Zoning board denies variances for Blakely housing development project

Robert Tomkavage, The Times-Tribune, Scranton, Pa.
·2 min read

Aug. 14—BLAKELY — The borough's zoning hearing board denied Monday a pair of variances regarding a planned housing development along Terrace Drive near Route 6.

Blakely zoning officer and borough Manager Chris Paone said preliminary plans are for 40 housing units with a commercial area above.

Mike Amato of PennEastern Engineers, the project engineer, representing Two Up Realty, requested a variance to construct the residential development on steeper slopes. The variance Amato asked for equates to a difference between 33 degrees, which the ordinance calls for, and 45 degrees.

Amato presented the board with several businesses in the surrounding area with slopes in excess of what the ordinance calls for, including Puppy Paradise, Northeast Marine and Matthews Kia.

Amato also requested for Two Up Realty to not be required to submit a lighting plan for the residential development until roads are installed and approximate housing locations are determined.

Board secretary Jim Randelunas voted in favor of granting the variances while alternative member John Munley voted against them. Chairman Douglas Clark and member Keith Mercatili were absent.

Board solicitor Joseph Paparelli said since two people constitute a quorum by the state, a tie is considered a denial.

Per state planning code, Two Up Realty has 30 days to file an appeal with the Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas, Paone said. If they don't appeal, they will have to abide by the ordinance, he said.

The borough's planning commission approved preliminary plans for the housing development June 5, Paone said. He believes the development would provide a boost to the borough.

"You're going to have 40 to 50 townhomes and a new commercial area," he said. "There would be a lot more housing in town. Blakely is limited because we're landlocked — this would be big for the borough."

The developer aims to complete the project within the next year, Amato said.

Edward Rogalski of Eddie's Automotive Service Center, 100 Terrace Drive, expressed concern regarding the amount of dirt and dust on his property from the development project over the past three years, and its effect on his business.

"I've washed cars before customers pick them up because they were so dirty," he said. "It's ongoing and costly in time and money for me."

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