The Middle Smithfield Township Board of Supervisors held a special meeting at 6:00 p.m., Tuesday, January 29, 2008 to take public comments on the 2007 Township Comprehensive Plan Update. The hearing was held at the Schoonover Municipal Center. Scott Schaller presided. Donna Kenderdine took a stenographic record.

Supervisors present: Scott Schaller, Ronald (Ron) Clewell and Robert (Bob) Spano Sr. Also present were consultants Tom Comitta and Jennifer Leister, Jennifer Wise, Fred I. Courtright, Kevin Kochanski, Wayne Rohner, Deb Ogden, Sherry Predmore and a number of Township Residents.

Scott Schaller opened the hearing and turned the floor over to Tom Comitta to review the plan. Mr. Comitta gave summary of the actions to date and explained that the purpose of this meeting is for the Board of Supervisors to consider any final comments that may be offered. If there are any suggestions that the Board feel are appropriate they can make changes before adopting the plan.

Mr. Comitta presented the 12/21/07 draft of the Comprehensive Plan update and it was marked as exhibit T-1. He also presented a document titled Key Dates in Developing the Report which was marked exhibit T-2.

He summarized the three major changes that were made from the September draft to the December draft. He confirmed that the 35 ft buffer was not meant to do anything to the Zoning Ordinance. Map 4-3 was amended to reflect more accurate conditions.

He advised that changes on page 4-13 clarified that no changes to current ordinances occur as a result of the Comprehensive Plan.

He summarized the broad stroke used in the character areas and advised that the plan is adopted by resolution and that in ten years from now would it would need to be updated again as required by the Municipalities Planning Code.

John Ferro questioned the changes made to the map for White Heron Lake and Mr. Comitta summarized the changes as a result of comments at the previous hearing.

Bob Pohlman questioned the 35 ft buffers and advised that his research showed scientific evidence that larger is better than smaller buffers. Fred Courtright indicated that Mr. Pohlman was describing answers given at the wrong meeting. The buffers described were in the Storm Water Ordinance. It was also noted that the 35 ft. was written as a minimum.

Mr. Comitta clarified by citing the court case of Fuchs vs. Willistown Township. He indicated that the minimum in the plan would apply in the absence of any other regulations. He stated that nothing in the plan prevents other regulations from being put in place.

Gary Summers gave his complements to everything that was put in the plan but has issues with the support data for residential growth. He questioned the tables in Section 2 suggesting that the numbers in the tables do not make any sense.

In order to review the matter, Mr. Comitta requested a recess. The hearing was recessed from 7:00 p.m. to 7:10 p.m.

It was the consensus that table 2-3’s title should be changed from 2005-2020 Housing Projections to 2000-2020 Housing Projections and that any other changes that would be required to reflect the change would be inserted.

Pat Forney questioned the zoning map showing resort areas and medium intensity development. He suggested that the word “residential” should be removed from T-4 and T-5. Mr. Comitta explained that the plan is not creating a zoning map however agreed that the word “residential” could be removed from the tables.

Velma Knight expressed her concerns with intensity and suggested that as written the document could support any type of development. She also was concerned about infrastructure.

Scott Schaller made a motion to close the hearing. Ron Clewell seconded the motion.

Scott Schaller made a motion adopt the Comprehensive Plan Update subject to changes made as a result of testimony provided that the changes are received before February 13, 2008. Bob Spano seconded the motion and it was unanimously carried.

The Solicitor advised that the Board should adopt the Resolution at their regular meeting scheduled for February 14, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. She advised that there will be no further hearing that changes and noted corrections will be made and the Plan will be adopted February 14^th by Resolution.

The meeting adjourned in regular order at 7:30 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Sherry Predmore, Secretary

January 29, 2008