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Developer admits errors, upbeat on Pittston Twp. industrial park

IAN CAMPBELL Times Leader Correspondent

PITTSTON TWP. – Conceding that mistakes were made in the way Mericle Development approached clearing trees from a buffer area for Suscon residents, Mericle chief operating officer Lou Sebia promised residents the company would finish landscaping the area to mitigate runoff and appearance concerns.

Residents noted the problems could have been solved if the company had approached them before doing the clearing work rather than after the fact, a point Sebia conceded at Monday’s supervisors meeting.

But he promised that the Centerpointe developments will be one of the nicer industrial parks in the area by the time the work is completed.

Residents’ concerns had been that the clearing of the land had left exposed areas that could create washouts for residents farther down Market Street if a wet winter season develops. Because there are no curbs in the area, it was possible the runoff could also take residential property, they said.

The Luzerne County Conservation District expressed similar concerns, and steps were being taken to remedy the situation, supervisors said.

Supervisors were also asked by incoming supervisor-elect Stephen Rinaldi to consider mandating an undeveloped buffer area in all future developments. He said the township does not have such a requirement in its zoning ordinances, but public sentiment showed a need for green spaces.

Supervisors would have to hire Jack Varaly as a code consultant to look at the option of incorporating formal buffer zones into any new development, and if that happened, zoning board chairman Anthony Tuttle suggested that Varaly also look into the issues of windmill towers and gas drilling, both of which have arisen as issues since the zoning ordinances were last revised in 1995.

In other business, council gave a first reading to a $1,852,700, 2010 budget that doesn’t raise taxes but adds the costs of manning the Suscon Fire House for eight hours daily. The budget also provides funds for curbside recycling if approved by the supervisors, plus extra police costs stemming from the replacement of Rinaldi as police chief.

The Suscon hours are still to be negotiated with the township volunteer fire department, township manager John Bonita said.

The budget uses $165,250 carried over from this year, and Bonita said after the meeting that he factored in likely declines in revenue from mercantile and earned income taxes.