Luhrs Hardware Expansion Wins Approval
By Wayne Witkowski
DINGMANS FERRY -- Commercial growth continues along the Route 739 corridor as Delaware Township Board of Supervisors, after a public hearing during the regular meeting, unanimously approved the Luhrs Land Development plan that calls for expansion of the True Value hardware store.
Tom Magnotta, an attorney whose office is in Hawley, represented the owners, and project designer Lou Cozza of Riley Associates, presented a blueprint of the plan at 1543 Route 739 that calls for a 50 percent expansion of the store and additional parking spaces on the property. The owners were unable to attend as they were away, although it was stated that they would have attended the originally scheduled meeting that was postponed from the previous week because of a snowstorm.
Magnotta said the plan has a developer's agreement and was cleared by the township Planning Commission. A letter of adequacy from the Pike County Conservation District was received as well as an approval from the Pike County Planning Commission, with no comment.
The store, situated on a 10.37-acre parcel, will have a 3,000-square-foot addition to the current 6,000-square-foot property. Parking will be more than doubled from 20 spots to 44, with two handicap parking spots.
Cozza said there is no increase in septic or stormwater runoff.
There will be access through a covered porch from the side of the building. Tractor trailer deliveries can be unloaded in the back. The entry roadway will be properly prepared.
Also during the meeting, supervisors approved resolutions to request Loan Share Account (Monroe gaming casino funds) grant requests for $176,755 toward replacing an Akenac Park road culvert and $73,975 for a Public Works vehicle that will include an auger and a snow plow.
The board also approved adopting the Short-Term Rental Application form and the amended fee schedule for short-term rental permits for the recently passed ordinance.
Also approved was the Non-Conforming Use Certificate Application Required for Dwellings rented for 30 consecutive days or less. Supervisors also answered questions clarifying the "grandfathering" of short-term rentals and their extent of responsibilities under the new ordinance.
The board approved payment of $4,625 to Zelenkofske Axelrod LLC for its consultation work on properly disbursing American Rescue Plan funding over the next three years.
Richard Englehardt, vice president of the Delaware Township Volunteer Fire Company who heads recruiting for the company, spoke in his presentation during the supervisors' workshop before their regular meeting about a proposed tax break under consideration for members of the fire company. "We're collecting ordinances from around the state on how they (townships) use it, as a model," said Englehardt. "Toward the end of the second quarter, we'll bring a formal proposal."
Members of the company residing in the township would have a reduction in their property tax. Englehardt said it "definitely can help" with recruitment and retention of members, which he called a "tremendous challenge."
At the end of his presentation, Englehardt said to the supervisors, "It sounds like your receptive to this," as Board of supervisors Chairman John Henderson responded, "Oh, yeah."
Supervisors approved Kuharchik Construction Inc.'s proposal to purchase and install a steel junction box (instead of the concrete ones that has been used) at the intersection of state routes 209 and 739 for $1,594 and for annual traffic signal response maintenance and preventive maintenance.
The board also approved a municipal hall request by the Old Marcel Lake Property Owners Association from 8 a.m. to noon on July 9 for an annual property owners meeting. Also approved was the Delaware Township Democratic Club's use of Akenac Park on July 16 (with a July 17 rain date) from noon to 6 p.m. for its annual picnic and for use of the municipal hall on Aug. 13 from noon to 9 p.m. for a mystery dinner fundraiser.
Henderson during public comment apologized for what he regarded as his improperly pursuing complaints he received about loud noise from a local establishment. Henderson said he contacted the state police through the main number rather than a special 800 number that dispatches the proper state police authority to handle that situation. Henderson said the state police did arrive at the scene to address the problem but that complaint is handled by a specific department.
Under Announcements, Henderson informed the gathering that First Energy's Pennsylvania Utilities are urging residential customers experiencing financial hardship to contact their utility as soon as possible to establish an affordable payment arrangement or obtain assistance before the winter utility disconnection moratorium is lifted and shutoffs for nonpayment resume, beginning April 1.
Supervisors again will have their workshop and regular board meeting on Wednesday this week as usual. Meetings are on the second and fourth Wednesdays but are being held on back-to-back weeks because the March 9 meeting was rescheduled to last Wednesday because of the weather. The workshop begins at 6 p.m.