A regular meeting of the Board of Supervisors was held on Tuesday May 6, 2003. The official minutes of the meeting are on file at the Sadsbury Township Municipal Building.
Township Police Report
Chief Groce reported that for the month of April the police department patrolled 2,474 miles and handled 215 complaints they were as follows: 7 disturbances, 2 domestic, 119 stationary patrols, 4 911 hang ups, 4 accidents, 61 business checks, 6 alarms, 14 assist to other depts. 4 animal, 3 criminal mischief, 1 theft, 7 suspicious persons. Mr. Groce stated that the new police vehicle has been delivered.
Township Engineer Report
Mr. MacCombie reported that he has reviewed grading permit applications for Ryan Homes regarding lots 59,109,112,117,121,122,147,and lot 148 for Quarry Ridge Development and have been approved. Mr. MacCombie also reported that he reviewed grading applications for Sadsbury Village units 105a-105f, 129a-129f and 135a-135f along with applications received from Diamond Run Landscape and David Carr lot 3 Maple Avenue. Mr. MacCombie has reviewed and copied the Board on final land development plan of Gateway Church along with the required improvement escrow. Mr. MacCombie estimates that the next phase of sanitary sewer will go out for bid in July, which will include Pomeroy Heights phase A & B. Mr. MacCombie suggested that with the conditions of First Avenue are so bad that maybe sewer can be placed sooner in that area so that the roadway can get repaired. The Board discussed the use of Kraft Buses on the road repeated times daily, Mr. Doratt suggested contacting Kraft Busing to help with the maintence of First Avenue. Mr. MacCombie stated in order to move forward with placing a weight restriction on Morris Lane the Township must do core testing. Mr. MacCombie and the Township are in receipt of a proposal for doing such testing. The Board agreed to accept the proposal for General Geotechnical Consulting Services do the testing for an amount of $2,000.00. Mr. MacCombie stated that the traffic signal at Old Wilmington Road and Lincoln Highway should be complete soon; he stated a testing period would go into affect by having the light flash red and yellow for a few weeks when that are complete.
Township Solicitor Report
Mr. Pompo discussed the request of Arcadia wanting an amendment to Article 5, section A., 5., and b to increase the building coverage ratios for the R-1 cluster option. The Board recommended Arcadia taking their request to the Planning Commission for their review. The waiver request was tabled until more information was brought to the Board regarding this request. Mr. Pompo discussed the residents within the phase IA sanitary sewer that have not paid tap in fees or tied into the system. Mr. Pompo stated that the remaining residents have been sent a letter in October of 2002 and given sufficient time to pay tap in fees and hook into the system.
Mr. Pompo stated that in response to Mr. Lowry’s request for a time frame on the Conditional Use of Neuhauser/Karilliam Inc. project. Mr. Pompo stated that the Board of Supervisors approved the conditional use of an expansion to an existing nonconforming machine shop pursuant to the then existing Zoning Ordinance. To date Mr. Pompo stated that the foundations of the proposed addition have been laid, under the present Zoning a special exception from the Zoning Hearing Board is required. The expiration of a conditional use expires at the end of 6 months unless the applicant has within that time period applied for a zoning permit. The Zoning Ordinance does allow the Board of Supervisors to grant extensions of the permit upon timely application and upon good cause shown. Five years have pasted since the conditional use approval, the Zoning Ordinance no longer authorizes the expansion of a nonconforming use by conditional use. Mr. Lowry is to contact Ms. Neuhauser.
Township Zoning Report
Mr. Lowry reported that eighty-one inspection have been performed eighty-three inquiries have been answered. Twenty permits have been issued for five single-family dwellings, six townhouses, one sign, one porch, one shed, two additions, one alteration and two decks. Mr. Lowry stated that a special exception was granted to Mr. Ward to operate a major home occupation in a new home on Old Mill Road. The hearing was held on April 30, 2003. A variance was granted for the Cellco Tower for the height of the tower, setbacks from the property line and landscaping. Mr. Lowry did an inspection regarding the Zydinsky property and no vehicles were parked outdoors.
Planning Commission Report
Mr. Yeoman reported that Mr. O’Deens of Gateway Grace Community Church ask the Board of Supervisors to grant final land development approval. Mr. Lowry stated that Gateway must comply with the letter dated April 2, 2003 from Vince Pompo. The Chairperson motioned to approve the plans contingent upon a clean letter from the Township Engineer and full compliance with the conditions of the Township Solicitors letter. The motion was seconded and approved. Mr. Yeoman stated the Mr. Duckworth representative of Arcadia granted a 60 day extension and asked the Board to pursue the cluster option which will require a waiver or the by right plan.
Pomeroy Fire Report
Mr. Earl Taylor reported 12 alarms were answered and hours in service were 8 hours and 28 minutes. The department responded to 4 auto accidents, 1 electrical fire, 3 building fires, 1 gas leak, 1 brush fire, 1 standby, 1 odor investigation.
Sadsburyville Fire Report
Supervisor Terry Franciscus reported that 11 alarms were answered and time in service was 4 hours and 31 minutes.
Township Road Report
Supervisor Terry Franciscus reported the most roads are in good shape. The road crew is working on pothole repairs around the Township. Leike Road starting to crack up Mr. McGuigan suggested resurface along with First Avenue. Mr. McGuigan ordered a 2003 F-350 Ford truck dump bed, with a 4 way power angle plow. This truck will replace the 1983 Dodge. The road crew installed a new hot water heater and washbasin in the concession stand.
Other Business
The Board requested Mr. MacCombie look at Leike Road. Also the Board stated that Mr. Chris Carr donated the hot water heater and washbasin that were placed in the concession stand at Bert Reel Park.
Mr. John Lymberis presented the Board with an alternative plan for the Martin Tract, which he currently proposed as 75 town homes. The tract of land known as the Martin tract is 12.8 acres and is located off of Old Wilmington Road. Mr. Lymberis states that this parcel is accessed off of Old Wilmington Road and has a proposed access from Route 30. The community consists of 13 21/2 story condominium apartment buildings. Mr. Lymberis states that the community is based on traditional town planning with orthogonal street layouts similar to the adjacent tracts in Sadsburyville and other Chester County towns. The current zoning is R-2 Mr. Lymberis states he would like to maintain the character of the residential neighborhoods. Mr. Lymberis provided to the Board a copy of the Fiscal Impact Study that was prepared for JYF Partners on April 30, 2003 by Glackin Thomas Panzak, Inc.
The meeting was temporarily adjourned and a meeting was opened for the Hearing for Ordinance 2003-01. When the meeting was re-convened, Ordinance 2003-01 amending the Sadsbury Township Zoning Ordinance of 2001 as amended was adopted. This ordinance defines the term two family attached as a dwelling type and by permitting a dwelling for a farm employee and his or her family as a use accessory to agriculture.
The Board accepts the resignation of John Martin from the Zoning Hearing Board. Mr. Martin has moved out of the Township. The Board thanks Mr. Martin for his years of service. Mr. Henry Hershey was appointed to the Zoning Hearing Board for the term of 1 year to fill the vacancy.
Mr. Roy Peterson representative of Quality Distribution presented the Board with a request for permission from the Township to discharge treated contaminated ground waters through Sadsbury Township sanitary sewer system to discharge to Pennsylvania American Water Company. Township residents had many questions with concerns of the Township letting treated contaminated water flow through the Township’s sanitary sewer system. The Board agreed to table this matter and make a decision at a later time.
The Board voted to advertise the 1983 Dodge 350 pickup “as is” for sealed bids to be opened at the June 3, 2003 meeting.
Mr. Matthew Arnoldy was appointed to the Planning Commission to take the un-expired term of Thomas Eells to expire 2005.