@
By JOHN HOINSKI
Staff Writer
The owner of a Dallas dry
cleaning store has had part of
his Sweet Valley property
approved for rezoning for classi-
fication, allowing him to erect a
small shopping center there.
The permit apparently ends a
squabble between the property
owner and some Sweet Valley
residents who opposed it.
Robert DeRemer, owner of
DeRemer’s Laundry and Gifts
on 31 Tunkhannock Highway,
has started leveling ground on
three of his approximately 30
acres of land on Main Road in
Sweet Valley. At the site,
DeRemer would like to build a
mini-mall consisting of five
stores, including a pick-up sta-
tion for his Dallas business, a
probably two retail stores.
The move has irritated a
number of Sweet Valley resi-
dents and initially prompted a
petition against the idea. The
matter has also caused Ross
Township supervisors, one of
whom signed the petition, to
split on its vote for approval of
the mall. Two supervisors voted
“neutral’’, later clarifying that
their vote meant they were not
opposed to the construction.
According to Supervisor Albert
Holcomb, who voted against the
building of the mall, the matter
is probably ‘over and done
with.”
DeRemer recently received
permission from the Luzerne
County Planning Commission to
go ahead with his plans after
the site had been inspected by a
member of that department and
the Luzerne County Commis-
sioners.
“When these people come to
us for help, we have to make a
yes or no decision,” Commis-
have been advocating for a long
time that communities develop
their own zoning program so we
don’t have to step in.
“But when they do approach
us, we have to give them an
answer one way or another. All
three of us (Commissioners)
have been out at that property
at least once, and Adrian Mer-
olli (executive director of the
Planning Commission Staff) has
been out there a number of
Proposed mall
Sweet Valley.
times and did the proper
studies. He (DeRemer) will still
need permission from DER for
other phases of the project, but
right now he has been given
permission to go ahead with his
plans. The people can appeal
the decision, but this is what we
have decided.”
Some residents say there may
be some problems for surround-
ing homes if dynamiting is
needed, and say there is also
some concern about wells possi-
bly being polluted that may
result in the drainage of sur-
rounding wells.
But DeRemer says there is no
reason to dynamite and that he
would not be polluting the wells.
He said he would still need
permission from DER to drill
for a well and if there was a
need to dynamite, but said the
40 x 120 foot structure would not
require much water anyway.
“What the people are really
upset over is the location of the
mall,” said Ross Township Hol-
comb. “You have to understand
that people who live out here do
so to get away from the city, to
have peace and quiet.
“I wouldn’t mind one store.
And the mall would probably be
more convenient for the older
people. But his plans were very
Don’t Forget
Pre.
Wyoming Valley Mall
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702
717-825-0918
Mon.-Sat. 10 A.M.-9 P.M.
Sun. 12 Noon-5 P.M.
cookies
651 Wyoming Ave.
Kingston, PA 18704
717-288-3010
Mon.-Fri. 10 A.M.-7 P.M.
Sat. 10 A.M.-5 P.M.
Closed Sunday
presentable and he did go by the
book. It’s really over and done
with.”
Holcomb was one of about 69
people who signed a petition
against the mall, but many sig-
natures reportedly did not come
from people living in the vicin-
ity. “We try to alert people
within a 200 foot radius if some-
thing is going to be built,”
Philips said. ‘But there were
signatures on that petition that
weren’t from around that area.”
Still, Holcomb said he recei-
vee about 25 calls against the
mall, including those from
aproximately five adjacent land
owners.
Supervisor Bob Walsh, who
voted “neutral” at an Oct. 7
supervisors’ meeting, said the
mall could possibly benefit the
community, but said he could
understand the feelings of some
of the residents.
Originally, many people
thought DeRemer would be
erecting a dry cleaning plant,
but DeRemer said the surveyor
had- made that mistake. The
land was later rezoned to a
more restricted classification
from B-4 to B-2 at a public
meeting, according to Merolli.
MAN'S BEST
FRIEND ___
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