorded subdivision of the land is not finished. They also say a sewage planning letter (ACT 537) is missing, and that a traffic study and approved stormwater plans are still needed. The records do not describe what is on the site now.
No developer website, news coverage, hearing notices or occupant announcements for this project could be confirmed online. This explanation rests on the county facts alone.
What it could mean nearby
- Traffic: 54 homes, warehouses and possible drive-through retail would add trips on SR 68. The county has asked for a traffic study to measure this.
- Stormwater: Runoff from new buildings and pavement must be managed. Approved stormwater plans are still required.
- Utilities: The missing ACT 537 letter means sewage service for the project has not yet been confirmed.
- Jobs and housing: The plan would add 54 homes and some warehouse, office and retail space. The records give no information on tenants or job counts.
Where it stands
The project is at the preliminary master plan stage, with a county filing dated January 21, 2026. Several items remain open: finishing the recorded subdivision, the sewage letter, the traffic study and stormwater approval. Final plans, which are usually reviewed by the township and county, normally follow once those items are resolved.
- Jan 21, 2026 Latest county planning filing for the preliminary master plan
Want to weigh in? Forward Township's planning commission and board of supervisors usually review land development plans at public meetings, and residents can ask the township office for agendas and comment times.
Planning terms explained
- Preliminary master plan
- An early-stage layout showing what a developer intends to build, reviewed before detailed final plans.
- ACT 537
- Pennsylvania's sewage facilities planning law, under which a project must show how its wastewater will be handled.
- Stormwater plan
- A design showing how rain runoff from roofs and pavement will be controlled so it does not flood neighbors or pollute streams.
- Traffic study
- An engineering analysis of how many added vehicle trips a project will create and what road changes may be needed.
- Subdivision
- The legal division of land into separate lots, which must be recorded with the county.
We searched the web for this project but found nothing beyond the county record, so this explanation is based on the filing alone. Researched by AI from public sources on Nov 1, 2026. It can make mistakes, so check the linked sources and the municipality before relying on it.
Scope estimate for contractors
Estimated construction value: $38.3M
- ~1,728 roofing squares
- ~54 HVAC systems
- ~54 kitchens / 108+ bathrooms
- ~151,200 sq ft of finished living space
- ~103 roofing squares (assumes 3 stories)
- ~77 tons of cooling (rule of thumb 400 sq ft/ton)
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