| 3 The Dallas Post NEWS Sunday, February 6, 2005 ® one (continued from page 1) parking lot. Although every citizen who came out to vote was eventually given the opportunity to do so, unusu- ally long lines and seemingly endless waits, some over three hours long, were not uncommon. According to county elec- tion Director Len Piazza, realigning the county’s vot- ing places is a multi-stage process that hasn’t been attempted within the last 10 to 12 years. Piazza’s plan, which will cut the number of polling places from 316 to 189, includes an added polling place in both Dallas and Kingston townships and one less’ in Lehman Township. Piazza says the realignment will save the unty an estimated 00,000, but still needs to be fine tuned before taking effect in 2008. “The next step is to notify the municipalities and afford them the opportunity to amend the plan,” said Piazza. Piazza also said the plan is based off of the number of registered voters in each area, but that those numbers have not been updated since 1994. He said the county also is planning to purge the file of inactive voters. Lake Township recycling Feb. 12 . The voluntary recycling dropoff center for Lake Township accepts items from 10 a.m. to noon on the second Saturday of each nonth. The center is at the ownship building on Rt. 29. The following items may be dropped off: aluminum and bi-metal cans, clear, brown and green glass, plastic #1 and #2 only. No motor oil containers or scrap alu- minum can be accepted. Newspaper will be collected this~month. Pack tight-in ¥ per bags with glossy inserts removed. Do not irop off items before the cen- ®.g:in available "The Harveys Lake Protective Association is again offering dock insur- ance. The cost remains at $20 per front pile, with a $100 minimum. That gives a dock owner up to $3,000 cov- erage. For more information, call Mark Sobeck at 714- 5326. Tell our advertisers you saw them in The Post. SADDLE RIDGE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT PRELIMINARY SUBDIVISION PLAN # $m SREY} toh ow I 3 Hp G0 i Wy ay a One page of the preliminary subdivision plan for Saddle Ridge, a proposed 101-lot development in Dallas Township. The entrance is at the lower left, off Harris Street. SUBDIVISION (continued from page 1) posed main entrance, at a sharp uphill curve on Harris Street, which is also known as Hill Street. “It’s a terrible road,” said Adrian Merolli, Executive Director of the county commission. “You're going to put all that traffic on that little street?” John Halbing, the principal developer, said the project would include widening Harris Street, allowing school buses that now avoid the curve to go through. Gibbons doesn’t regard the plan as ade- quate, and recommends that the township require a complete study of traffic on «Harris, Street and nearby, roadways and intersections. Both the county and township have “reservations about road grddes within the development, which at some points exceed 10 percent. That was the topic for much of the discussion at a meeting the morning of Feb. 2 between Halbing, his engineer and the three supervisors. The meeting had not been advertised, a al “It's a terrible road. You're going to put all that traffic on that little street?” Adrian Merolli Executive Director Luzerne County Planning Commission and was therefore illegally conducted, according to Teri Henning, Media Law Counsel for the Pa. Newspaper Association. “Any time a quorum of the board (in this case two supervisors) delib- erates agency business, it is required to do so at an open meeting,” she said. George Albert, Halbing’s engineer, defended the grades shown on the prelim- inary plan. “Seven percent is flat, even 10 percent is not steep,” he said. “There’s just so much you can do to get up and down these hills.” Supervisor Frank Wagner said a 10 per- cent grade may be acceptable for short distances, if it is not on a curve. “When you got to 13 percent, that’s definitely a no-no.” Halbing also asked for flexibility on the placement of manholes. A recent town- ship resolution requires that manholes not be placed in the “cartway,” the actual paved road surface. County engineer Gibbons also makes that recommenda- tion. Manholes increase the cost of repaving, and striking them can damage snow plow blades: The county planning commission has no authority to stop development in a municipality that has its own planning commission, as Dallas Township does, and the township is not compelled to fol- low their recommendations. Other points addressed by the county include wetlands, street lighting, lack of fire hydrants and sidewalks and the installation of guiderails, which is not recommended. “| Developer hopes to overcome obstacles by spring By RONALD BARTIZEK Post Staff DALLAS TWP. — Provided he can meet conditions yet to be imposed on his plan, developer John Halbing hopes to start work this spring on Saddle Ridge, a 101-lot development that straddles a ridge off Lower Demunds Road. “It’s going to take a few months to work through this,” Halbing said last week. “I wanted to be further along at this point.” He has already received inquiries about buying lots. Halbing-Amato Development LLC submitted a preliminary plan for the subdivision in late December, after the 73-acre parcel was rezoned entire- ly to S-1. While that designation allows individual lots as small as 11,250 square feet, the plan shows none less than one-third acre, or roughly 15,000 square feet. “To get an affordable house, you have to have affordable lots,” Halbing said, and that means smaller. “If I do one-acre lots, theyre going to be $90,000.” Halbing, who is known for creating more grand developments, such as Windsor Farms in Kingston Township, said about half the lots will be 1/2 acre or larger, some more than an acre. Most of the property had been zoned agricultural (A-1), where the minimum size is one acre. He expects lots, with public water and sewers, electric and gas service to sell in the $50,000 range. While suggesting that Saddle Ridge is aimed at buyers with more modest incomes, Halbing acknowledges that, “Modest today is a lot different then it was just a few years ago.” The houses will range from “low 2,000 square feet” and up, he said, and most will sell for under $300,000. “There is a mixture there.” “There’s a definite need for afford- able housing,” Halbing said. Ondish Hills, which he developed on the other side of Hill Street, proved that. He estimates 25 to 30 percent of the 60 homes there went to first-time home buyers, with most of the others bought by families moving up in size. Halbing’s Summit Pointe Builders company has constructed all the homes in his smaller developments, but he will open up Saddle Ridge to other builders. He says that’s because he can’t build at the pace he expects the lots to sell. The last 20 lots in Ondish Hills sold quickly, and in response he allowed other builders there. Manager.” will cover COG funds,” Box Oliver said he is aware of Ben Jones III warned his board COG (continued from page 1) to obtain more than $150,000 in grant commitments that will be used to pay for regional planning and traffic studies. The largest study is partially done, and Moskovitz said in the letter that he would see it through to completion. Beyond that, he wrote, “I will not par- ticipate with the administration Moskovitz was not paid for his work for the COG, but that didn’t stifle his enthusiasm, Oliver said. “A lot of this stuff he does on his own, over Saturdays and Sundays.” Kingston Township Supervisor Jeffrey Box, who had pursued the issue of insur- ance protection for COG grant money, said last Wednesday that his questions were not. directed at Moskovitz personal- said. Despite assurances made by Oliver and others at the Jan. 25 COG meeting, Box is still not satisfied the funds would be covered. “I'm not really trying to be an obstructionist,” he said, but he feels the public must be certain the funds are secure. Box was generous in praise of Moskovitz’s work. “I think over- all the borough and Joe have’ opposition to the COG within the communities, including among some public officials who have viewed Moskovitz and the borough as attempting to overstep their authority. One issue that stirred debate was a letter, written by Moskovitz on COG letterhead, that pledged the COG’s support for Dallas Township as it attempted to determine the legality of a halfway house for that the letter could potentially cause the township liability. “Things kind of blew apart after that,” Oliver said. But he feels the letter was a mild affir- mation of support for Dallas Township, not an attempt to take sides. Box could not commit Kingston Township to a more active role, although he said the township would continue to work with the COG. “We have or coordination of BMACOG programs outside of my specific duties as Dallas Borough They'll appreciate it, and every intention of being at the next meeting.” women in the township. Kingston Township Solicitor done a good job administering this organization,” he said. ly. “The issue is whether Dallas Borough’s bonding company so will we. FEBRUARY SPECIALS TUESDAY - OLIVE & SWEET RED PEPPER WEDNESDAY - WILD RICE & ONION LENTINE'S D Roses Starting At CATHY'S BREAD. THURSDAY- RYE * CAJUN THREE PEPPER Neer ; * MILLET RAISIN 5 5 0 "w 0) 0 oI = close : FRIDAY - CHALLAH BREAD * GARLIC $1 Miller Lite Pints JAY = eal ray of Bizza Gift C Gh i * OLIVE & SWEET RED PEPPER . . 1% i entertainment with (78 outs) ngs ! A Sl blo es SATURDAY - PAIN aux FROMAGE Memorial Highway Giveaways at I ror ony $19.95 vailable er eee Kimberly's Floral | 9 211 ET U.N (YAR ER BE II[IEDERI] BY] half-time! RJ from Bus 5 Now Offering a Daily Soup and Sandwich Special to go. Main St. Shavertown ® 696-3949 ¢ Hours: 7-2 Tues.-Fri. ® 9-2 Sat. “Turn Down The Radio” We Deliver! Pub: (570) 696-2627 Take-out: (570) 696-2500 | DELI & CATERING Catering for any occasion Dr. George A. Stolarick Podiatrist - foot specialist (oer) a) Ga) (ie) Gor } A Spiritual Weekend Designed To Touch God Within You ” Slow down your life and wake up your spirit. We live in a fast-paced, crazy world. We need time alone, in quiet. We need time to talk with God. Spend a weekend with us on a guided retreat for individuals. We will teach you how to add quiet time to your daily routine and we will show you the value of that quiet time. February 11-13, 2005 + $9500 at St. Gabriel's Retreat Center For more information write or phone us: Turn-Down-The-Radio P.O. Box 747, Clarks Summit, PA 18411 « 570-586-7302 www.TurnDownTheRadio.org Lenten Specials Ash Wednesday Seafood Salad on a Croissant Homemade Macaroni & Cheese Tuna Salad Subs & Sandwiches Vegetable Soup New England Clam Chowder Is pleased to announce the opening of his Back Mountain office. - Gentle, competent care of all foot ailments - Diabetic foot care, family foot care | - Most insurance accepted - Hours by appointment Maryland Crab Soup 1 120-1 Memorial Highway ¢ Dallas, PA Lc (next to Back Mt. Bowl) : Phone: 570-675-8382 OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK 659 Memorial Highway ¢ Dallas * 675-6139 Mon. - Sat. 9am-9pm + Sunday 11am - 7pm
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers