North Cornwall approves Verizon cable franchise agreement

This article was funded by LebTown donors as part of our Civic Impact Reporting Project.

The North Cornwall Township Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a cable franchise agreement with Verizon following a public hearing May 5.

The agreement grants the cable provider non-exclusive permission to use the public right-of-way to provide services to residents. It does not affect the existing franchise agreement with Comcast, nor does it require Comcast users to switch to Verizon.

In exchange, the township will receive a franchise fee based on a percentage of sales. The contract was negotiated by Cohen Law Group, which specializes in cable franchise agreements.

In other news, supervisors unanimously approved a revised land development plan for Pinebrooke Development, a 25 single-family unit development along Colebrook Road. The only difference made in the revision for the plan is the orientation of one home, which previously was planned to face other homes’ backyards and will be rotated to face Colebrook Road.

The planning commission reported no problem with the rotation but recommended Pine Hill Builders establish a maintenance agreement for this lot with two other lots in the development, through which the lot’s driveway passes.

The developer was originally asked by the township for homes in the development not to face Colebrook Road, as all units exit onto small roads planned within the development. However, this is not a requirement of the township’s zoning ordinance.

Supervisor Mike Wahmann said he was concerned about potentially confusing emergency services, who may expect the home to be accessed from Colebrook due to the rotation. Supervisor William Yeagley said that in the event of a large fire, EMS would stop along Colebrook anyway due to the shorter distance from the house.

Yeagley “reluctantly” made a motion to accept the revision, which was seconded and approved unanimously. Wahmann said he did not like the revision but he would approve it.

“Next time your client submits a plan, make sure the plan’s accurate,” said Wahmann to engineer Chad Smith of Steckbeck Engineering following the passed motion.

In other news, supervisors:

• Unanimously approved a time extension for the Expo Center land development plan.
• Unanimously approved the reduction of financial security of North Cornwall Commons, the lot 19 hotel, by $24,183.50.
• Unanimously approved the appointment of Colleen Gallo to an auditor vacancy following the death of a former auditor.
• Unanimously approved minutes and the treasurer’s report, with Yeagley abstained from one check.

North Cornwall Township supervisors meet the first and third Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. The meetings are open to the public and do not require prior registration.