Cleona Borough holds public hearing on proposed zoning changes

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

Residents had the opportunity to make their voices heard Monday night during a special Cleona Borough Council meeting on a proposed zoning ordinance.

Key components of the ordinance include defining and regulating data centers, something the borough currently does not have, as well as changes to residential zoning and defining pets. As LebTown has previously reported, though many residents are opposed to data centers, municipalities do not have the authority to ban them outright.

Data centers 

Data centers would become a newly regulated use in Cleona under the proposed zoning changes, as the ordinance would establish a definition and requirements for how the facilities can operate. 

“Data centers are evolving so the council wanted to make sure that we had something in the ordinance,” said solicitor Colleen Gallo. “(Council) recognizes that this may be something that they need to continue to evaluate, and make changes to it, but they wanted to have something in the ordinance because right now there is nothing.” 

Resident Rich Williams raised questions about decibel levels of data centers in the event of a power outage, as the ordinance states that maximum decibel levels specified earlier in the ordinance does not apply in the event of an outage; however, when a data center completes a sound study, they would have to factor in emergency equipment such as backup generators.  

This provision falls under conditional use. As Gallo explained, council can add additional criteria that a data center would have to meet before granting conditional-use approval.

Williams was the sole resident to raise questions on data centers. 

Residential zoning 

Residents Steve and Julie Gibble had questions regarding the zoning change being made to a property in which they have a four-unit apartment building on. The property is zoned commercial but with the proposed change would become R-2.

Resident Kim Zechman raised similar concerns as she runs a business out of a commercially zoned property, which would also change to R-2. 

Both uses would not be permitted under the proposed R-2 zoning regulations. However, Gallo explained that the existing uses would be allowed to continue because they predate the proposed changes.  

“As long as the use is consistent with what it is currently now, … it would be grandfathered,” said Gallo. 

Pets

Resident Gale Kerkeslager is no stranger to raising concerns at borough meetings about neighboring chickens that enter her property, an issue she has long wanted to be addressed, as would be done in the proposed ordinance. 

Kerkeslager’s neighbors claim that their chickens are emotional-support animals and therefore they are permitted to have them. The borough does not have clearly defined wording on this matter. 

In the proposed ordinance the definition of household pets specifically excludes poultry. Additionally, it states emotional-support animals can be permitted if they provide certification, showing that they meet all federal and state laws and regulations.   

Other public comment 

While not directly related to the proposed zoning ordinance, a group of neighbors with properties surrounding Hickory Alley asked council if they could look at beginning to maintain this alleyway. 

The alley is owned by the borough but neighbors said they have maintained it for years. 

“I have been in this residence for almost 30 years, the alley has never been taken care of … by the borough,” said resident Kriste Lasher. “I addressed it way back when we moved in and they said ‘Oh, that’s an alley but we don’t do anything with it.’”

Resident Nicole Moyer said she wants maintenance done on the alley as she will soon be opening a hair salon on the lower half of her home and wants to ensure that her clients, who are primarily elderly, are able to get safely to her salon.  

Borough manager Michael Peiffer made notes of the residents’ comments and plans to visit the alley. 

Council plans to take action on the proposed zoning ordinance during its October meeting. 

Cleona Borough Council’s next meeting is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 14, at 7 p.m. Meetings are open to the public.