Farming, Thursday, Decmtber 24,1981
Truck station hearing
(Continued from Page A 24) '
because of the flexibility, security,
greater effectiveness and possible
reduction in personnel.”
The Department said they
“strongly considered” con
structing the weigh station at the
existing eastbound roadside rest,
located east of Rehrersburg.
However, they pointed out that at
this site three or four additional
acres of farmland would be
required and the site is abutted by
about a dozen homes.
The site that the state selected as*
their first choice is Site No. 5,
located between Strausstown and
Shartlesville. This site would in
volve a two-directional weigh
station with scales on opposite
sides of the four-lane highway.
Penn DOT pointed out it already
owns 20 acres on the westbound
side and would only purchase an
additional 5 acres on the north side
of the highway. The full 25 acres
would need to be purchased on the
eastbound side.
This additional farmland in
volves Class II and IV soils, which
is only- “marginal” prime far
mland, according to Penn DOT’S
press secretary.
When questioned as to whether
Penn DOT had submitted the
proposed weigh station plans to the
Department of Agriculture’s
condemnation review board, the
District Supervisor said Penn
DOT’s attorneys have suggested
this would not be necessary in this
case. •
• Penn!DOT also has not sub
mitted any erosion and
sedimentation control plans, as
required by state law, to the Berks
County Conservation District for
review. According tp a Penn DOT
spokesman, these plans will be
submitted within the next 6 months
when tHe final design package is
completed.
Sewerage disposal plans were
recently turned down by the Upper
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visors, according to
chairman Kenneth Grimes.
“The plans they submitted in
volved an elevated sand mound
design,” he explained. “We turned
it down because we don’t want the
weigh station in our rural area. It
contradicts our township plan
ning.”
Grimes, whose father’s farm
would lose about an acre of land to
the proposed weigh station, ex
plained that the selected site is
presently zoned either low density
residential or agriculture
preservation. This zoning was
adopted Nov. 8,1976.
The land owned by Penn .DOT
presently for the rest area thaVwas
never built is zoned ag preser
vation. This zoning permits single
tamily dwellings, home
businesses, woodland and game
preserves, fish hatchery, and
municipal uses, such as a towhship
building. Under a special ex
ception provision, a veterinary
office would be permitted.
Under the low-density
residential zoning, all agricultural
uses would be permitted, along
with single-family dwellings, home
businesses, municipal uses, and
parks.
No where, pointed out Grimes,
are there provisions for weigh
stations.
One of the 1 biggest questions in
the minds of the farmers present at
the meeting was whether or not
trucks would be able to bypass the
weigh station by leaving 1-78 and
running old Route 22 a two-lane
secondary road.
The Penn DOT representatives
assured the local citizens that
“mobile teams with portable scale
equipment will be utilized on the
bypass routes to discourage
deliberate bypassing of the per
manent weigh stations.” They also
Suggested the township post for
“no trucks” and have bridges
(Continued froip Page A 24)
to pay interest on the money they
owed the Oeisamans.
super
board
After the legal ordeal bad ended,
the Deismans once again gave a
sigh of relief and looked forward to
getting their farm and lives back in
order. But, their respite was short
lived.
This past September, another
Penn DOT letter was m the
Deisaman mailbox. According to
Deisaman, this was the straw that
broke the camel’s back.
The state informed the farm
family, which now included their
son Stanley who had taken over the
dairy operation, that they are
intending to build a truck weigh
inspected and posted for weight
limits.
Grimes questioned whether the
state had sufficient police to
patrol the bypass routes during the
40 hours each week that the weigh
station is in operation.
“I spoke tdr-Troopfer William
Bandholz from Hamburg who told
me there are only two state police
patrolling 1-78 between New
SmithsviUe to the Lebanon County
line at night,” Grimes stated. “If
there is no bypass deterrent, there
will be a traffic hazard on old
Route 22, Besides, there’s no place
to pull a truck off the road safely.
And, if Penn DOT stops all trucks
on that road like they say they will,
and it takes 5 minutes to weigh
each truck, traffic will be backed
up for miles.”
Grimes also noted that last year
Penn DOT increased the weight
limit for trucks on all highways.
“If it’s so hard on the roads, why
Patz
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DAIRY EQUIPMENT
1950 S. sth Avenue, Lebanon, Pa. 17042
Phone: 717-272-0871
EVERY W
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New Holland, PA
If you need I cow or a truck load, we have from
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Mostly fresh and close springing holstems
Cows from local farmers and our regular ship
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Penn DOT weigh station
He pointed out the township’s
action on the sewerage application
is really just a “stall” tactic. He
said he believes the township is
(Turn to Page A3O)
and safety station along 1-78. Their
preferred site, they stated, would
involve 'buying' an additional 15.7
acres of land from the Deismans.
This would be taken off the south
side of the highway.
“If they do this, we’ll have no
room for cows,’’ exclaimed Grace.
“They’ll take our meadow land.
We’ll have to sell the cows. ’ ’
According to the preliminary
plans received by the Oeisamans
from Penn DOT, the weigh station
would extend to a point only ISO
feet from the heifer bam. And, said
Deisaman, tbe grading plan would
leave a 25-foot high bank at the
boundary.
"About the only thing that will be
did they raise the weight limit?”
he asked. “Heck, there aren’t
enough state police on this road to
enforce the speed limit. And now
they want to increase their
restrictions?”
Grimes, who milks a herd of 60
registered and grade Holsteins,
says he sometimes has to travel
old Route 22 with farm equipment.
Any increased truck traffic would
pose a safety threat for fanners
using the highway and school
children boarding and disem
barking from busses.
good for is growing groundhogs,”
he laughed.
Although the decision for the
weigh station has' not been
finalized (see accompanying
story), the likelihood of the state
changing its intentions seems slim.
Even in the face of this further
dissection of their farm, Deisaman
said he is not bitter.
"1 understand they’ve (Penn
DOT) got a job to do. But they
could do a better job, especially at
settlement,” he stated. “They’re
going to have to come, up with a
good price because this'time we’re
finished.
“For a man with plenty of
acreage, selling land to the state
might be beneficial. But, thinking
back, if 1 had farmed this whole
farm for the past 30 years since the
highway was built or for the past
40 years before the highway took
our land 1 have been
financially better off.”
What will the new year bring for
the Deisaman dairy farm? It’s
hard to say. But Deisaman, along
with neighboring farmers, is
planning to try to stop the weigh
station from being built on the
land.
If it does come to pass,
Deisaman said he won’t be able to
hold on not with only 25 acres of
land naif the farm be and Grace
worked for and built their dreams
on. This will be the last time Penn
DOT will take their land next
tune it will belong to someone else.
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PEOPLE’S
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Oakland Mills, PA
717-463-2735
N. 6. HERSHEY & SDK
Manheim, PA
717-665-2271
A. L. HERR & BRO.
Quarryville, PA
717-786-3521
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Monroeville, NJ
609-358-2565 or
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Chambersburg, PA
717-263-8424
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Richland, PA
717-866-7518
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Rt. 9 Box 125
Hagerstown, MD
301-733-0515
UMBERGER’S MILL
Rt. 4 Lebanon, PA
(Fontana)
717-867;5161
ZOOK’S FARM STORE
Honey Brook. PA
MILLER EQUIPMENT CO.
RDI
Bechtelsville, PA
215-845-2911
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133 Rothsville
Station Road
Lititz. PA
717-626-47.05
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Chapman Equip.
Center
Chapman,"PA
215-398-2553
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Hickory Hill, PA
215-932-2615
WERTZ GARAGE
Lineboro, MD
301-374-2672
CLAIR J. MYERS
Lake Road R 1
Thomasville, PA
717-259-0453
PETERMAN FARM
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225 York Rd.
Carlisle. PA
717-249-5338