Intersection work at N. Zinns Mill & Main Street in Quentin to be completed this fall

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The intersection at North Zinns Mill Road and Main Street in Quentin will get sidewalks and curbing after a year’s delay.

On Monday, West Cornwall Township supervisors awarded a contract to low bidder Construction Masters for the intersection improvements that will, township engineer Jeff Steckbeck said, be completed this year. Construction Masters’ bid was $117,158.

A year ago, PennDOT approved a permit for the sidewalks and curbing at the intersection. But that permit also included inlet relocations and piping work for stormwater, both of which were not in the township’s design. At that time, the township had already bid the project.

Read More: Revised plans for curb and sidewalk work in Quentin under PennDOT review

“PennDOT asked for additional work – new storm pipes – that exceeded the scope of the work initially designed,” Steckbeck said at Monday’s meeting.

Steckbeck plans to apply for two grants, one from the county’s liquid fuels fund and one from the state, totaling $50,000 to help pay for the additional work. The original project had been estimated to cost between $65,000 and $70,000, Steckbeck said after the meeting.

As supervisor Dennis Tulli noted, “If we don’t get those grants, we pay for the whole thing.”

Steckbeck also reported that the Mount Gretna School of Art has changed the name of its proposed building to Mount Gretna Community Building for the Arts. Community facilities are a permitted use in a residential forest zone, said Steckbeck in his role as township zoning officer.

Read More: West Cornwall Township planners review proposed driveway off of state Route 117

In August, Chad Smith of Steckbeck Engineering & Surveying had appeared before the township planning commission to discuss a proposed access route off of State Route 117 for a possible 5,000-square-foot building for the Mount Gretna School of Art. At that meeting, Steckbeck said he was still gathering data as to whether an art school is a permitted use in the residential forest district.

At Monday’s supervisors’ meeting, Steckbeck said that Jay Noble, art school executive director, submitted a letter stating the building would be open for functions other than the art school. While “art school” is not listed as a permitted use in a residential forest zone, a community facility such as a museum or library is a permitted use.

The name change has the potential to affect parking requirements for the proposed building, Steckbeck said.

No formal subdivision and land development plan for the community building has yet been submitted to the township planning commission.

In a related matter, Steckbeck said surveying for site distance and safe stopping along state Route 117 where the access has been proposed will occur but has not yet been scheduled.

The proposed driveway would take advantage of Met-Ed’s easement on the 15-acre site owned by Eastern Enterprises Inc. A portion of that site is a flood plain.

Supervisors also discussed a Lebanon Valley Rail Trail Ordinance proposed by Lebanon County and sent to municipalities for review and comments. This ordinance prohibits vehicular traffic on the Rail Trail, a portion of which runs through West Cornwall Township.

Some of that portion includes three driveways for which rights-of-way have been granted and a sewage collection line for the West Cornwall Township Municipal Authority, supervisors noted.

Township solicitor Eric Gibson said he will discuss with the county solicitor the possibility of exceptions for vehicular use for the driveways and the municipal authority in the proposed Rail Trail ordinance.

Steckbeck also reported:

• The site-work contractor for Cavalry at Quentin is gearing up to start work.
• Building permits for eight of the 16 townhome units of Iron Mill Townes on South Zinns Mill Road have been issued with foundation and framing work underway.
• Two of the 24-unit buildings of Apartments at 419 are complete and occupied. Two other 24-unit buildings, the 8-unit building and the clubhouse are under construction.

In other business, supervisors:

• Approved 6 to 8 p.m., Friday, Oct. 31, for Trick-or-Treat.
• Appointed Brianna Laliberte as the township’s EMS coordinator.
• Directed road foreman George Dundore to post “Yield to Oncoming Traffic” signs on North Cornwall Road. Portions of that road are only 14’8” wide.
• Learned from chairman Russ Gibble that WellSpan Philhaven has contributed $30,000 to the township for police services from Cornwall Borough Police.

West Cornwall Township supervisors meet at 73 S. Zinns Mill Road on the second Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. The next meeting will be held Monday, Nov. 10. These meetings are open to the public and do not require registration.