MINUTES 

DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY                              LOWER ALLEN TOWNSHIP

REGULAR MEETING                                              SEPTEMBER 18, 2017

The following were in ATTENDANCE: 

AUTHORITY MEMBERS                                        TOWNSHIP PERSONNEL

Max Stoner, Chairman                                                 Erin Trone, Township Assistant Manager

John Eby, Secretary                                                      Mary Ellen Banks, Recording Secretary

Salvatore F. Marone, Treasurer                                     Steven Miner, Solicitor

 

PUBLIC IN ATTENDANCE

None.

Chairman Stoner called the meeting of the Lower Allen Township Development Authority to order at 6:05pm and announced Proof of Publication was available for review. Chairman Stoner welcomed Erin back and gave his and the Board’s congratulations.

Edward Black and Peddrick Young were absent with excuse.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF APRIL 17, 2017

Mr. EBY made a motion to approve the minutes of the April 17, 2017 meeting. Mr. MARONE seconded the motion. Motion carried, 3-0.

PUBLIC COMMENT: There were no comments from the public.

DISCUSSON: YETTER COURT PROPERTY

Mrs. Trone informed the Board there are several parties interested in this property. The property was appraised in 2010; however, values in seven years have changed. Mrs. Trone provided the Board with comparable property in Lower Allen Township and entertained a discussion about pricing option. Discussion ensued. The Board decided to do 1^st , do an updated appraisal, 2^nd, list with several organizations thru Cumberland County and others and 3^rd,  erect a sign on this property. Mr. EBY made a motion to authorize Mrs. Trone to begin obtaining pricing for an updated appraisal, listing fees and the sign price. Mr. MARONE seconded the motion. Motion carried, 3-0. The Board also instructed Mrs. Trone to inform both buyers what is planned and to let them know they will be informed first once the selling price is determined.

STAFF UPDATE

Mrs. Trone reviewed the following:

• Comprehensive Plan – the committee met in June and July and the next meeting will be the beginning of October. During June and July they were busy framing up what were actually the top issues which all had to do with walkability, pedestrian connections and balancing commercial development with open space. As of right now, they have not come forward with any actual direction for the comprehensive plan. Mrs. Trone hopes to have more information in October.
• Gettysburg Road – this project is to start construction in the spring. The utilities and re-negotiate purchasing right-away from a property slowed it down; however, it is still moving forward.

Mr. Eby reviewed the following:

• Capital City Mall – the bump out where Old Navy is currently located is an addition for Dave and Buster’s. They plan on pausing this construction until Old Navy does Christmas sales and moves out. They will then gut this space and raise the roof structure to accommodate the ceiling height and then get back to finishing Dave and Buster’s. There is no completed construction date and Mr. Eby is also not sure if Old Navy will be staying elsewhere in the mall. In the addition that replaced the area that was the Sears store there is a large Wine and Spirits store moving into the mall. Dick’s Sporting Goods which is also close to obtaining the final certificate of occupancy and could be open by the end of September.
• Pennsylvania American Water Company – this three-story, $60 million dollar project included demolished the small building there which has been completed. They are leasing Utley Drive at the moment. They will then be building a new, larger, very unique building with a lot of space between floor and ceiling since they are installing a geothermal heating system and they will be drilling dozens of wells. This is why they had to obtain a variance from the zoning hearing board on the height of the building since it was 50’ high. This is to be their new corporate headquarters.
• Eby reminded board members that the Cumberland County Commissioners are considering an ordinance establishing a fee to assist with demolition of blighted buildings. The fee, not exceeding $15, would be collected by the Recorder of Deeds when property ownership is transferred, and deposited into a demolition fund administered by the Cumberland County Housing and Redevelopment Authority. He indicated that our staff has provided information to CCHRA staff that might be persuasive in getting the ordinance enacted, and explained the process by which the Cumberland County Blighted Property Reinvestment Board tries to mitigate blighted conditions.

Mr. Eby stated that, when CCHRA takes blighted properties by eminent domain, they sometimes have insufficient funds to demolish buildings that cannot reasonably be rehabilitated. One purpose of tonight’s discussion of this topic was to explore ways that LATDA could help with this situation. For example, if/when the sale of LATDA properties at 1993 Hummel Avenue and adjacent to Yetter Court generate some income, it might be possible to allocate demolition funds to CCHRA for Township properties, and CCHRA would replenish the funds when it sells the property. Discussion ensued.

NEXT MEETING OF THE DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

The next meeting of the Development Authority is scheduled for Monday, October 16, 2017 at 6:00pm.

ADJOURNMENT

Mr. EBY made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Mr. MARONE seconded the motion. Motion carried, 3-0. Meeting adjourned at 6:52pm.