Bethel Township supervisors took unanimous actions at their March 13 meeting on several Bell & Evans projects, including the planned construction of new facilities at Fireman’s Park in Fredericksburg.
Local poultry producer Bell & Evans officials presented late last year a long-range plan for projects they’d like to complete within the township. Those plans would address company growth via construction of several new operations and the modernization of the public park’s facilities.
Read More: Bell & Evans officials lay out long-term goals to Bethel Twp. planning officials
Bell & Evans will construct new buildings and bathroom facilities, make parking upgrades, and tie water and sewer into the public system at Fireman’s Park, located just outside of Fredericksburg along Route 343.
Michael Bracrella, chief operating officer for Bell & Evans, recently told LebTown that the old buildings at the park had been demolished by company officials. Bell & Evans is financing the project at no cost to the township and working in cooperation with fire company personnel since the park is owned by the fire department.
Fireman’s Park is home to Hinklefest, an annual celebration of all things chicken, and the plan is to have the facilities completed in time for the 2025 festival.
Matthew Mack, township engineer, said Bell & Evans did obtain a temporary construction permit for the driveway followed by filing an application for their permanent low-volume driveway permits with PennDOT.
“As part of that they need an acknowledgement letter from the township that we’re aware that we’re applying for it,” Mack said before the vote to allow Mack to prepare the PennDOT highway occupancy permit acknowledgement letter.
Supervisors also passed a sewage facilities planning exemption module for the park.
“Existing out at Fireman’s Park they have holding tanks, (but) they are putting public sanitation out there. So we need to send a letter from the authority, need to execute the planning module exemption and then provide it to the applicant to forward to DEP.”
Township solicitor Andrew Morrow said he prepared the stormwater management and declaration of easement for the Fireman’s Park project.
“The project includes demolition of four buildings, gravel and concrete removal that will be replaced with grass in approximately a 10,000 square feet area at the banquet hall, the addition of new gravel along with the construction of stormwater management facilities,” Morrow said. “This will actually result in a slightly less impervious area than what currently exists.”
Morrow told the supervisors that Fredericksburg Fire Company officials signed the stormwater management and declaration of easement agreement earlier in the week. Morrow also requested and the supervisors complied with approval of the stormwater management plan for Fireman’s Park.
“Additionally, I can confirm that the fire company provided the escrow amount for the cost estimate and that has been deposited by the township, so that is in order, financially,” Morrow added.
Other Bell & Evans projects
Concerning other Bell & Evans projects, supervisors granted a time extension until April 11 for the company’s planned cook facility, a plant that will make prepared poultry products for consumers. That plant is slated to be located near the intersection of Fredericksburg Road and state Route 22.
“They’re still working through their NPDES (permit) and they just submitted updated plans for the facility for the township,” said Mack about the reason for the time extension request.
NPDES permits contain limits on what an applicant can discharge, lists monitoring and reporting requirements, and other provisions to ensure that discharges do not hurt water quality or people’s health. In essence, the permit translates general requirements of the Clean Water Act into specific provisions tailored to the operations of each person discharging pollutants.
In another action involving the cook plant project, supervisors granted a request for a sewage facilities planning exemption module.
“They’re going for public sanitation, so they got letters from the (township) authority,” Mack said, “and as the township, we are actually responsible for the planning module exemption, sign off on it. And that goes to DEP, the applicant can then forward it on to DEP.”
Bell & Evans also made requests to make two traffic signal upgrades for township-owned and maintained lights located at the intersections of state Route 22 and Fredericksburg Road and state Route 22 and Legionaire Drive. Supervisors agreed to sign letters to PennDOT to allow the company to pay for traffic signal upgrades at those locations.
Additional township business conducted
In other township business, supervisors unanimously voted to:
- Pay the township’s monthly invoices. Township funds and the payable amounts are: general fund, $131,798.86; street lighting, $3,453.17; and park and recreation fund, $369.78.
- Sign the Northern Lebanon Little League field agreement to run through July 31 for baseball games at the park.
- Allow the Rotary Club of Northern Lebanon’s request to erect a Rotary Club peace pole. The plan is to have it erected by September and be paid via a state grant. Supervisors agreed to sign a support letter for the grant application that will pay for the project if the grant is awarded.
- Provide an emergency preemption upgrade for a signal light at the intersection of Route 22 and Blue Mountain Road. The work will be performed by C.M. High Inc., at a cost of $2,415.58.
- Extend the Lynford Steiner project to June 12.
- Grant a waiver request for the Donnie Zabinski commercial operation land development plan.
- Sell a 1,000-gallon skid tank to Washington Township for $3,800.
- Purchase a paver for $7,000 and provide an additional $200 to move the equipment.
- Provide an exemption for a 2025 township real estate property tax bill for 137 S. Center St., Fredericksburg.
- Agree to a letter of credit request for R. Michael and Jocelyn G. Marlowe.
- Accept the roadmaster, financial, and the Fredericksburg Sewer and Water Authority reports.
- Approve the minutes of their Feb. 13 meeting.
The next meeting of the Bethel Township supervisors is scheduled for April 10 at 7 p.m. at 3015 S. Pine Grove St., Fredericksburg.
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