M Vol. 121 No. 24 THE BACK MOUNTAIN'S NEWSPAPER SINCE 1889 July 31 - August 6, 2011 The DALL 50¢ WILKES-BARRE, PA. www.mydallaspost.com AN EDITION OF THE TIMES LEADER By SARAH HITE shite@mydallaspost.com A real estate expert retained by Chief Gathering LLC told res- idents at a zoning hearing July 21 that a natural gas metering station to be built off Hilde brandt Road would not affect property values. The company presented John J. Coyle III, of Coyle, Lynch and Co. based in Sharon Hill, for tes- timony in a continued hearing for its application for special zoning exceptions to build a me- tering station on a property lo- cated about 1,300 feet from the Dallas School District campus. Coyle testified he was able to review the metering station pro- ject and determine whether the proposed structure would ac- cord with the township’s zoning ordinance. He answered questions such as whether the project is com- patible with the characterization of the community, whether the By studying other areas in the state similar to Dallas Township, he (real estate expert John Coyle) estimated the metering sta- tion project would not affect any of these categories. He also said the infrastructure of roads in Dallas Township would not be significantly affected by the construction, operation or mainte- nance of the metering facility. project would cause devaluation of property and if the project would cause injurious harm to the public interest. By studying other areas in the state similar to Dallas Township, he estimated the metering sta- tion project would not affect any of these categories. He also said the infrastructure of roads in Dallas Township would not be significantly affected by the con- struction, operation or mainte- nance of the metering facility. He said he studied Middle- town Township and Brookhaven Borough in Delaware County, both of which feature residences, schools, nursing homes and oth- er community structures near the Spectra pipeline. A hearing will be scheduled in the future to give opposing at- torneys and the public a chance to cross examine Coyle. ~ Expert says metering station will not affect property values Prior to hearing Coyle’s testi- mony, Ted Wurfel, vice president of Environmental, Safety and Regulatory Affairs for Chief, was presented as a witness for the zoning hearing board to ques- tion. Solicitor Phil Gelso asked Waurfel a number of questions re- lating to the township’s zoning ordinance, including whether the project fits into township de- velopment plans. See VALUES, Page 10 FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP Zoning ordinance By SARAH HITE shite@mydallaspost.com Officials are working on changing the township zoning ordinance to bring the rural community up to date. The planning commission met Monday to begin discus- sions on the drafted document, which is part of a series of up- dates funded through a $100,000 grant from the Luzerne County Office of Community Develop- ment received by the township in 2009. Officials recently approved the township's first-ever compre- hensive plan. Now they are re- viewing a drafted zoning ordi- nance and plan to make changes to its subdivision and land devel- opment law. The drafted zoning document addresses many issues, includ- ing one subject area currently af- fecting neighboring Dallas Township — natural gas develop- 2 ent. The ordinance addresses nat- ural gas compressor and meter- “may be changed FOR MORE INFO Contact Franklin Township Secre- tary/Treasurer Rick Melvin at 333-5131 for more information about the drafted zoning ordi- nance. ing stations, oil and gas wells, industrial waste water treatment facilities and hydraulic fractur- ing water withdrawal facilities. Oil and gas wells and com- pressor and metering stations would be considered as special exceptions in agricultural and industrial districts. Hydraulic fracturing water withdrawal fa- cilities and industrial waste wa- ter treatment plants would be considered as special exceptions within the industrial district. A special exception would be granted by the township zoning hearing board if certain condi- tions were met for individual projects. According to the draft, no ar- eas within the township accept See ZONING, Page 10 THAT CHAMPIONSHIP FEELING CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK/ FOR THE DALLAS POST Back Mountain American team members celebrate a home run and another runner at the beginning of the Section 510-1 Little League championship game. For a story and additional pictures on the team, please turn to page 9. Cows at The Lands at Hillside Farms are tabbed ‘excellent “We have one cow that prefers Coca-Cola over Cows were classified by U.S. Jersey, part of American Jersey Cattle Association. By SARAH HITE shite@mydallaspost.com Snuffy, a 4-year-old brown beauty, bats her eyes at The Lands at Hillside Farm barn man- ager Chuck Deome as she noshes on some fresh hay. “She’s a love bug,” said Chuck. “I think she’s in love with me to- day.” Snuffy’s got reason to be such a flirt. As one of nine Jersey cows on the farm to be nationally clas- sified as “excellent,” she’s more confident these days. The cows were classified by U.S. Jersey, part of the American Jersey Cattle Association, on July 21. Nine of the 35 Jerseys re- &: 90 points out of 100 on the coring scale, which qualified them as “excellent” — the most cows ever at Hillside to receive the title. Farm educator Amy Deome said cows are judged on their physical traits, including legs, 6098151200794 _ night,” Chuck said Sprite.” Chuck Deome Farm manager, The Lands at Hillside Farms feet, udder and stature. “It’s basically how well they work,” she said. Those cattle living at Hillside work well because they have plenty of time to play. Chuck said in spring, summer and fall, the cows are only in the barn twice a day for milking. The rest of their time is spent grazing in the 100- plus acres of pasture, mingling with their farm friends and edu- cating the public. “We have volunteers as young as 11 years old and they learn how to do everything. Once they learn one thing, they move on to the next stage,” Chuck said. In the winter, the cows are kept inside the dairy barn, but their 4 by 6 2 foot hitching areas are large enough for them to move around. If a cow seems to be cramped, Chuck lets them walk around in a pen to keep them ac- tive. The most recent heat wave al- so affected the cows — farm staff had to keep them inside during daylight hours and position fans to cool off the cattle. “Even when it’s really hot, they get to be outside for 12 hours at Jersey cows are characterized by their light brown coloring and smaller stature compared to oth- er breeds, such as the iconic Hol- stein or Brown Swiss. The ladies were prepped for their big day — Amy said the cows were brushed and scrubbed be- fore appraisers came to the farm. “They even got pedicures,” she joked, talking about trimming the cows’ hooves. It’s easy for the four-person barn staff to keep track of the 110 cattle at the farm — Amy said it’s almost like having as many pets. “If you had 20 cats, you would know all of their names,” she said. The key to personalized care is getting to know the different per- sonalities of all the cows, which are often as big as their thousand- pound bodies. “We have one cow that prefers Coca-Cola over Sprite,” said Chuck. Chuck said Hillside hasn't seen so many high-ranking cattle in years, and the classification only reinforces the farm’s goals. “It’s about healthy cows pro- ducing healthy milk in a humane ” he said TOP PHOTO: "Snuffy," a 4 -year- old Jersey at The Lands at Hill- side Farms, snuggles up to barn manager Chuck Deome. RIGHT PHOTO: "Snuffy" and eight of her barnmates, have been certified by U.S. Jersey, a national cattle appraisal orga- nization. CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK PHOTOS/ FOR THE DALLAS POST
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