Following news that the hotel project in Indian Orchard has all its permits, Texas Township officials, Monday night, amended an ordinance affecting future large building projects. The ordinance requires that there be two public access roads off of a public highway, if the development’s structures total at least 50,000 square feet.
The ordinance affects future applications, said Lee S. Krause, Texas Zoning Officer. The 80-room hotel, restaurant and professional offices planned next door to Home Depot already received township approvals, and have two access roads. The second one is an emergency access only, through the back of the property into the Quiet Acres mobile home park. This access will be gated. The public will access the project off of Home Depot Drive.
Krause noted that the Township wanted a second access but the hotel project developer was not required to have one under the rules then in force. He said that the developer, Route 6 Development Company LLC, did so as a courtesy, and kept the scope of the project to a 48,000 square feet foot print.
A letter was read from the Pa. Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) stating that the NPDES permit, for storm water discharge, has been approved. Krause added that the developer is waiting on a letter from Home Depot about sharing the driveway, but otherwise, has the necessary state permit to begin.
The new ordinance affects nonresidential or commercial projects containing 50,000 square feet or more of gross floor area of all buildings, without respect to the date of construction. To apply, these also must be served by an access road in excess of 1,000 feet in length from the public street to the farthest parking area.
• Supervisors also adopted a new fee schedule. Code enforcement fines had been limited to $150 per violation; the amendment allows a fine up to $1,000 per day. A sliding scale for zoning permits was adopted. These range from 4¢ per square foot for temporary use of four days or less, to 12¢ per square foot for temporary use, 15 to 30 days, or for permanent structures, commercial paving/resurfacing or change in use.
• Krause received reassurance that the old school bus stop shelter at Fords Road and Route 6, will be removed. The shelter is no longer used.
• The state will pay for replacement of the concrete and fence at the White Mills flood control project, up from the Dorflinger factory building. A $56,694.90 bid was accepted, Senator Lisa Baker wrote.
• Modern Gas Sales, Avoca, has bought the former Wyoming Homes sales property on Rt. 6, White Mills, and will set up a propane business. The County Planning Commission had no detrimental comments about joining two lots there. The buyer is cleaning up the property and will use one of the modular homes that were left.
• An agreement was approved with PennDOT for bridge inspections, done every two years. PennDOT directed that Cecco Inc. would perform the work, although the Township had wanted engineer Steve Knash, who had been doing the inspections. They are required every two years and Knash last did them about three months ago.
• Plans are underway to replace one of the township trucks.
• Bids will be sought for paving of Forest Street, with an alternate bid for Shady Lane. A large pipe must be put under Forest Street. The township will do the work if the ground dries in time, or else it will be included with the contracting bid.
Texas Supervisors meet on the first and third Monday at 7:30 p.m. in the township building on Old Willow Avenue.
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Following news that the hotel project in Indian Orchard has all its permits, Texas Township officials, Monday night, amended an ordinance affecting future large building projects. The ordinance requires that there be two public access roads off of a public highway, if the development’s structures total at least 50,000 square feet.
The ordinance affects future applications, said Lee S. Krause, Texas Zoning Officer. The 80-room hotel, restaurant and professional offices planned next door to Home Depot already received township approvals, and have two access roads. The second one is an emergency access only, through the back of the property into the Quiet Acres mobile home park. This access will be gated. The public will access the project off of Home Depot Drive.
Krause noted that the Township wanted a second access but the hotel project developer was not required to have one under the rules then in force. He said that the developer, Route 6 Development Company LLC, did so as a courtesy, and kept the scope of the project to a 48,000 square feet foot print.
A letter was read from the Pa. Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) stating that the NPDES permit, for storm water discharge, has been approved. Krause added that the developer is waiting on a letter from Home Depot about sharing the driveway, but otherwise, has the necessary state permit to begin.
The new ordinance affects nonresidential or commercial projects containing 50,000 square feet or more of gross floor area of all buildings, without respect to the date of construction. To apply, these also must be served by an access road in excess of 1,000 feet in length from the public street to the farthest parking area.
• Supervisors also adopted a new fee schedule. Code enforcement fines had been limited to $150 per violation; the amendment allows a fine up to $1,000 per day. A sliding scale for zoning permits was adopted. These range from 4¢ per square foot for temporary use of four days or less, to 12¢ per square foot for temporary use, 15 to 30 days, or for permanent structures, commercial paving/resurfacing or change in use.
• Krause received reassurance that the old school bus stop shelter at Fords Road and Route 6, will be removed. The shelter is no longer used.
• The state will pay for replacement of the concrete and fence at the White Mills flood control project, up from the Dorflinger factory building. A $56,694.90 bid was accepted, Senator Lisa Baker wrote.
• Modern Gas Sales, Avoca, has bought the former Wyoming Homes sales property on Rt. 6, White Mills, and will set up a propane business. The County Planning Commission had no detrimental comments about joining two lots there. The buyer is cleaning up the property and will use one of the modular homes that were left.
• An agreement was approved with PennDOT for bridge inspections, done every two years. PennDOT directed that Cecco Inc. would perform the work, although the Township had wanted engineer Steve Knash, who had been doing the inspections. They are required every two years and Knash last did them about three months ago.
• Plans are underway to replace one of the township trucks.
• Bids will be sought for paving of Forest Street, with an alternate bid for Shady Lane. A large pipe must be put under Forest Street. The township will do the work if the ground dries in time, or else it will be included with the contracting bid.
Texas Supervisors meet on the first and third Monday at 7:30 p.m. in the township building on Old Willow Avenue.
