Exeter wants more say over gas drilling

B. GARRET ROGAN Times Leader Correspondent

EXETER – Borough council approved two sets of municipal planning commission recommendations concerning future development within the borough during Tuesday’s council meeting.

The first motion, which recommended providing the borough council with greater zoning authority over any natural gas drilling or ancillary activities, passed unanimously.

Although there has been no speculation of natural gas drilling within Exeter, council members have been working with a group of concerned residents to anticipate public safety and private property value concerns.

There was initially some hesitancy from the council to act on the motion, as they were expecting a more in-depth explanation from borough engineer Jack Varaly, who was absent from Tuesday’s meeting.

Planning commission member Larry Dellegrotto was joined by Exeter resident and gas drilling activist Nancy Dolan in providing some explanation to the public.

Among the recommendations, any company seeking to drill for gas or perform any related activities would have to do so on a parcel of land that is at least 20 acres. Approval to operate on anything less would be granted only by the council.

Council President Richard Murowski urged members to move forward on the issue, noting that the zoning regulation change “is something that could always be built upon.”

The other zoning recommendation from the planning commission concerned future development of “big box” stores.

The recommendation suggested that the council be given the sole authority to approve conditional usage for mercantile projects of more than 75,000 square feet.

Another key recommendation was to require any company constructing a store of this size to establish a destruction bond to fund the demolition and rehabilitation of the land after any store closure or abandonment.

The council initially declined to put the motion up for a vote but ultimately passed it 5-2 after Dellegrotto explained that this would have no effect on the current Wyoming Avenue Wal-Mart project.

Council member Denise Adams, who was joined by Daniel DeRoberto in casting the only votes against the recommendation, said she preferred to hear a more thorough description of the issue from Varaly before voting.

The recommendations are now likely to be included in an overall revised borough zoning code. Exeter officials expect to hold a public hearing before officially including the measures but have not yet set a date for that hearing.