Cornwall Planning Commission fields Rexmont Subdivision questions

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The Cornwall Borough Planning and Zoning Commission heard questions from residents regarding a subdivision planned near the intersection of Iron Valley Drive and Rexmont Road at its monthly meeting Monday.

P&Z chairman said he asked Cornwall Properties representative Mike Swank to attend, as several residents reached out to him due to activities at the planned subdivision site.

Cornwall Properties recently undertook clear-cutting of most of the subdivision site, which concerned neighbors who asked why they were not only clear-cutting the portion planned for phase one of the three-phase development.

Swank explained that they plan to move soil throughout different portions of the property, so needed to clear-cut most of the site.

Almost all trees that will be cut have already been cut, Swank said, and they will reforest some areas to meet plan requirements.

P&Z member Joe Lescisko asked Swank if he was worried about stormwater runoff while trees are down, and Swank said there has been little movement of the soil thus far.

In response to a question, Swank said they plan to do some blasting in the next few months, noting that they will contact neighbors to let them know. Fratini asked that they also contact the borough beforehand so they can use the borough website or call system to inform residents.

Swank said they hope to complete sitework for phase one of the plan by the end of the calendar year. Once the land has been prepped, it will be sold to homebuilders.

In response to a question about traffic generated by the development, Chad Smith of Steckbeck Engineering explained that a traffic study found no improvements to be necessary. However, the plan includes frontage improvements to entrances to the development and white strips added to Rexmont Road.

Fratini said he shared resident concerns about the development exacerbating traffic of Rexmont Road, which he described as in deteriorated condition, but said the commission did as much as it could.

P&Z also discussed a 92-townhome and one single-family development, uses allowed by right, planned for near the southern side of Boyd Street, by Miners Village. Approval for the plan has not yet been officially requested.

They discussed the extent of a traffic study planned for the site, which will determine how the expected 666 daily trips generated by the development will affect nearby intersections.

All through-traffic is to be directed away from Minerstown Village through a bypass, and the development will be completed in one phase.

Josh Weaber of Chrisland Engineering explained that the traffic study includes interesections within a half-mile radius of the development. Fratini requested that Weaber look into including intersections slightly outside of this radius, which Weaber agreed to do.

In an interview after the meeting, Fratini said planned housing developments around Cornwall’s five mining hamlets will worsen traffic and change the character of Cornwall.

“It’s gonna hurt Cornwall, and Cornwall is going to change,” said Fratini. “Traffic is gonna be the biggest issue.”

However, with regards to traffic, sewer connections, and stormwater — what Fratini said are the three biggest concerns these developments pose — P&Z needs to work within federal and state laws, and the borough cannot stop uses permitted by right, only advocate for improvements to plans.

The P&Z also discussed a planned review of the zoning ordinance, but asked council provide more specific direction as to what parts of the ordinance need to be reviewed.

Read More: Cornwall Borough approves reviews of zoning ordinances, historic overlay idea