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LUCIANI Mr. Luciani noted that there is an implementation plan where, shortly after the ordinance is enacted, signs would be put up with flashing lights.
LANDIS Ms. Landis commented on the amount of volume on the roads and asked about consideration of an extended parade of traffic.
LUCIANI Mr. Luciani noted that he did not think the parade of cars would extend more than three or four cars. There will be some cueing at the intersection but the traffic volumes would not cause any major delay.
MOTION UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED.
SCHENCK Chairman Schenck suggested that Mr. Luciani be given general direction for the traffic calming recommendations, whether short or long-term.
BISHOP Mr. Bishop recommended that Mr. Luciani be requested to take financial
considerations out of the equation completely and only consider effectiveness as to which will work along with ramifications of doing various things with unintended consequences.
SCHENCK Chairman Schenck indicated he would like to see more of the short-term goals in order to implement change more quickly.
LUCIANI Mr. Luciani noted that working with in-house people like Mr. Lauer enables a much quicker implementation schedule. He noted that he had received the board’s direction and will proceed with the project.
HOLLAND Stephanie Holland, 405 Cortleigh Drive thanked Mr. Luciani for his presentation and noted that it was more detailed than she expected. She added that no flashing lights are on the school zone signs on their road. She stated that she liked the idea of physical barriers but did not think a bike path would be effective.
SCHENCK Chairman Schenck clarified that the purpose would not necessarily be for bikes but rather to give drivers the illusion that the road is narrower.
HOLLAND Ms. Holland noted that raised intersections would be a great idea, as well as speed tables. She added that making the street one way would be wonderful. She noted that the residents know that the implementation takes time; however, if they see progress they will be happy.
GRIESS Bob Griess, 410 Meridian Lane, complimented the board for the study. He
commented that there had been no mention about the intersection of Edgewood and Cortleigh. He noted how difficult it is to cross the street in the Meridian Lane area due to speeding traffic.
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BOWMAN Mark Bowman, 2705 Kingston Road, noted that he served as Captain on the York City Fire Department. He commented on the speed humps as well as roundabouts, which are major issues for the fire service. He added that in front of his home on Kingston, the street is more narrow, and it is difficult to drive within a parked car and the double yellow line. He commented on adding additional stop signs, which will move traffic to other areas. He was in favor of four-way stop signs.
BAIR Mark Bair, 3005 Forrest Lane, asked whether placing speed humps mid-block would be a more effective solution.
LUCIANI Mr. Luciani noted that speed humps are an effective way to control speeds. However, they do impact emergency services. Changing Cortleigh to a one-way street would cause detours and make a dramatic alteration and significant reduction in traffic. He added that the neighborhood would be impacted as well and their support would be necessary.
BAIR Mr. Bair asked how it might affect other neighborhoods and how it would shift the problem from one area to another.
LUCIANI Mr. Luciani responded that traffic volume will increase only on local roads. The goal would be to get the traffic on streets where there is commercial development such as Eastern Boulevard.
BAIR Mr. Bair asked whether an evaluation could determine which method would be more effective and could it be done on a temporary basis.
SCHENCK Chairman Schenck indicated that legislative action would be required. A traffic study would be done and an ordinance enacted in order to make the action legally enforceable.
BAIR Mr. Bair proposed to the board that they take action to bring about a one-way evaluation.
SCHENCK Chairman Schenck responded that what the board was asking for was a menu of options. He thought it might be premature to move forward with a single option until all the possibilities are on the table.
LUCIANI Mr. Luciani added that the one-way option had not been thoroughly reviewed; however, it is a possibility.
SCHENCK Chairman Schenck noted that there is some fairly high-powered traffic modeling software that people can use to model the situation, and it still could miss. He noted that any changes that are made will affect other areas. He cited situations where traffic calming was done in Old East York, which shifted to other areas and those residents were unhappy.
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BAIR Mr. Bair noted his concern that once a portion of this was addressed that the rest of the traffic issues would be forgotten.
SCHENCK Chairman Schenck assured him that the project would not go away.
BAIR Mr. Bair commented on an observation with emergency services. He noted that ambulances do run Cortleigh to the Brunswick, and he thought that a speed table mid-block might be something to physically slow the traffic.
SCHENCK Chairman Schenck thanked the public for their attention and participation. He requested that the presentation would be placed on the website.
BISHOP Mr. Bishop asked for a timeframe for a response from the Township Engineer and the Township Manager.
LUCIANI Mr. Luciani responded that he could have a draft for the meeting next month. The project could take another 30 to 60 days.
Canine Project
GAROFALO Mario Garofalo, 3385 Oakleigh Drive, asked about the status of the Canine project. He noted the board had met in Executive Session and asked whether anything had been decided.
SCHENCK Chairman Schenck responded that the matter continued to be reviewed between the parties and the board had not received anything to act upon. He added that the board always had taken the position that it is desirous of finding the best way possible to put any dog to work if that decision is made, and if it is to be done, it will be done right.
GAROFALO Mr. Garofalo asked what was wrong with the old way the dog was working. BISHOP Mr. Bishop responded that the township’s personnel attorney advised that the
contract was very risky and that the board’s job is to make sure to minimize risks to the township.
GAROFALO Mr. Garofalo asked about the board’s action to beautify Eastern Boulevard and the Walmart. He couldn’t understand why there was a need to put up planters and lights for Walmart.
SCHENCK Chairman Schenck responded that any effort to beautify the community was the result of the Town Center concept for the entire area as a long-range plan to improve the overall area.
LANDIS Ms. Landis commented that, since the board was going into the summer session, she hoped they could have a canine contract for board action by June.
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SCHENCK Chairman Schenck responded that the board was only 50% of that action. He wanted to make sure that the board was doing its half of everything necessary. 13. NEW BUSINESS
A. Conservation Fund Presentation: Walters Property
SCHENCK Chairman Schenck noted that he had spoken with Todd McNew, Pennsylvania State Director of The Conservation Fund. Chairman Schenck suggested that Mr. McNew’s presentation be moved to an earlier spot on the agenda.
MCNEW Mr. McNew stated that he had come before the board to invite Springettsbury Township to join The Conservation Fund in a partnership to purchase and protect a portion of the township adjacent to one of the township parks. Mr. McNew’s presentation is summarized:
The Conservation Fund is a national, non-profit organization with 130 people across the country.
The mission is focused on working with partners, usually municipal entities such as National Park Service or Pennsylvania Game Commission or the township, to assist in the acquisition of property.
The property would be owned and managed by the purchaser for natural resource protection and public enjoyment.
The Conservation Fund provides: mechanics of the deal through working with land owners and negotiating sales agreements; performing due diligence such as surveys and title research; assisting at closing with the land owner;
transferring property to the partner.
The Conservation Fund assists in raising funds for the project.
Property being considered known as the Walters property, also known as the Rowe farm, 115 acres on Locust Grove Road; over 8,000 township residents could walk to the property in 15 minutes.
Current zoning would allow construction of two units per acre on the site producing 230 new homes and add additional traffic to the township roads. Appraisal of the property was done and The Conservation Fund entered into a
sales agreement to purchase the property for $2,300,000. Total project cost estimation including purchase price plus due diligence will add up to
$2,500,000. Agreement valid until mid-September. Mr. McNew confident he could raise $1.25 million in project costs.
RAUSCH Solicitor Rausch asked about the balance of the property that remains undeveloped. MCNEW Mr. McNew referred to his handout and everything in red on the map.
RAUSCH Solicitor Rausch asked about any restrictions the Conservation Fund might have on the property.
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MCNEW Mr. McNew responded that they would put no restrictions on properties. They work with entities that will have an ability to own and manage the properties. He added that other funding sources might have stipulations associated, and they would work through all of those issues.
SCHENCK Chairman Schenck commented that the obvious objective is to preserve the land forever. They would not expect the township to invest with the thought of selling the land in the future.
MCNEW Mr. McNew responded that they would hope to preserve the land. HOLMAN Mr. Holman asked whether the property could stay agricultural.
MCNEW Mr. McNew noted that he could visualize that the second largest funding source might be the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and their grant program sometimes frowns on agricultural use. That would be an issue to work through. He commented that DCNR might be willing to commit some grant funds. SCHENCK Chairman Schenck asked what timeline they would expect for the township to give
a response based on the mid-September date on the sales agreement.
MCNEW Mr. McNew responded that the sooner a decision could be made the better. LANDIS Ms. Landis understood the timeline but asked about putting the project out to the
voters in the form of a referendum.
MCNEW Mr. McNew responded that he would prefer to get funding commitments. SCHENCK Chairman Schenck noted that conservation is the objective and it gets down to
money. He noted it would be interesting to get the pulse of the township. He added that the conservation of land had been in the Comprehensive Plan forever to preserve open spaces, all of which has a price.
LANDIS Ms. Landis asked what would happen if the timeline collapsed.
MCNEW Mr. McNew responded that the contract would null and they would have to start over. He stated that the property had been a target for development but that it was not at the moment due to the economy.
BISHOP Mr. Bishop noted that if this contract did not work, the Conservation Fund would not necessarily lose interest in the project.
MCNEW Mr. McNew responded that he was correct.
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MCNEW Mr. McNew responded that they do have a contract to purchase the property. The seller and the buyer, are legally bound at this time, and if those binds come undone because the contract lapses because the funding package does not move forward, then anything else can happen. That doesn’t mean to say that they would lose interest.
DVORYAK Mr. Dvoryak asked whether they only operate on a 50/50 partnership basis or whether they might do a 70/30 partnership.
MCNEW Mr. McNew responded that every deal is different.
LANDIS Ms. Landis mentioned the Comprehensive Plan which looks to conserving open space. She asked what Mr. McNew wanted from the board at this time other than a commitment.
MCNEW Mr. McNew responded that he would like to have an approved motion to fund the project at $1.25 million and take title of the property.
LANDIS Ms. Landis asked how he would like to keep the dialogue going because there would not be an approved motion this date.
MCNEW Mr. McNew suggested that over the next month he could be in contact with the board members and think about ways it could work.
SCHENCK Chairman Schenck indicated that he had two big questions. The question of use was important to him because if the land cannot be used in its current status, that means an on-going expense to the township. It will have to be mowed, and there are other costs that will need to be investigated. He commented on the fact that the original Rowe farmhouse had been placed into a trust. It would seem not too far of a stretch to say that corn should be grown beside a farmhouse.
MCNEW Mr. McNew suggested that a meeting be arranged with DCNR in anticipation that they might be the second biggest funder for the project. They might be able to determine how much they would be willing to contribute.
SCHENCK Chairman Schenck thanked him for his presentation and suggested that further investigation would be important and they will be open to further discussion. DVORYAK Mr. Dvoryak agreed and indicated that he found the project intriguing. RAUSCH Solicitor Rausch stated that it would be helpful for Mr. McNew to provide
information or a flow of paperwork to see how other projects of this nature were handled. He was particularly interested in a project in partnership with a township in Pennsylvania.
MCNEW Mr. McNew responded that each deal is different but he could come up with some similar projects. He noted a project recently completed in Adams County where
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the county was a major funding partner. It would get into some very fine details and probably would be something more suited to a small meeting.
SCHENCK Chairman Schenck thanked Mr. McNew for his presentation and thought a general indication was to keep the discussion going.
Citizen Comment
HELLER Jane Heller stated that she is involved with and was an instigator of the York County Conservation Alliance. She had recently become interested in a property on Washington Court owned by Mr. Pasch. He had purchased the property as an entrance into the land in question, which he anticipated developing into something called the Plantation. Ms. Heller had talked with several residents of the cul-de-sac who are living in terror that the property will become a traffic thoroughfare to a development. She thought The Conservation Fund’s proposal was astounding to preserve the area. She added that there might be individuals who would be willing to pledge funds toward this. She personally pledged $500 of her money to help with the project. She indicated that it was a critical opportunity for the township and she hoped the board would consider it very seriously.
LANDIS Ms. Landis commented that while the dialogue continued she would hope that the message could be released to many residents who would want to contribute to the project.
SCHENCK Chairman Schenck indicated that there is a mechanism in place in the township to allow people to donate money. He thanked Mr. McNew for his presentation. 5. CONSENT AGENDA
A. Acknowledge Receipt of April 20, 2010 York Area United Fire and Rescue Commission Meeting Minutes.
B. Acknowledge Receipt of April 29, 2010 York Area United Fire and Rescue Commission Special Meeting Minutes.
C. Acknowledge Receipt of April 30, 2010 Treasurer’s Report. D. Board of Supervisors Regular Meeting Minutes – April 22, 2010.
E. Gettle Incorporated – BNR Improvements Project (Electrical) – Request for Payment No. 11 in an amount not to exceed $67,621.88.
F. Regular Payables as Detailed in the Payable Listing of May 27, 2010.
G. SD-09-03 – Time Extension – Carter Subdivision – Plan Expires 6/18/10 (New Plan Date 9/18/10).
H. SD-10-01 – Time Extension – Willow Street – Plan Expires 6/15/10 (New Plan Date 9/15/10).
I. LD-09-04 – Time Extension – Harley Addition Building 3 – Plan Expires 6/21/10 (New Plan Date 9/21/10).
J. LD-10-01 – Time Extension – Holiday Inn Express – Plan Expires 6/15/10 (New Plan Date 9/15/10).
K. LD-09-02 – Reapproval – Capital Self Storage Expansion (Final Plan). L. LD-08-02 – Reapproval – Rite Aid/Jiffy Lube (Final Plan).
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SCHENCK Chairman Schenck asked that item D be removed for further discussion. MR. DVORYAK MOVED TO APPROVE CONSENT AGENDA AS OUTLINED WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ITEM D. MS. LANDIS WAS SECOND. MOTION UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED.
D. Board of Supervisors Regular Meeting Minutes – April 22, 2010.
Corrections were made to page 5 (changed word to sewer) and page 7 (rephrasing of one sentence regarding irresponsible pet owners).
MR. DVORYAK MOVED TO APPROVE MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS