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The Cornwall Borough Council unanimously agreed to approve three waivers for the PRL Industries building planned for the Byler Holdings GI plot at the recommendation of the Planning and Zoning Commission.
They waived the requirement for improving the site’s existing driveway, as PRL anticipates generating only one box truck or flat bed’s worth of traffic per day.
They also waived the requirements for road improvements like curbing and sidewalks on the adjacent portion of Boyd Street.
Council members noted that when future developments are planned for the GI tract, they will need to go through this process again, and at that point borough council may elect to require improvements.
The last waiver allows PRL to landscape a 3:1 slope around the stormwater facilities without fencing. This requirement has been waived for several developments in the past, as fences can present safety hazards if a child gets trapped inside during heavy rainfall.
The submitted plan, located within a 104-acre lot in Byler Holding’s General Industrial tract, includes a 75,000-square-foot building with a maximum height of 45 feet, an adjoined 6,120 square feet of office space, and 61 parking spaces.
Mike Swank of Byler Holdings expects that the final PRL plan will be submitted to the borough for approval once they work through the final set of comments on the plan.
The council also further discussed the topic of fire safety, which was discussed at the most recent Planning and Zoning meeting.
Read More: Cornwall P&Z recommends waivers for PRL subdivision
At the meeting, Community Fire Company chief Mark Miller voiced his concerns with the plan, which neither includes sprinklers nor a water source for fire fighters.
The borough does not have any ordinances requiring a business of this type to have a fire hydrant or fire suppression system like sprinklers.
While Commonwealth Code does regulate fire safety, if it does not take issue with the plan, the borough cannot require PRL to install sprinklers or other emergency equipment.
In case you missed it… Background on this story
In July 2022, Byler Holdings requested a zoning amendment from the borough allowing them to build an 800,000-square-foot warehouse in their general industrial (GI) tract.
The alternative, they said, was for them to use their limited industrial (LI) tract to construct warehouses with a combined square footage of around 700,000.
This plan drew significant concern from many Cornwall residents, with opposition to warehousing on the site largely due to the traffic and noise.
A community group Cornwall United 4 Responsible Development, headed by Jeremy Zimmerman, soon emerged in opposition to warehousing on the site.
Council formed an ad hoc committee made up of members of the community, council, and Planning and Zoning Commission to work with Byler Holdings on developing conditions for zoning changes (similar as was done for H&K, the previous owner of the property) or otherwise working with the developer to find a mutually agreeable solution.
Read More: Cornwall Borough Council forms ad hoc committee to work with Byler Holdings
Ad hoc discussions did not go far, as they did not have a clear direction and Byler had not submitted plans for the property. Meetings were paused until further directives were given.
Byler Holdings sent the borough a letter withdrawing its request for an amendment due to community outcry, Swank said. The developer reversed this request later, after members of the community appeared equally opposed to the plan for smaller warehouses in the LI tract.
In September 2023, Byler Holdings asked if council was willing to consider the amendment submitted the year before. In an informal roll call, the majority of council members indicated willingness to consider it.
Read More: Cornwall Borough Council to consider Byler text amendment
Council and Byler Holdings agreed to resume meetings of the ad hoc committee to work out conditions. However, Byler Holdings later requested that council hold off on scheduling meetings until an internal decision was made.
At around the same time, Cornwall United came forward with a zoning text amendment of their own which would remove “public warehousing” as an LI permitted use and add it as a general commercial permitted conditional use.
Read More: Cornwall Borough Council refers citizen’s text amendment to ad hoc committee
This amendment was referred to the ad hoc committee, and has since been referred to P&Z for evaluation and recommendations.
In November, Byler’s attorney Mike Swank returned to council to submit a new zoning amendment, one that would morph into the ordinance adopted Tuesday.
Read More: Cornwall to consider Byler zoning amendment, expects January decision
The proposed amendment would allow manufacturing uses in Cornwall GI zones, with Byler’s property containing the only GI plot in the borough.
Swank said at the time that if the amendment was passed, Byler Holdings would retract its previous zoning amendment request. However, council had to move quickly, as Byler hoped to rent to Cornwall-based submarine part-manufacturer PRL Industries, who was on a tight timeline.
PRL Industries plans to enter a 20-year minimum lease for around 10 acres of the 104-acre tract, which Swank said also has about 60 undevelopable acres. Traffic would mostly be limited to one flatbed truck entering and exiting a few times a day, PRL director of sales and marketing Tim Lewis said.
As the U.S. is in the process of greatly expanding its submarine production, PRL is under a tight timeline as one of the top parts producers in the country to up its production.
Council agreed to expedite the process, sending the amendment to P&Z and Lebanon County Planning with the goal to hold a hearing and choose to adopt or not adopt the amendment in January. P&Z discussed details of the amendment and made some changes before referring it back to council.
Read More: Planning commission advances zoning change fast-tracked for PRL Industries
Council unanimously agreed to schedule a public hearing for the amendment at its reorganization meeting Jan. 2, where it would then be adopted with changes.
Read More: Cornwall Borough Council schedules public hearing for Byler amendment
Byler Holdings has also submitted a plan for residential development in residential low-density and conservation recreation. The plan includes 131 single-family detached homes, constructed over three phases.
The borough has provided comments to Byler Holdings surrounding the development, which it is still working through.
The council also heard concerns from the public concerning code enforcement.
The borough recently heard from residents who were upset about receiving formal code violation enforcement notices from zoning officer Jeff Steckbeck. Steckbeck had investigated a home that received a complaint for an overgrown lawn and found 25 nearby properties to also be in violation, so issued notices of violation to all of them.
Read More: Cornwall Borough Council hears resident concerns on code enforcements
However, Monday, some residents complained that code enforcement is not enforced strictly enough.
Steckbeck is under instruction to only issue notices of violation when a complaint is first received, and not to independently investigate possible violations.
One resident voiced concern that complaints are not fully anonymous, and can be accessed through public records requests.
She said she fears retaliatory action from neighbors whom she’s complained about, showing a picture of a sign posted in her neighbor’s yard telling her to stop filing complaints.
Councilman Nathan Walmer expressed frustration at this, saying his kids put up the sign and that she is not in any danger.
Ron Laudeman was also present Monday, and claimed that Steckbeck has failed to adequately investigate a complaint he has issued surrounding flooding on his property through a former stream bed.
He has asked that his neighbor install a structure to control stormwater, and has complained to the borough.
Laudeman went on to claim that Steckbeck does not adequately enforce complaints made against his friends, and also claimed that he was selected for his position due to being personal friends with council members.
Borough manager Cody Rhoads said the complaint is currently in the hands of engineer Josh Weaber, who first investigated the property three months ago.
He said Weaber is still in the process of working on a solution.
Monday, Mark Thomas updated residents that local WWII veteran Earl Dohner, who celebrated his 100th birthday April 14, passed away June 1.
Dohner’s 100th birthday was named Earl Dohner day by the council. Thomas said that he visited Dohner at his home last month to bring him his plaque.
Read More: April 14 is Earl Dohner Day in Cornwall to mark local WWII veteran’s 100th birthday
“He was so proud,” Thomas said of his visit. “He said he was ready to see God; he was ready to see his wife.”
In other news, the council:
- Directed the Planning and Zoning Commission to continue refining a definition of major for tractor trailers, which will be discussed at its July 1 meeting.
- Unanimously agreed to close Alden Street for part of July 14, August 9 and August 11 for Cornwall United Methodist Church events.
- Unanimously agreed to approve a lot addition at Cornwall Hills.
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