ORWIGSBURG — The borough council approved an extension for the Blue Mountain Retirement Community at its monthly meeting Wednesday.
The council granted an extension up to Dec. 30, 2016, to act on the plan. The council had to make a decision by May 8 as required by the state Municipalities Planning Code.
Neither Attorney Gretchen Coles Sterns, the attorney for J. Jerome Skrincosky, president of Hawk Valley Associates PC, Mohnton, or Skrincosky attended the meeting.
Greg Stewart, borough engineer, said the borough received a letter Tuesday granting the borough an extension and an appeal to the borough zoning hearing board to make a recommendation on written comments provided by Stewart and Tom Yashinsky, the borough code officer. The application fee to the zoning hearing board was also sent to the borough.
A date has yet to be scheduled for the hearing before the zoning hearing board, Stewart said.
Borough solicitor Paul Datte said “the courts would look disfavorably on us if we didn’t at least grant the extension for now.”
The borough Planning and Zoning Commission voted March 16 to recommend denial of a retirement community plan. The Blue Mountain Retirement Community plan proposed by The Rhodes Organization, Boyertown, seeks to develop a 27.725-acre site that it owns along East Market Street between Breezy Acres and Kimmels roads. It planned for 400 rental units open to different age groups. A decision was needed March 16 because the council needs to take action on the plan no later than May 8, according to the state Municipalities Planning Code. Extensions of 90 days were previously provided to the borough for it to act on the plan.
Before this project was submitted, The Rhodes Organization had The Pine Creek Adult Community plan approved in 2009 by the borough council. That plan was similar but included underground parking and other changes.
Sterns had submitted the Blue Mountain Retirement Community Plan in August 2015 after the borough council denied requests for zoning ordinance amendments by The Rhodes Organization for the Pine Creek Retirement Community.
Stewart said previously the Blue Mountain plan “does not meet enough of the criteria” to comply with regulations.
“They (The Rhodes Organization) still have a lot of stuff on the plan that needs to be adjusted and fixed,” Stewart said.
Councilwoman Susan Murphy talked about how long The Rhodes Organization has been trying to develop the property in question.
“This is going on forever, and ever and ever,” she said.
“In the eyes of our review process, it’s a new plan,” Stewart said.
In other news, the borough approved to spend up to $11,945 for items police Chief Stan Brozana said he needs for the department. The council unanimously approved money up to a certain amount for the following items: $4,000 for bullet proof vests for part-time officers, $3,000 for the visual alert program, which involves its yearly maintenance contract for the police program they use to input data, $1,000 for Internet service, $3,000 for a compute service firewall, and $945 for Taser instruction and criminal investigator school.
“I’m glad they are working with us and I appreciate it,” Bronzana said after the meeting.
Orwigsburg borough manager Robert Williams said the money for the items will come from funds set aside for a new police officer for the borough, which did not happen yet.
The council also voted to designate and give Kathi Mengle, the borough bookkeeper, the authorization to do what is needed in terms of paperwork and other requirements and attend meets to receive funds for reimbursement the borough sustained during the snowstorm in January.
In the event the mayor declares a snow emergency, those parked on designated streets in the borough will not be permitted to park there. The council adopted the resolution Wednesday. Parking is prohibited on the following streets during a snow emergency: the entire length of Market Street within the borough limits including both sides of Centre Square; South Liberty Street from Market Street to the borough limit; North Warren Street from Market Street to the borough limit; and North Washington Street from Market Street to the borough limit.