PALMER
TOWNSHIP BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
GENERAL
BUSINESS MEETING
MAY
21, 2007
A general business meeting of the
Palmer Township Board of Supervisors was held on Monday, May 21, 2007 at 7:00
p.m. in the Community Room of the Palmer Library with all Supervisors in
attendance. Also in attendance were the Township
Manager, Director of Public Services, Police Chief, Township Engineer, Township
Solicitor, and Attorney Christy Schlottman.
Colver convened the meeting and led those present in the Pledge to the
Flag.
2. APPROVAL
OF DISBURSEMENT OF FUNDS – MAY 21, 2007
INFORMATION
The
report will be provided at the meeting.
DISCUSSION
On
motion by Panella, seconded by Mitchell, and agreed by all, the Board approved
the disbursement of funds for May 21, 2007.
3.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES – MAY 7, 2007
DISCUSSION
Township Engineer
Dillman noted at the bottom of page one Act 161 should be changed to Act
167. Bruno noted on page two, Tim
Tenges’ name should be changed to Timm and in the last paragraph of page two, the
second to last sentence should read “whether it is a truck terminal.” Tom Adams noted on page eight the motion was
missing approving the construction equipment rental hourly rate, without
operator, that was awarded to Plasterer Equipment Company, Inc. Adams also
noted the re-bid for construction equipment rental was to include “with” an
operator.
On motion by Panella,
seconded by Smith, and agreed by all, the Board approved the minutes of May 7,
2007 with the above changes.
4.
DISCUSSION REGARDING ROAD IMPROVEMENTS TO NEWLINS MILL ROAD
AND VANBUREN ROAD
INFORMATION
The Township
Engineer would like the Board to discuss the township making improvements to Newlins Mill Road
and Van Buren Road
and the plan to seek reimbursement from future developers along these roadways.
DISCUSSION
Dillman said we have a developer currently
pursuing a development on the north side of Newlins Mill Road and in the last six to
eight weeks we met with another developer interested in developing a lot on the
southern side of Newlins Mill Road. Dillman said it is obvious that there will be
increased pressure to develop the properties that front on to Newlins Mill Road
which will significantly increase commercial vehicles accessing these
roads. Dillman said The Pidcock Company rough
estimate to upgrade Newlins Mill Road to five
lanes could cost between 4.5 to 5.5 million
dollars. Lammi said he thought it was previously
discussed to increase to three lanes from Tatamy Road to VanBuren Road. Dillman said they propose five lanes on
Newlins Mill and three lanes on VanBuren from Newlins Mill north to Hollo Road. Dillman said we discussed assigning costs to
various vacant parcels. The township would
have the design completed but would need to assign segments of the road that developer’s
would be responsible to improve. This
would represent the least cost exposure to the township and put ownership on
the developers. Lammi said wouldn’t their
improvements basically be the frontage of their property. Dillman said not necessarily. The township has the right to require
pavement improvements. Dillman said the
roadway is currently misleading because its been overlaid; it looks good but
the structure isn’t made for heavy truck traffic. Dillman said the $5.5 million estimate does
not take into account the portion of improvements Chrin is making at Newlins Mill
and Tatamy and Newlins Mill and VanBuren.
Lammi said when we improve Newlins Mill and VanBuren
we don’t want truck traffic on Tatamy
Road.
Dillman said it’s all a question of time before traffic will go to Tatamy Road. Newlins
Mill Road isn’t set up right now with the current zoning. Either the development has to wait until
there is enough interest in the lots or the developer will have to pick up a
chunk of the improvements. Lammi asked
if the $5.5 million is the cost to the township. Dillman said yes if we started today that is
the ballpark figure. Lammi said the only
way to recover it is to break the cost up among developers. Dillman said it could take years for all
parcels to develop. Colver said he
doesn’t see this as a township project.
Colver said we break it up for the developers to do improvements in
front of their buildings and accept voluntary traffic contributions for future
improvements. Smith said from a township
point of view the township needs an idea of what the requirement will need to
be, three lanes or five lanes. Lammi
stated he thought a road would continue north out to Main Street in the Commerce Center
project. Dillman said we anticipate at
some point the area will require a five lane road. Colver said it may be necessary for three
lanes now but he can’t see the need for five lanes at this time.
Thomas Meagher, Sr. Vice President, The
Norwood Company, land owner of lot 7 and potential developer on Newlins Mill Road, was
in attendance with Elkins Wetherkill Jr., Sr. Vice President, Regional Partner,
Verus Partners, Exton, PA. Colver
said they will be on the Board’s agenda next week and he asked them if their
plan included anything more than frontage improvements. Meagher said they started the process a year
ago and it did not include anything other than frontage improvements. Meagher said they are proposing a 208,000 square
foot warehouse and they planned to improve the property in front of the
building with a donation made as a voluntary traffic contribution. Colver asked if they knew the amount of
contribution they would be willing to make.
Meagher said after reviewing their traffic study they could see a
$75,000 contribution toward a future traffic light at VanBuren and Newlins
Mill. Meagher said their frontage improvements include road widening, curb,
sidewalk and drainage improvements similar to what was done at MCS.
Panella said it’s about a one mile stretch
where we will have it widened to five lanes.
Panella said she has a problem with that. Colver said this is the first time I’m seeing
this and I see them doing improvements in front of their property like Chrin is
doing in front of his parcels. Colver
said he can’t imagine the township being involved in this thing. Dillman said you are going to be responsible
for the maintenance of the road so it should be a uniform level or you will
have problems down the line. Colver said
we have always dealt with things like this realistically. We don’t typically say this is what we want and
if you don’t like it go away. Smith said
he also feels there are some residents still living in the area trying to
survive and they would take a beating doing something like this. Smith said he feels it should be done piece
by piece. Dillman said if you do this
piece by piece you will have a wide variety of piecing. Lammi said he feels any developer coming in
needs to share their portion and cost of the improvements. Lammi said he can go along with three lanes and
he’d like to see something happen with the smaller lots.
Colver said lets listen to the developer
when they come in with their request next week and see what they offer as a
voluntary traffic contribution.
5.
TRINCHERE FENCE AGREEMENT
INFORMATION
The Trinchere’s
own a residence at 2204 Haymont
Drive and are requesting to install some fencing
into an existing drainage easement. The
director of public services reviewed the request and determined it is
acceptable provided the attached fence agreement is signed by the owner and
then approved by the Board of Supervisors.
DISCUSSION
Smith made a motion that the Board approve
the Trinchere fence agreement for the property at 2204 Haymont Drive. Ron Grimsby, 337 Springfield Way, asked what type of
fence. Bruno said it’s approving the
location of the fence, not the fence itself.
Grimsby
asked if this was done for his neighbor’s property on Palmetto Drive. Bruno said the Trupiano’s did request a fence
be put in a drainage easement and it was approved to put the fence in the
easement. Grimsby said he will continue his comments
during public comment. Panella seconded
the motion, and it was agreed by all.
6. PROPOSAL
FOR NEW STOP SIGNS
INFORMATION
The Traffic
Safety Committee will bring recommendations to the Board of Supervisors meeting
concerning the following locations where stop signs have been requested. Springfield
Way and Palmetto
Drive; Mill
Race Drive at Willow Drive (a stop sign exists at Willow Drive, but a
3-way stop sign is being requested). Amanda Jensen, Planning Director, was also consulted
because the stop signs are located in phases of subdivisions that have not been
turned over to Palmer.
DISCUSSION
Adams
reviewed intersections that residents requested signs be placed. Adams said
the Traffic Committee recommends monitoring and reevaluating the request at
Mill Race and Willow Drive
after the final wearing course is put on the roadway and all the homes are
built in the development. Adams said the committee does recommend a stop sign be
added on Springfield Way.
On motion by Lammi, seconded by Smith, and
agreed by all, the Board approved a new stop sign on Springfield Way as it approaches Palmetto Drive.
Colver asked for confirmation on the
request at Mill Race Drive
and Willow Drive. Chief Fretz said if we add this sign, there
will be two signs within a close proximity.
Fretz said they agree there is no need at this time and they will take
another look when the development is completed and we see how traffic moves in
the area. Adams
will notify the individual who made the request of the Traffic Committee’s recommendation.
7. PUBLIC COMMENT
Ron
Grimsby, 337 Springfield Way,
said his neighbor on Palmetto Drive
is still in violation of the township ordinance and uniform construction code
related to his fence. Grimsby said he did not receive a letter from
the hearing yet. Bruno said a decision
was made by the Board of Appeals and he gave a copy of the decision to the
Board of Supervisors. Bruno said the
Board of Appeals conceded the fence was well built but it did not meet code and
the Board of Appeals voted unanimously to turn down the appeal. Bruno suggested the Board of Supervisors
discuss the matter in executive session.
Lammi asked what action the defendant can take next according to the
decision. Bruno said he doesn’t believe
they can appeal it but they can request review from this Board of Supervisors. Bruno noted now the township supervisors
determine the next step. Bruno said
initially the property owner had a right to go to the Board of Appeals. Colver asked Mr. Grimsby if the pool is
open. Grimsby said absolutely and said at your last
meeting I asked you to make them close, drain, or put the cover back on the
pool. Grimsby said you have given this property
owner one year. Bruno said this Board
had to wait until the Board of Appeals decision was granted, which now has been
done and the variance was not granted.
On
motion by Lammi, seconded by Panella, and agreed by all, the Board agreed to break
into executive session at 8:05 p.m. to discuss the litigation matter.
On
motion by Lammi, seconded by Mitchell, and agreed by all, the Board reconvened
the public meeting at 8:15 p.m.
On
motion by Lammi, seconded by Smith, and agreed by all, the Board authorized the
solicitor to file legal action in the Northampton County Court of Common Pleas
regarding this matter.
Grimsby said on Monday the same individual
planted trees in a swale. Grimsby said when the pool
was built he filled the swale up and it wasn’t addressed at that time. Now he planted big trees in the swale so I
can’t see anyone drowning in it. Grimsby said he called
the township on Monday and no one has replied.
Grimsby
said his wife talked to the individual and he was not sure if it was Jim. Colver said this is a new development so it
will be easy to see what is supposed to be on the property according to the plan. Grimsby
said he is forcing drainage onto other peoples’ properties. Colver said the township will look into the
planting of trees in the swale.
8. REPORTS
Solicitor
·
Bruno had a resolution related to the Greenwood
Avenue Extension project accepting right-of-way for the Youssef
and Oakley properties. On motion by
Smith, seconded by Mitchell, and agreed by all, the Board authorized the
Chairman to sign the resolution accepting the properties as township
right-of-way.
·
Bruno had one litigation item for executive
session.
Township Manager
·
Anckaitis said we are having the courts at the
community center redone to fix the floor problems. Anckaitis said the township will be paying $4,000
and the two contractors will each be paying $10,300 each. Anckaitis said since the floors are being
redone we thought it would be a good time to put some paint on the gym floors. Anckaitis showed the Board a drawing of a
proposed court design. Anckaitis said
the cost to paint each gym floor is $5,720.
Anckaitis said the Athletic Association indicated they may be interested
in covering the cost for one gym floor. Colver
said lets see what the Athletic Association says they can contribute. Lammi said the BIP may also be able to do
something. Lammi said at the BIP meeting
they discussed making another donation to the community center and their golf
outing fund raiser is coming up in September.
Ruthann Cardell asked if the
striping is done on the gym floors, is it a once and done thing or must they be
done annually. Anckaitis said the
painting is once and done.
·
Anckaitis said he will be on vacation next week.
·
Anckaitis said the American Legion Memorial Day
service is scheduled for Saturday at the Northampton Memorial Shrine.
·
Anckaitis said the community center has a cat
show scheduled for the center in the fall and the organization will pay $5,000
to use the center for two days.
·
Anckaitis said the next car show is scheduled
for September at the center and in conjunction with the car show there will be
a one year celebration of the center being open.
Public Services
Director
·
Adams said the
pool will open for the season on Saturday.
Supervisors
·
Smith asked if there were any comments or issues
with the new garbage hauler. Anckaitis
said there are some small issues we are working through. Anckaitis said there are a lot less than he
expected. Anckaitis said someone in Penn’s
Grant reported a leaking truck. We had recyclables
missed on some streets. Anckaitis said
some residents reported their garbage is being picked up later in the day –
which is not a complaint.
·
Colver said we previously agreed to continue
with the school district to purchase property at the Palmer School
complex. Colver said we made them an
offer and they agreed to sell it to us at our offer. Colver said we gave Pidcock the green light
to go ahead with the subdivision plan so the solicitor can put together the
agreements. Bruno said the Board
previously authorized this process so no action is needed tonight. Anckaitis
said the agreement is to pay $80,000 for the property over the next five years.
On
motion by Mitchell, seconded by Panella, and agreed by all, the meeting was
adjourned at 8:35 p.m. with one litigation item for executive session.
Respectfully
submitted,
Robert G. Anckaitis
Township Manager