Retention Ponds Allowed in Business Buffer Areas
By Wayne Witkowski
The Pike County Dispatch 3/2/23
DINGMANS FERRY -- Business owners in Delaware Township are able to set up a stormwater retention pond on their property, according to amendments to a township zoning ordinance approved after a public hearing during Wednesday night's meeting.
Business property owners also will no longer have material storage on the property permitted under the ordinance.
The motion for the amendment to the Delaware Township Zoning Ordinance 110.8(B) said it includes stormwater maintenance facilities as an exception to the term “structure” and also eliminates material storage areas. It passed unanimously after the public hearing during which a resident pressed supervisors about the need to amend the ordinance.
Township Alternate Solicitor Christian Weed presented and talked about the ordinance amendments during the hearing. After the meeting, Board of Supervisors Chairman John Henderson said, "Zoning (ordinance) 110.8(B) pertains to buffers and screening. Allowing material storage considered unsightly is inconsistent with the purpose of 110.8 (B).
"Water maintenance facilities, on the other hand, would be virtually invisible."
The amendments had been approved by the township Planning Commission before going back to the supervisors for final approval.
"What was the reason for the storage areas, what properties did you have in mind," resident Steve Tarquini asked the supervisors.
"Any properties," responded Board of Supervisors Chairman John Henderson.
"We had nothing specifically in mind," said Supervisor Rick Koehler.
Henderson later said business property owners that have had storage areas would be "grandfathered" and can continue to have them, "We're just trying to help them out," he said.
Although supervisors said they had no specific property owner in mind, the stormwater management issue had come up at an early January meeting involving a proposed 24-hour fitness gym to be built on Route 739. The applicant received conditional approval, with many stipulations, to relocate from a site on Dingmans to a larger facility in the township in response to their growing business.
Much discussion of the conditions focused on stormwater management facilities in the buffer area in which the applicant was told a variance would be obtained while the township ordinance would be amended in 60 days to suit the project, which occurred at last week's meeting.
"Someone bought (property) and their stormwater situation could be better handled if a drainage stormwater retention pond is approved," said Henderson.
Storage area was not part of that discussion.
Also, during the meeting, supervisors approved a letter of support to the Pennsylvania Route 6 Alliance for their Keystone Communities Grant application to fund a façade improvement program in Wayne and Pike counties.
"The (www.paroute6.com) alliance seeks to 'spruce up' historic Route 6 across Pennsylvania by providing grants to eligible entities," explained Henderson afterward.
Supervisors agreed to purchase Doolan Road signage from Main Stream Industries, Inc. (via Costars) for $1,553.50.
They also approved the purchase of 50 white delineators (white vertical road posts) for $1,350 from Main Stream Industries Inc. (via Costars).
An estimate from JALVO Inc. for $6,300 to install a repeater was tabled. In prior meetings, Roadmaster Richard Bailo has discussed poor reception of radio transmission to township vehicles in certain areas and the need for a second repeater.
Jeff Opitz's resignation from the Delaware Township Planning Commission, effective immediately, was accepted and supervisors approved advertising to fill the vacancy.
Township Administrator Krista Predmore was approved as the Delaware Township representative to the Pike County Council of Government.
The 2022 financial audit of Delaware Township was accepted and a motion was passed to advertise the 2022 concise financial statement for Delaware Township.
An Akenac Park use request by the Pocono Environmental Education Center for Summer Camp on July 3 through Aug. 18 for approximately 22-24 campers was approved by the supervisors. It includes a morning session from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and an afternoon session from 1-3 p.m. They'll take place on Wednesdays for seventh to ninth graders (morning) and 3- to 5-year-olds (afternoon), on Thursdays from fifth to sixth graders (morning) and first and second graders (afternoon) and on Fridays for third and fourth graders (morning) and an alternative rain date (afternoon).
Supervisors agreed to adopt the Pennsylvania Association of Township Supervisors (PSATS) Trustees Insurance Fund Disclosure Statement for 2022 as required by Chapter 7-A of Act 44 of 2009, the Municipal Pension Plan Funding Standard and Recovery Act.
They agreed to advertise for a full-time job opening for a Public Works employee.
Resolution No. 2023-02 for the destruction of documents was passed.