Planning Commission reviews ordinance

By:

ALICE HUMMER Review Correspondent

, Staff Writer

What could be in a proposed new ordinance that’s 40 pages long? East Cocalico supervisors authorized sending a "draft zoning ordinance" to the planning commission for review at their June 19 meeting.

Some of the items addressed in the ordinance include:

Adding or changing definitions for 37 terms, including: alternative energy systems, anaerobic digestion, roof access points, emergency responders, geothermal boreholes, geothermal system, outdoor furnace, turbine height, wind or solar farm, wind turbine and manure digester.

Providing for the collocation of wireless telecommunication facilities by right within the agricultural and conservation zones

Strengthening requirements for vehicular access for lots and principal uses

Updating information about wellhead protection zones

"This (proposed ordinance) will be on the website for public review and comment," said township manager, Mark Heister.

"Thank you," said resident, Dr. Ken McCrea, who attends township meetings. "This is a first and it is appreciated."

In other business, supervisors:

Approved filing a citation for trash dumping at the township’s woody waste pile.

Approved allocating non-budgeted recycling money for the surveillance camera purchase. Camera installations are scheduled at the swimming pool and the woody waste site.

Granted conditional approval to the Possessky Stormwater Management Plan and the Brubaker Storm Water Management Plan.

Authorized Land Planning Engineer, Brent Lied, to draft a storm water management ordinance amendment. The new law says it must be completed by October. "We’ll need to remove our 1,000-square-foot exemption," said Hiester. "The state says every square inch counts. The Chesapeake Bay, after all these years, is not getting cleaner. Pennsylvania doesn’t look like it’s doing as much as we should to help so now the courts have tightened things up in the hopes of helping improve the bay water."

Agreed to continue deliberation on whether to add, remove or replace the 10,000 gross vehicle weight limit signs in some residential developments.

Appointed Richard Shober to the Water Authority. The Supervisors noted their thanks for him volunteering. "His background as a chemist should be useful to the Water Authority," said Chairman, Doug Mackley.

Appointed to the Reamstown Fire Company Fire Police Sean K. Kistler and Karen S. Whisler. Each of them has successfully completed the required, basic course through Harrisburg Area Community College (HACC) and all compulsory background checks. Supervisors expressed thanks for the service of these two community volunteers.

Expressed thanks to Jay Snyder, past president of the Cocalico Creek Watershed Association, for his informative program, "So What is the Big Deal about Stormwater?" recently presented at the Adamstown Area Library.