SPRING TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION 1309 BLANCHARD STREET BELLEFONTE, PA 16823 REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING APRIL 15, 2013 7:00 P.M. CALL TO ORDER: Jeffrey Kranch, who led the salute to the flag, called the meeting to order at 7:00 P.M. PLANNING COMMISSION: Members Present: Joseph Conklin, Timothy Gardner, Jeffrey Kranch, Ralph Stone Members Absent: Frank Miceli, Seth Miller, Lindsay Schoch ZONING OFFICER: Vaughn Zimmerman GUESTS: An attendance sheet is attached to original copy. ACTION ON MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 25, 2013: With no additions or corrections, it was on a motion of Timothy Gardner seconded by Ralph Stone to approve the minutes of February 25, 2013. Being unanimously approved the motion carried. REPORTS FROM SUBCOMMITTEES: Supervisor s liaison Ralph Stone reported that he attended the March 4, 2013 Supervisors Meeting and at that meeting the Recreation Committee was approved and the Septic Management Ordinance was discussed. He also attended the April 1, 2013 meeting and they discussed the MPO and sewer service to lower Greens Valley Rd. Recreation Committee - Joseph Conklin stated he had no report other than the pool authority was approved. Nittany Valley Committee Vaughn Zimmerman stated they started to discuss what would get changed in the comp plan dry hydrants and priorities for Spring Township.
Jeffrey Kranch asked what effect the dry hydrants would have on the Township. Vaughn Zimmerman stated it is more for rural areas where there are no water lines. Ralph Stone stated a dry hydrant is basically a pond with a pipe that a fire truck could hook up to if needed. Ordinance Committee Jeffrey Kranch stated there is no report at this time. They will be meeting in a week or so. HEARING OF VISITORS: John Mulfinger 200 Bluebird Lane, Bellefonte, PA 16823 He was here to discuss Act 537 Sewage Management Ordinance. He stated if an ordinance is going to happen he would like to see what the process is going to be regarding a fee schedule, having to provide access to your home and dosing tank, keeping records of pumping, etc. He feels there are a lot of issues and that the 400 or so residents that this would involve should be notified. DEP states tanks should be pumped every 3 years and inspected every 6 years. John Mulfinger stated there are exceptions. He feels the supervisors are over the SEO s and that there are exceptions that can be made. OLD BUSINESS: NEW BUSINESS: NB1 TIME EXTENSION FOR BMW PARTNERSHIP Due to continued inability to resolve floodplain and other issues within the normal 90-day review period time frame, the developer has granted Spring Township a 90-day time extension for this plan. BMW Partnership has delivered this time extension a month in advance of when it would otherwise be due. Jeffrey Kranch asked Stan Wallace, Engineer for BMW Partnership, if there is any idea when this might be moving forward. Stan Wallace stated he wasn t sure due to the inability to resolve the floodplain issues. Timothy Gardner asked how many extensions they may have. Vaughn Zimmerman stated there is no limited to the number of time extensions they may have. It was on a motion of Ralph Stone seconded by Joseph Conklin to accept the 90-day time extension for the Preliminary Land Development Plan for Lot 2R Duplex Development, time extension to begin April 16, 2013 and ending on July 15, 2013. Being unanimously approved the motion carried.
NB2 TIME EXTENSION FOR ROSEWOOD COVE PHASES 2 AND 3 Rosewood Cove Final Land Development Plan requires a time extension at this time. The developer has granted the Township a time extension for this project. This should be the last time extension for this plan. It was on a motion of Ralph Stone seconded by Timothy Gardner to approve the time extension for the Final Land Development Plan for Rosewood Cove Phases 2 and 3, time extension to begin on March 18, 2013 and ending June 18, 2013. Being unanimously approved the motion carried. NB3 FINAL LAND DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR ROSEWOOD COVE PHASES 2 AND 3 Mike Evanko was here to present the plans. John Koltay of Koltay Homes is the current owner of the Rosewood Cove development. In this plan he is proposing to join phases 2 and 3 together and construct 24 quadplex units and 22 duplex units. This unit count and arrangement matches the number of units and arrangement which has been previously approved in the Rosewood Cove Preliminary Land Development Plan. Jeffrey Kranch asked about a preliminary/final. Vaughn Zimmerman stated it is just 2 final plans. Vaughn Zimmerman stated the preliminary plan was approved in 2003 and that there is no deviation in this plan from the original plan. Jeffrey Kranch asked when they would be moving forward. Mike Evanko stated as soon as they get approval. Timothy Gardner asked what the 3 issues were from the engineer. Vaughn Zimmerman stated the 3 issues from the engineer are stormwater, E & S approval and revise the engineer signature block. Jeffrey Kranch asked Jon Koltay what the homeowners have to do with the development. Jeffrey Kranch stated that the homeowners are upset. Jon Koltay stated he sent them a site plan and there aren t any changes so he doesn t know why the homeowners are upset. Vaughn Zimmerman stated from a nonlegal standpoint, if there are no changes then there is no conflict to be resolved with the homeowners. Bob Malecki and Scott Kucharcik were here representing the Homeowners Association. They are concerned that they are not being represented. They are not opposed to what Jon Koltay is doing with the development and wish him the best, but they want to be represented and want it to be noted on the plans that the Homeowners Association of Phase 1 has ownership of the stormwater basin and entrance to the development. Timothy Gardner stated that with their being a discrepancy between the owner and Homeowners Association he hopes we aren t making a mistake by going further with this plan. He was advised that the Homeowners Association only has part ownership of Phase 1 and Koltay owns Phase 2 & 3, which is the plan before us this evening. Most of the site infrastructures, such as water lines, sewer lines and curbing for the road have already been installed for phases 2 and 3.
At this time, the developer has addressed most of the Spring Township and all of Centre County Planning Office comments. Don Franson is currently reviewing the changes to this plan and has recommended approval once his remaining comments have been addressed. E&S approval letter from Centre County Conservation District for Phases 2 and 3 has not been received at this time. The Rosewood Cove Homeowners Association has delivered a letter of comments and concerns to the Township regarding this proposal. The Township is not required to address this letter as the issues brought up by the Homeowners Association are not issues that relate to the approval or denial of this plan. It was on a motion of Joseph Conklin seconded by Ralph Stone to recommend conditional approval of the Final Land Development Plan for Rosewood Cove Phases 2 and 3, plan dated 3/20/12, last revised 4/2/13. Conditions of approval being completion of remaining Spring Township comments in a letter dated 4/8/13, completion of all remaining comments to be issued by Don Franson in a letter dated 4/6/13, and receipt of E&S approval letter from Centre County Conservation District and that the developer include a signature block for the Homeowners Association to indicate ownership of Phase I improvements, including stormwater. Being unanimously approved the motion carried. MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS: MB2 SETH DRIVE APARTMENTS EXPANSION Roy and Angie Walk, owners of Seth Drive Apartments (located off of Gregory Lane behind Haines Vaults and Lingwood Township) are interested in purchasing ground from Titan Energy Park (formerly Cerro Metals) and building a new section of townshouses. Roy Walk has been made aware that the ground he proposes to purchase and develop is currently zoned Conservation and would have to be rezoned to R-4 Residential in order to allow for construction of townhouses. They are proposing to build between 10-20 townhomes, but the number of units that may be built is not set at this time, and would depend on density requirements and impervious coverage limits for the site. Timothy Gardner asked if there is still a radio tower back there. Angie Walk stated yes. Vaughn Zimmerman stated his concern is a secondary access. Roy Walk stated that his engineer indicated the best access is through the current access off of Seth Drive. Timothy Gardner asked if there are going to be any water problems and when would a stormwater basin be installed. Vaughn Zimmerman stated that would all be handled by the engineer. Timothy Gardner asked if the current access is used is there any legal or safety issues there. Vaughn Zimmerman state he doesn t feel there is anything legal and as far as safety issues this would have to be referred to our engineer. The first step in the process for this plan would be a lot addition and then a rezoning request. Not motion necessary discussion only.
MB3 BMW PARTNERSHIP SKETCH Stan Wallace from Nittany Engineering was here to present the plans. Stan Wallace is the project manager and stated this project has been in the works since 2008. BMW Partnership is investigating an alternate layout for their proposed duplex development outside of Pleasant Gap. This layout would eliminate the need to cross the floodplain for the development entrance and would instead connect the development through Herman Avenue and Mack Avenue instead. A sketch has been provided to show the concept being looked at by the developers. Jeffrey Kranch asked if they have gotten any input from the homeowners in this area. Stan Wallace stated not yet. Timothy Gardner asked if there is a secondary access. Stan Wallace stated no there is not. They cannot access the property off Robinson Lane. Ralph Stone said he has no objections as long as updates are made. Vaughn Zimmerman stated he would like to look at floodplain and floodway issues. Stan Wallace stated they already had a traffic study done and the development wouldn t cause any major concerns. No motion necessary discussion only. MB4 NITTANY VALLEY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DISCUSSION Discussed under subcommittees MB1 SEPTIC MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE AND MAP UPDATE Vaughn Zimmerman discussed the Septic Management Ordinance and Map. The Spring Township Supervisors will likely schedule a public hearing for adoption of this ordinance in the near future. The Township will be inspected over the course of 6 years, and residents will be required to have their septic systems pumped every 3 years. Chuck Herr has detailed on a map which sections of the Township will have to be inspected for each year. This program is mandated by PA DEP, and the 3 and 6 year intervals are part of this mandate. The SEO has the right to grant waivers if a property has already been pumped. We only have approximately 400 properties in the Township that this ordinance would affect. Ralph Stone asked about a fee schedule. Vaughn Zimmerman stated inspections will probably be around $100.00 and pumping fees can run between $200-$300. Part of this is coming about is because of Greens Valley. There are a number of failing systems up there.
CORRESPONDENCE: ADJOURNMENT: With no further business to discuss, it was on a motion of Ralph Stone seconded by Joseph Conklin to adjourn the meeting. The meeting adjourned at 8:34 P.M. Korena DeFurio Recording Clerk