Heidelberg Township makes plans for improvements to recreation facilities

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The Heidelberg Township Board of Supervisors discussed multiple planned improvements to its recreation facilities at its monthly meeting Tuesday.

After purchasing a .4-acre triangle of land from PennDOT for $13,120, the township plans to use the land to develop a trailhead for the Schaefferstown Park Trail.

A graphic on display Tuesday showed that plans for the site include 12 parking spaces (two ADA-compliant), a “Welcome to Schaefferstown” sign, a landscaped area with a flagpole, a picnic area with a pavilion, and trees.

Outside of the trailhead, the township plans to extend the trail closer to the baseball and softball fields and resurface the existing trail and both fields.

The township is seeking a Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources grant to cover some of these improvements, as discussed in May.

Read More: Heidelberg Township supervisors obtain deed to parcel, prepare for building reno

For improvements to the softball field, supervisors unanimously approved a motion to purchase bricks at or below $2,082, sod at or below $1,892.76, and up to two loads of soil mix for below the sod from Martin Landscaping. Supervisors also discussed the need for Diamond Tex, but noted it is already regularly purchased by the township, thus not needing individual approval.

Following months of discussion and revision, supervisors unanimously passed an updated burning ordinance, which prohibits burning of garbage other than paper, cardboard and wood, any burning on Sundays or certain holidays, or burning during a drought or fire ban emergency, and describes safe distances for different types of fires.

The township has not received any new feedback on the ordinance since the most recent draft was posted to the township website, said township manager Jen Snyder.

Supervisors Ted Cromleigh and Paul Fetter also, after some discussion, agreed not to appeal the recent decision by the zoning hearing board to grant a variance to the former Mountain Trail Motel, which plans to house a 21-unit 55+ housing development.

Read More: Heidelberg Township supervisors discuss Mountain Trail Motel variance

Supervisors have previously voiced strong disagreement with the decision, and sent the solicitor to oppose the variance granted June 16. Property-owners argued hardship, claiming that the use of the property as a motel was unprofitable. The township argued that the disrepair of the condemned motel — with neighbors reporting broken glass, bullet holes, and structural issues — was the cause of the lack of profitability, rather than being intrinsic to the site.

Cromleigh, also a project manager at Diehm & Sons, said that though the variance was granted, property-owners would still face an uphill battle to receive approval on the discussed housing development. In particular, he said, water and sewer approval would be prohibitively difficult to obtain.

“I work in the business and I would tell my client, there’s no way you’re getting approval on that,” said Cromleigh. “I think this is all a marketing ploy. I think they’re gonna turn around and sell the business.”

Solicitor Amy Leonard explained that following the official issual of the variance, the property-owner has two years to obtain a permit (though they can pursue an extension if significant progress is made in that time). If sold, the variance would be passed on to the new owner, but the timeframe would not be extended.

Fetter said, backed up by Leonard, that the property owner does have some legal basis for hardship, and the result of an appeal would likely vary based on presiding judge. Fetter and Cromleigh ultimately agreed not to appeal, both feeling the plan is unlikely to come to fruition and that the appeal would be a costly, possible ineffective measure.

In other news, the board:

• Discussed interior building renovations, including preliminary discussion of where meetings will be held during renovations.
• Unanimously approved a postcard exemption for sewage module for the land development at 258 Albright Road, where a Mennonite school is planned, due to connection to public sewer. Cromleigh cited a conflict of interest, but voted yes due to the rule of necessity in supervisor Steve Martin’s absence.
• Unanimously approved a planning module for the Stoltzfus subdivision and land development plan (a retirement home). Cromleigh cited a conflict of interest, but voted yes due to the rule of necessity in Martin’s absence, noting the plan itself has yet to come before the board for approval.
• Unanimously approved the destruction of township records recently sorted through by township staff. These documents come from as early as the 1970s and are permitted for destruction based on municipal record disposition laws.
• Unanimously approved a $6,972 payment for roof insulation, the difference of cost between a recently completed (and ineffective) insulation and a different method now planned.
• Unanimously agreed to acknowledge the minimum municipal obligation of $50,236 for the following year.
• Unanimously approved a repair quote of $1,620 for a red light in the township.
• Unanimously approved a stormwater plan for 238 Lancaster Ave., where a single-family home is planned.
• Unanimously approved the release of $61,520.52 from the 226 Millbach Road financial guarantee.
• Unanimously approved a time extension for the Keener land plan.
• Unanimously approved a time extension for the Holzman McQuate land development plan.

The Heidelberg Township Board of Supervisors meets the fourth Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at the municipal building, 111 Mill Road.