News

June 12, 2009

County planning commission approves rezoning of Newport Twp. mining district

By Steve Mocarsky smocarsky@timesleader.com
Staff Writer
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WILKES-BARRE – The Luzerne County Planning Commission on Thursday reorganized and approved the rezoning of some mining district land in Newport Township.

The board unanimously re-elected attorney N. Brian Caverly as chairman, attorney Christine McLaughlin as vice chairwoman and Nancy Eckert as secretary.

The board then heard from Joseph and Andrea Holocheck, of Plymouth, and Rita Kaminski, of Newport Township, who requested that the board approve changing the zoning of their properties on the west and east sides of Center Street, respectively, about 250 feet north of Newport Street, from mining to residential.

Joseph Holocheck also requested approval to subdivide his land so that he could build two homes on the property.

Kaminski also wants to build a home on her property, but she did not need her land subdivided.

Planning/Zoning Director Adrian Merolli recommended the board approve the requests because the change would, in essence, amount to extending the residential neighborhood already adjacent to the mining district land, and residential zoning is a more restrictive use than mining.

Merolli told the applicants that county commissioners have the final say on the rezoning, and he would present the commission’s recommendation to them at their meeting next week at 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Hazle Township Municipal Building.

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