Cornwall Borough Council plans public hearing to address Byler Holdings zoning amendment
Cornwall Borough Council members set a tentative date of Jan. 2, 2024, to have a public hearing on a proposed amendment to the zoning ordinance that would add "manufacturing" as a permitted use in a general industrial zone.
If council members approve the change, developer Cornwall Holdings will be allowed to offer a 20-year lease to PRL Industries, a long-time Cornwall business, to build an 80,000-square-foot building, with 6,000 additional square feet for office space, on its parcel of land zoned General Industrial near the intersection of Boyd Street and State Route 322.
The planned building would be 40 feet tall to allow a crane to move about the building.
Mike Swank, representative of Cornwall Holdings, said the company plans to create an earth and plant buffer around the Boyd Street property, except where it borders state game lands.
The ordinance does not permit a warehouse, such as that proposed by Byler Holdings more than a year ago. It was Byler Holdings representatives who submitted the text of this zoning ordinance amendment to the borough for approval.
Byler Holdings received a lot of resistance from Cornwall residents, many of whom lived in proximity to the only piece of land zoned as a General Industrial District, at the intersection of Route 322 and Boyd Street. The intersection is where the company's proposed warehouse was to be located.
Council is hoping to have the hearing coincide with its annual reorganization meeting on the evening of Jan. 2, tentatively at 6:30 p.m., if all essential parties are available that date. Council President Bruce Harris would like to have it at the Cornwall Elementary School auditorium, if available.
Officials said the exact time, date and place will be stated in a future legal advertisement in the Lebanon Daily News.
Ordinance change: Byler Holdings submits ordinance to Cornwall council that would stop warehouse plans
Council changes
Council members approved the appointment of Nathan Walmer to fill the seat on council vacated by Al Brandt. Brandt did not submit his resignation but informed another member of council that he moved to another municipality and changed his registration to vote there.
Also at the meeting, it was announced that Councilman Ron Ricard has decided to leave council at the end of the year. Ricard said he looked at the numerous candidates interested in becoming a member of council and decided to give someone new a chance to serve.
Ricard has served on council for 6 years and did not hesitate to ask questions when matters were brought before council.
2024 budget
Council gave final approval to a $3,383,560 general fund budget for 2024. The millage rate will remain at 2.25 mills and will require no increase in property taxes.
The cost of police protection is expected to cost $1,065,959 during the coming year. However, the borough will receive $200,937 from West Cornwall Township and $44,525 from Mount Gretna Borough for contracted police services and about $20,000 from other government sources. Officials also predicted that $11,000 will be received from tickets written by the department for vehicle code and ordinance violations.
The cost of administering the township and running the water and sewer department will be about $385,736 and the amount to be contributed to the fire department will be $172,817.
Highway maintenance and repairs and snow clearance are estimated to cost the borough $526,233 next year. An additional $60,000 will be available for street signs, street lighting and storm sewer maintenance. The amount of $150,000 is being allotted for bridge construction.
Miscellaneous personnel expenses include $357,914 for hospital and medical expenses, $199,000 for pension contributions, and $85,000 for Social Security contributions.
The largest source of revenue to pay expenses is projected to be $1,125,000 from property tax. Earned income tax receipts, deducted from paychecks, will provide about $800,000. Real estate transfer tax, which is charged when real estate is sold, is predicted to bring in $150,000.
Comcast will pay the borough a $120,000 cable franchise fee for the right to run cable lines in the borough, but it is permitted to pass that cost onto customers.
Other business
Jennifer Wentzel, representing Cornwall Community Cats, thanked the council for the $1,500 donation the borough made to the non-profit organization to help it defray the cost of its "Trap, Neuter, and Release" efforts to control the feral cat population in the borough. In her written report to the council Wentzel noted that 250 feral cats were captured neutered or spayed through October 2023 then set free in Miner's Village, Cornwall Manor area, Spring Hill Acres, the Mount Gretna area, Karinchville, Iron Valley, and other areas of Cornwall and West Cornwall Townships.
Council accepted the resignation of Ron Morrison from the Cornwall zoning hearing board. Morrison said he appreciated the opportunity to serve on the board and told council he is interested in serving on borough council.
Borough Manager Cody Rhoads, was authorized to apply to the county commissioners for a $25,000 grant from the Marcellus Shale Grant Fund. If received the funds would be used for the creation of a new pickleball court in Snitz Creek Park. The small park is located between Cornwall United Methodist Church, on Freeman Street, and the elementary school. The court would be located at the site of an unused ballfield.
This article originally appeared on Lebanon Daily News: Public hearing planned by Cornwall officials to address zoning amendment
