This article was funded by LebTown donors as part of our Civic Impact Reporting Project.
During its monthly meeting Feb. 24, the East Hanover Township Board of Supervisors unanimously agreed to hold a joint meeting with the township’s planning commission to discuss traffic impact fees and future land use.
Planning commission chairman Marvin Smith noted that the 7:30 p.m. meeting on March 20 will be an open forum, and the township is seeking feedback from residents.
In addition to hearing what direction residents see for development in the township, the meeting will also discuss traffic impact fees, including whether the township’s current policy needs revised.
This comes soon after the board passed changes to the zoning map, which were meant to place industrial developments along major roadways that could handle the truck traffic.
Read More: East Hanover Township supervisors approve zoning changes
At Monday’s meeting, resident and landowner Bob Adams critiqued the township for changing his property from industrial to light industrial, saying he was told Bull Frog Road would not be able to handle truck traffic.
He compared this to the Kreider Farms plan. After developers failed to obtain easements from nearby property owners to widen Pleasant View Road, they are working with the township to consider other options, including using Bull Frog Road to handle the estimated 29 trucks per day the operation will generate.
“I think it’s wrong you would do for Kreider Farms what you wouldn’t do for the people living here,” said Adams.
Chairman Ed Heagy replied that he could not change the past. “I’m finding out now there were contradictions in what I was presented at the time,” he said.
He said the plan would not be approved until developers had a suitable route for trucks. He said the township was trying to work with Kreider Farms to find a suitable solution, but that while Bull Frog Road is being considered, it may not ultimately be used for the route.
Prior to the meeting, Heagy indicated that he is planning to run for reelection in the 2025 municipal election.
2025 municipal elections
According to Lebanon County Elections director Sean Drasher, close to 300 seats, from municipal boards to poll worker positions, are up for grabs in the 2025 municipal election. However, thus far the elections office has noted few candidates picking up petitions.
Those interested in running have until March 11 to submit completed petitions, with most offices only requiring 10 signatures.
Primaries will be held May 20, with the general election taking place Nov. 4.
In the 2021 municipal elections, Lebanon County saw around 32 percent turnout for both the primary and general election. For comparison, Drasher estimated that 80 percent of registered voters came out for the 2024 general election.
While municipal elections tend to see low voter turnout, municipal and county government play a significant role in everyday lives, from the maintenance of roads to the oversight of development.
Municipal governments oversee police departments (or negotiate contracts with the state or other departments for service), craft ordinances regulating a plethora of topics, pass budgets that lay the framework for government staffers, and more.
School boards establish policies, handle budgeting and hiring, and ensure compliance with state and federal law.
Elected poll workers work behind the scenes to ensure elections go smoothly. Drasher said that around 180 poll worker positions are open throughout the county.
Drasher urged those interested to run for office, noting that “we need candidates for basically all offices.”
Voters have until May 3 to register and until May 13 to apply for a mail-in ballot for the primary.
For the general election, voters must register by Oct. 20 and apply for a mail-in ballot by Oct. 28.
In other news, supervisors:
- Unanimously agreed to purchase a new stove and chairs for the Lodge in H. M. Levitz Park for around $6,000, dispose of the old stove, and accept a refrigerator donation. These expenses were budgeted, as well as the cost of purchasing a new fridge.
- Heard that state law has changed and the township is able to increase annual pay to supervisors from $1,875 to $3,195, though this would only take effect at the start of new terms. Supervisors opted not to take action on this at this time.
- Unanimously agreed to renew an insurance policy for 2025, with an overall 12 percent increase with the new expense totaling $49,005.
- Unanimously approved a 6-lot subdivision plan for a Jonestown Road site just west of Yordys Bridge Road.
- Unanimously approved a stormwater management exemption plan for 183 County Line Road, which is developing a new driveway and riding track.
- Unanimously approved a request for an open house at Lindley Murray School on May 10.
- Unanimously approved several park event requests.
- Heard that the Lebanon County Tire Collection event will be held April 30.
- Unanimously vetoed a request to place a “peace pole” in the park to be paid for by the Rotary Club. Supervisors said they took no issue with promoting peace, but worried it opened them up to similar requests, as well as placing maintenance responsibilities on township staff.
- Unanimously agreed to inspect the Webster School Road bridge for $2,935.
- Opted not to send the solicitor to a variance request for sprinklers at 21 Blacksmith Lane.
- Unanimously approved a road foreman’s request to recycle old radios.
The East Hanover Township Board of Supervisors meets the fourth Monday of each month at 7:30 p.m. These meetings are open to the public and do not require prior registration.
Questions about this story? Suggestions for a future LebTown article? Reach our newsroom using this contact form and we’ll do our best to get back to you.
Keep local news strong.
Cancel anytime.
Monthly
🌟 Annual
- Fewer ads
- Member newsletters
- Exclusive events
- All monthly benefits
- Most popular option
- Make a bigger impact
Already a member? Log in here to hide these messages
Free news isn’t cheap. If you value the journalism LebTown provides to the community, then help us make it sustainable by becoming a champion of local news. You can unlock additional coverage for the community by supporting our work with a one-time contribution, or joining as a monthly or annual member. You can cancel anytime.
- Unanimously approved minutes and the payment of bills.
