Meeting Minutes
Mercer County Regional Planning
Commission
TUESDAY, March 22, 2005
7:30pm, MCRPC Office, Hermitage
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MUNICIPALITY
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PRESENT
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ABSENT
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FARRELL CITY
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Jerry Miller
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William Morocco |
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HERMITAGE CITY
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Rita
Ferringer
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James Pat White |
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James A. Rollinson
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SHARON CITY
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Vic Heutsche
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Darin Flower
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Stephen Theiss
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CLARK BOROUGH
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Richard Dunlap
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James Carucci, Sr.
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FREDONIA BOROUGH
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Patricia McAdams
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Ron Boyd
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GREENVILLE BOROUGH
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Robin Douglas
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Burroughs Price
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GROVE CITY BOROUGH
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Clifford McCandless
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Thomas D. Shaffer, Jr.
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JACKSON CENTER BOROUGH
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Debbi
Stevenson
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Marvin
R. McAfoose
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JAMESTOWN BOROUGH
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Doug
McElhaney
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Darryl Pinney
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MERCER BOROUGH
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Jerry Johnson
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Jim
Carnes
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NEW LEBANON BOROUGH
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Janice Good
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Mary A. Ziegler
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SANDY LAKE BOROUGH
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Robert W. Kaltenbaugh
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Brad
Martin
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SHARPSVILLE BOROUGH
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Bob Piccirilli
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Alex Kovach
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STONEBORO BOROUGH
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Samuel A. Scott
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WEST MIDDLESEX BOROUGH
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Mark David
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Tracy Thompson |
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WHEATLAND BOROUGH
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Thomas R. Stanton
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Bob
Davis |
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COOLSPRING TOWNSHIP
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Robert L. McGhee
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DELAWARE TOWNSHIP
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Donald Kremm
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Caroline Stoyer
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EAST LACKAWANNOCK TOWNSHIP
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Nancy Givens
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FAIRVIEW TOWNSHIP
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Jane Clark
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Mont Clark
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FINDLEY TOWNSHIP
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Elliott Lengel
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John B. Courtney
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HEMPFIELD TOWNSHIP
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Pamela Brown
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Russell L. Dawes
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JACKSON TOWNSHIP
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Linda L. Baun
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Mary Gealy
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JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP
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Bert Weston
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Richard H. McCullough
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LIBERTY TOWNSHIP
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Dave Beatty
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Ron Faull
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NEW VERNON TOWNSHIP
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John Martin
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OTTER CREEK TOWNSHIP
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Paulette Young
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Richard Straub
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PERRY TOWNSHIP
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Richard Marshall
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PINE TOWNSHIP
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H. Thomas Paxton
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Fred
Brenner
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PYMATUNING TOWNSHIP
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Richard Witten
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Walter L. Weir, Jr.
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SHENANGO TOWNSHIP
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Charles Gilliland
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James
Eakin
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S. PYMATUNING TOWNSHIP
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David
Lapikas
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Mike Nashtock
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SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP
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Judy
L. Hassler
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Larry T. Gruntz
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WILMINGTON TOWNSHIP
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Charles Garrett
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Jeff Hoy
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WOLF CREEK TOWNSHIP
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Mark Smith
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Ray Penland
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MERCER COUNTY
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Larry McAdams
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Julie Widel |
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Jean Hodge
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Patty McClusky
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James Hughes |
Jeff Fiedler
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James L. Hogan |
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BOROUGHS ASSOCIATION
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David George
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SUPERVISORS ASSOCIATION
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Robert Birtciel
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COUNTY COMMISSIONER
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Michele Brooks
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STAFF
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OTHERS PRESENT
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Dan Gracenin, Executive Director
Andrew Dash, Planner
Jill Boozer, Program Administrator
Don Blakesley, Senior Program Administrator
Margaret
Heldorfer, Associate Planner |
Robert
Kochems, Solicitor
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CALL TO ORDER
Mr. Tom Stanton, Chairman,
called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
PRAYER AND PLEDGE OF
ALLEGIANCE
Mr. Mark Smith, Vice-Chairman,
led the Commission in the prayer and Pledge of Allegiance.
ATTENDANCE SIGN-IN
An attendance sign-in sheet
was passed around and representatives present were asked to mark their
attendance. A quorum was not present.
PUBLIC COMMENTS ON ANY AGENDA
ITEM
There were no public comments.
RATIFICATION OF ACTIONS TAKEN
WITHOUT A QUORUM AT AND MINUTES OF THE FEBRUARY 22, 2005 MEETING
A motion was made by Mr.
Beatty and seconded by Mr. Scott to ratify the actions taken without a quorum
at and Minutes of the February 22, 2005 meeting with no additions, corrections
or deletions. The motion passed.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT
A motion was made by Ms.
McAdams and seconded by Ms. Garrett to approve the February 2005 Financial
Statement as presented. The motion passed.
STAFF REPORTS
Mr. Dash explained that MCRPC
will be mailing letters, to collect information regarding creating a database
of zoning/building permit fees and information, for all municipalities in the
County. A number of municipalities have requested such information. If this
information were collected for all the county’s municipalities and kept in
one place, it would be much easier not only for municipalities to be able to
find information on what other municipalities are doing, but also for
residents and developers to be able to access how much they are going to be
charged and who they need to contact. He also noted that we are planning on
posting the zoning/building permits, as well as other permit fees on line.
Mr. Gracenin gave a brief
update on the County Comprehensive Plan/Multi-Municipal Plan. He noted that
the County Comprehensive Plan is progressing well; the Consultant is preparing
the draft, with a meeting possibly by early May to prepare the final draft and
public hearings. Under the Multi-Municipal Plan, the Shenango Valley was
approved in the application; a consultant will be obtained soon with work to
start possibly by early summer. Six communities are involved under the
Multi-Municipal Plan which would create two separate comprehensive plans
(Shenango & West Middlesex) and (Farrell, Sharon, Wheatland &
Hermitage). He also noted that there are a number of other comprehensive
plans. There will be a meeting at Mercer High School on March 29th
for the Multi-Municipal Plan for that region. This meeting will be important
as we look at their SWOT (strength, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) in the
area and take another look at their future land use map. The
Greenville/Hempfield Comprehensive Plan was adopted. The Grove City area
comprehensive plan is progressing well and should be adopted soon. The
Sharpsville/Clark/South Pymatuning comprehensive plan is moving along with the
public comment process to start in a few weeks.
ZONING & SUBDIVISION
REVIEW COMMITTEE REPORT
Mr. Scott, Committee Chairman,
reported that the Committee met last week, a quorum was present and took
action on the following items:
1. Zoning Ordinance Revision
– City of Sharon – Mr. Scott
explained that the Committee reviewed a major revision of the City of Sharon
Zoning Ordinance. The City wishes to modernize their ordinance, which was last
revised in 1979. One new zoning district, in addition to three overlay
districts, were created. Conditions were added for many uses to give the City
better control over the quality of development. Performance and steep slope
standards were added. One rezoning, the east side of Stambaugh Avenue between
East State Street and East Connelly Boulevard from R-1 to C-2, was included in
the revision. MCRPC staff worked with the City’s Planning Commission and
Graney, Grossman, Colosimo and Associates on the revised Ordinance. A motion
was made by Mr. Scott and seconded by Mr. Garrett to approve the revised City
of Sharon Zoning Ordinance as recommended by the Committee. The motion passed.
2. Subdivision & Land
Development Ordinance Revision – Jefferson Township
– Mr. Scott noted that the Committee received a request to amend the text of
the Jefferson Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance, to amend
Section 410.b.2 changing the depth-to-width ratio from 3:1 to 4:1. Jefferson
Township wishes to match their regulations with those of the County, which
changed their regulations with the revision to the Subdivision and Land
Development Ordinance in 1995. A motion was made by Mr. Scott and seconded by
Mr. Johnson to approve the amendment to the Jefferson Township Subdivision and
Land Development Ordinance, with the removal of the phrase "any lot
exceeding 300’ in width may extend to four times the width" from
Section 410.b.2, due to it being unnecessary with the proposed change, as
recommended by the Committee. The motion passed.
3. Rezoning Request – New
Vernon Township – Mr. Scott noted
that the Committee received a rezoning request by Charles Henderson to rezone
approximately 21.8 acres on the west side of Billy Boyd Road, approximately
1,550’ south of Route 358 in New Vernon Township, from Rural
Residential-Agricultural (R) to Business Travel-Service (B). This request was
proposed by a landowner who wishes to construct a billboard on his property,
which would face I-79 along the western edge of his property. Under the B
zoning classification, however, the maximum size for an allowable sign would
only be 60 square feet, and even a rezoning to Industrial would only allow a
sign of 80 square feet, which would not permit the sign the applicant is
proposing. In addition, the current land use of the property is only allowed
under the R zoning classification. A motion was made by Mr. Scott and seconded
by Mr. Hughes to deny the rezoning request by Charles Henderson, due to the
current and proposed land use of the property not meeting any of the other
zoning districts. I also move that we suggest the Township investigate an
overlay district for signage to allow for the construction of larger on and
off premise signs along I-79 in the Township, as recommended by the Committee.
The motion passed.
FINANCE-PERSONNEL COMMITTEE
REPORT
Ms. Patty McAdams noted that
the Committee met prior to tonight’s meeting to consider changes in employee
health care. Their current coverage with "Highmark Community Blue"
has been discontinued and was informed that if they switched to a "Highmark
Select Blue" plan, there would be an increase in costs by 36%. Mr.
Gracenin began looking and investigating into other insurance plans. It was
the feeling of the staff that they switch to the UPMC Freedom VIII Plan, the
co-pay is the same, but has a high deductible. Currently, employees pay 10% of
their hospitalization a month. The Committee’s proposal is for the employees
to continue paying 10% of their hospitalization, and under the deductible they
would pay the first $300.00 for an individual or $600.00 for a family, and the
Commission would pick-up the balance of the deductible, pending approval from
the staff. Mr. Gracenin explained that the Commission could potentially save
money by switching to a high deductible plan. He also noted that probably at
next months meeting, he will need to reopen the budget to increase the budget
amount for hospitalization. He also noted that a decision needs to be made
soon regarding switching health care, due to a deadline of May 1st,
with enrollment applications and necessary paper work due 30 days prior to
enrollment with a different plan. Also, the Committee will discuss at next
months meeting, possible health care buyout option(s). The Commission is
looking at any way they can save money. After discussion, a motion was made by
Ms. McAdams and seconded by Mr. Beatty to approve switching health coverage
from Highmark to a UPMC Plan, pending discussion/approval from the staff. The
motion passed.
OTHER BUSINESS
Mr. Gracenin noted that we
will be calling members for next months meeting, since we lacked a quorum at
our last two meetings. He thanked everyone who was in attendance for their
time that they give. There was a suggestion made that we serve coffee and
donuts at our next meeting. Mr. Gracenin stated that maybe that is what we
might have to do.
ADJOURNMENT
With no further business or
discussion, the meeting adjourned at 7:55 p.m.
Submitted and Certified By:
Patricia McAdams, Secretary -
MCRPC
Mercer
County Regional Planning Commission
2491 Highland Road, Hermitage, PA 16148
mail@mcrpc.com www.mcrpc.com
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