Minutes May 14, 2018 Monday, 4:30 p.m. REGULAR MEETING Commissioner s Board Room UNION COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION 155 North 15 th Street I. Call to Order: Chairman Donald Bowman called the meeting to order at 4:30 p.m. Planning Commission Members Present: Donald Bowman Jeff Koppel Jim Murphy Sally Farmer Tony Mike Ben Ranck Allan Grundstrom Jeff Thompson Planning Commission Members Absent: Susan Benfer Others Present: Shawn McLaughlin, Planning Director Pam Mabus, Planner Jeremiah Runkle, Solicitor Janice Wagner, Staff Mike Swank, P.E., Steinbeck Eng. Alan Wagner, PLS Jacqueline Paul, UC Library Robert Gage, Dollar General II. Approval of Minutes: Being no additions or corrections to the minutes there was a motion by Jeff Koppel to approve the March 12, 2018 meeting minutes as mailed. Second by Jeff Thompson Grundstrom. Motion carried. III. Committee Reports: A. Subdivision Report April 2018 Commission Actions Karen Jows West Buffalo Township The Planning Commission disapproved the proposed land development for Karen Jows in West Buffalo Township. The plan was disapproved for failure to comply with the conditions of approval set forth during the Commission s scheduled meeting in November. Those conditions will be addressed in a letter to Ms. Jow s. She may resubmit a revised plan application for reconsideration by the Commission in the future should she so desire. No motion needed.
Meeting Minutes May 14, 2018 Page 2 Dollar General Hartleton Borough, commercial (1 lot), final, land development. This depicts a subdivision and land development to construct a Dollar General store in Hartleton. The Planning Commission looked over a rendering of the proposed Dollar General. Discussion was held as to the façade of the building. Two tinted windows will be constructed on each side of the entry door being lower than shown on the rendering and will be taller than they are wide; LED lights will be hung over the windows and will look into goose-necked fixtures for here; the awning will remain the same as shown in the rendering; the front of the building will consist of hardy board with wane s coating, the west side of the building will have the same finish as the front of the building (hardy board with wane s coating); the east side will be standard metal siding painted to match the front along with a privacy fence. Dollar General is requesting modification/waiver requests. The first is in accordance with Table 512-3 Parking Area Construction Standards in the Union County Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance. This is to utilize the pavement sections specified by the project geotechnical engineer based on detailed site analysis as the proposed pavement section details do not comply with the county ordinance requirements. The second request pertains to Section 516-1 Driveway requirements and Section 516.A.6- Access Drive - to permit the access drive onto SR 45 as depicted on the site plans. There as a motion by Jeff Koppel to approve the modifications conditioned upon the construction of the façade as discussed. Second by Allan Grundstrom. Motion carried. They are also requesting conditional plan approval this evening. There was a motion by Jeff Thompson to grant conditional plan approval based on the following items being addressed: 1) executed Certificate of Ownership and Stormwater acknowledgment; 2) executed Improvements Guaranty Agreement with financial surety; 3) executed Standard Stormwater Facilities Maintenance Agreement; 4) the Commission Engineer s review for revised plan; 5) seal and signature of surveyor and of professional engineer; 6) insertion of façade sheet along with elevations. Second by Jim Murphy. Motion carried. 1. Arlene Maurer West Buffalo Twp., (1 lot), res., 0.35 acs., add-on, final. Mrs. Maurer is requesting a modification per Section 516.A.6 of the County Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance for a minimum use driveway for lots 1 and 2 from State Route 0192. The existing tract had a large driveway width along SR0192 serving two existing residences. The existing residences have been removed and existing driveway frontage blocked with large stones. New drives will replace the former existing entrances. There was a motion by Jeff Thompson to grant the driveway modification. Second by Jim Murphy. Motion carried. 2. Paul Maurer Estate West Buffalo Twp., (3 lots), res., 35.22 acs., final. This is a three lot subdivision in West Buffalo Township. Lots 1 and 2 will access via SR 0192 and lot 3 will access via Sand Mountain Road. Staff is currently in need of the following items being addressed: 1) letter of zoning compliance; 2) approved Highway Occupancy Permit for lots 1 and 2; 3) executed Certificate of Ownership; and 4) an approved DEP non- building waiver. There was a motion by Jeff Koppel to grant conditional plan approval pending the above mentioned items being satisfactorily completed. Second by Tony Mike. Motion carried.
Meeting Minutes May 21, 2018 Page 3 Municipal Reviews 3. McDonald s Kelly Twp., (1 lot), comm., 4,815 sf, prel., land development, restaurant. 4. Evan Hospital Kelly Twp., (1 lot), comm., 2.84 acs., land development, parking/addition. 5. Buffalo Valley Produce Buffalo Twp., (1 lot), comm., 25.57 acs., add-on, final, ld, loading dock. There was a motion by Ben Ranck and second by Sally Farmer to ratify the municipal reviews. Motion carried. V. Correspondence and Information: Mr. McLaughlin sent out a survey and drone footage of the CSVT. VI. Director s Report: Mr. McLaughlin reported he attended a Commissioner s work session where they met with the bridge engineer to develop a strategy for the next set of bridge replacement projects; attended East Buffalo Township Planning Commission meeting; attended a PA Economic Development conference in Harrisburg; had a coordination meeting with Senator s Yaw s staff; worked on a potential trail corridor on the northern part of the County with the Commissioner s; made a presentation with the Conservation Union on some of the zoning analysis we ve done on farmland and woodland conservation; met with the service forester and arborist at the courthouse on a tree situation there; participated in the Mifflinburg School program last week; contacted some property owner s to see if their property is available for sale to potentially support a local business that needs to expand. VI. Old Business: Mr. Bowman inquired as to the role Mr. McLaughlin was playing in the extension of the trail to Bucknell. VII. New Business: A. SEDA-COG 12-Year Plan SEDA-COG s 12-year transportation plan is out for public comment. It highlights everything that is proposed to be funded across the eight county region over the next two years beginning in 2019. B. Middle Susquehanna Bike and Pedestrian Plan Mr. McLaughlin sent a survey out with web links. John DelVecchio of our staff has been attending the meetings. The main focus is on the river corridor through the SEDA-COG region. This was to be completed by June 30 th but has been extended until the end of the year.
Meeting Minutes May 14, 2018 Page 4 C. Traffic Signals Mr. McLaughlin reported the adaptive traffic signals are in on US Rt 15 and operating. The engineers do before and after studies on these to measure time of travel or delay. US Rt 15 northbound and southbound during the am and pm peak hours have all seen significant improvement. The travel time decreased in some instances 79% during the pm peak for south bound traffic movement. The total delay time has gone down anywhere from 53 to 92%. The side roads could be experiencing additional delays; however an advanced left turn lane was installed on Rt. 192 at the intersection for eastbound traffic which has increased operational efficiency. IX. Public Comment: Jacqueline Paul of the Union County Library was in attendance to discuss the strategic plan for the library. This is a two to three year plan they put together and are in the planning process. They are going to be updating the children s section of the library, any other changes that they make will be dependent on what happens with the other libraries and is influenced by population, transportation, etc.. They are trying to figure out a way they can keep up to date with the housing changes, the population changes and so on. If any of the planning commission members have other ideas about how they may best go about this she would intake that and present it to their board for the library. X. Adjournment: Being no further business there was a motion by Jim Murphy and second by Allan Grundstrom to adjourn the meeting at 6:o5 p.m. Motion carried. Jeff Koppel, Secretary Date