Cornwall planning recommends Boyd Street warehouse approval

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

The Cornwall Borough Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously agreed to recommend council approve the preliminary plan for a 400,960-square-foot warehouse by Miners Lake during a three-hour meeting Monday. The borough must take action on the plan by July 14.

Under Pennsylvania law, once a plan is submitted to a government body, they have 90 days to evaluate the plan and approve or deny it. If no action is taken, the plan is approved by default. However, a developer can offer time extensions.

Though every member of the commission except Joe Lescisko expressed interest in approving a time extension instead of the plan, Cornwall Properties representative Mike Swank said they would not grant an extension, asking what aspect of the plan needed further work.

As engineer Jeff Steckbeck explained earlier in the meeting, it is the borough’s responsibility to approve plans when they meet zoning requirements, as each zoning district grants certain uses by right. If a municipality denies a plan without valid grounds, a developer can challenge the decision in court and likely win, Steckbeck said.

Since the warehouse plan has been submitted, engineer Josh Weaber has offered multiple rounds of comments, which he said have been satisfied. Solicitor Josele Cleary also had comments on the plan, which the developer says they have addressed. The recommendation for plan approval is contingent on Cleary’s review.

When asked whether he feels the borough has grounds to reject the plan, Weaber replied, “My honest opinion is no.”

In 2024, Cornwall Properties submitted a “Lakefront Overlay” text amendment, which was later joined with a citizens’ amendment to move warehousing as a use from limited industrial to general commercial. Discussion on the amendment then paused, with the commission citing ongoing discussions with the Elizabethtown Area Water Authority to purchase land for a Miners Village bypass.

Monday, commission and council member John Karinch cited those discussions as why he felt a time extension should be granted. Commission and council member Bruce Conrad said the EAWA is willing to work as quickly as the borough will to obtain further research, paid for by the borough, and consider the sale of two parcels (.93 and 1.75 acres respectively) for the parcel.

Jonathan Byler, president and CEO of Cornwall Properties, said the developer would still prefer to pursue the lakefront resort plan, but that it has submitted the warehouse plan as council has yet to act on the proposed amendment in the three years since it was submitted.

“If the borough wants to move in that direction, the borough should move on that plan,” said Byler, saying he was still willing to work with the borough. “We would like to move forward with our zoning change as requested.”

If council follows the commission’s recommendation, the developer will be able to begin work on a final land development plan, which will also require approval and permits. Swank said they expect to be able to break ground sometime September through November of this year.

Karinch said he felt the lakefront amendment was “worth a shot looking at,” acknowledging that Cornwall Properties met engineering requirements but that residents may prefer a mixed use development.

Council member Julie Bowman and attendee Jeremy Zimmerman questioned the results of the traffic study included in the plan, including that it examined traffic on a Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday and that it anticipates 86 trips a day, despite the warehouse including 87 dock doors.

Zimmerman said he felt tractor trailers, which would exit exclusively onto Boyd Street, would not be able to make the turn onto U.S. Route 322.

Weaber said the traffic study went beyond the required scope, including the Boyd Street/322 intersection. He said final plan approval would require additional traffic studies and there are steps that will be taken when the user is identified.

When asked whether he felt the dates analyzed by the traffic study were standard, Weaber said it was out of his area of expertise. Swank said he didn’t know those were the days studied, but added that a borough-hired engineer issued a statement Tuesday that the study met borough requirements.

Council is also soliciting a traffic study examining multiple borough roads for future planning. However, Swank said this study is separate to the plan and it cannot be delayed as a result.

Bowman criticized the layout of agenda items, with the plan listed as “Cornwall Properties — Boyd Street Warehouse” without a subheading that a vote is planned. Chairman Ray Fratini said this is how the commission typically handles plans.

Bowman said she felt the commission’s decision was rushed, but Fratini said they “had no choice.” Earlier in the meeting, Fratini said he did not want a warehouse on the property, but that the commission must follow zoning law.

With a July 14 deadline, Steckbeck said, “The Planning Commission has no choice but to act, unfortunately.”

During its regular meeting July 13, council may either reject or approve the plan. If they do neither and a time extension is not granted, the plan will be approved by default after that deadline.

The commission also discussed the Knoll at Iron Valley plan, though no action was taken. Weaber said he is working on a review of the plan, which he said he should get out within the next week.

Resident Jane Clark voiced concerns with infiltration at the site based on the developer’s submitted technical work. Weaber said he would review a letter submitted by Clark, as well as the parts of the plan referenced by Clark.

“All these concerns, we will consider in our review,” said Weaber.

The commission also discussed expected traffic from the development, with Fratini stating, “I’m gonna fight like hell to get that traffic out of Miners Village.”

Though the borough cannot require off-site road improvements, Fratini said, it can negotiate for them with a developer. Swank says the submitted plan improves existing road conditions by smoothing out the Boyd Street curve and prepping for a bypass, half of which would be constructed by the developer.

The commission continued to discuss the parking situation for residents of Granite Street, with Swank presenting two options for parking which residents were directed to discuss amongst themselves and return with their preference. The first option has parallel parking on both sides of the street with 28 spaces, and the second utilizes angle parking for 26 spaces, and makes Granite Street a one-way onto Boyd Street.

The commission heard five routine waiver requests for the plan, though ultimately did not vote to recommend them as Bowman suggested they should wait until the agenda specifically lists the waiver action.

In other news, the commission:

• Heard that phase one of the Cliffs at Iron Valley has mostly been top-soiled.
• Unanimously approved a recommendation for minutes to only include recommendations, with Conrad noting that borough manager Cody Rhoads spends four to five hours to write up minutes. The commission also recommends that the borough maintain audio recordings of meetings indefinitely for reference when needed.
• Heard that, regarding a recent inquiry to nearby municipalities on possible joint zoning, South Lebanon said no, North Cornwall asked for more information, and West Cornwall has not yet responded.
• Heard a question from Bowman on whether a warehouse could be converted to a data center after construction, though no action was taken.
• Discussed a request for a proposed garage at 301 Boyd Street, in the historic overlay district, no action taken.
• Unanimously approved minutes from its June 1 and June 8 meetings.

Cornwall P&Z meets the first Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. Meetings are open to the public and do not require prior registration.