WAYNESBORO – The Waynesboro Borough Council held a public hearing and approved several changes to the land development code, while also tackling several other issues, including the development of a new cellphone tower, plans for a police building addition and a $380,841 sewer project at its meeting last week.
The new land development code changes include: ,
— A change to add dispensary-medical marijuana and smoke shops and tobacco stores as permitted uses in the industrial district;
— An amendment of the definition of halfway house to include housing for those recovering from drug or alcohol addiction;
— Permission for electronic message centers as a conditional use in the institutional district;
— And restrictions on the placement and/or storage of shipping containers in all zoning districts except for the general commercial/office district and industrial district.
Citizens in attendance were given an opportunity to provide public comments on these proposed amendments, but none were made. Later in the meeting, during the unfinished business portion of the regular meeting, the council approved all those amendments.
During the new business discussion, council members considered a proposed agreement between the borough and Verizon Wireless to install a 185-foot-tall monopole cell tower at the borough’s maintenance facility in the southern section of Waynesboro.
Under the proposed agreement, Verizon would pay the borough a yearly $30,000 fee to lease the land for up to 30 years, with five-year terms that are automatically renewable. Incremental raises for additional years, and potential income for subletting the tower to other carriers were also included in the contract. The tower wouldn’t require any lighting at the top.
Councilman Jon Fleagle, the street committee chair, inquired about the possible need to reroute the underground utilities for the Verizon project, with the thought that the borough might need to construct additional maintenance buildings onsite in the future. Verizon representatives, attending via Zoom, assured the council that rerouting changes could be accommodated. Fleagle also noted that no removal bond was present in the contract when the tower concluded its usable service. Verizon agreed to add that stipulation to the agreement.
Citizen Ronnie Martin asked about the lease amount, wondering if that was a fair fee for using public land. Borough Manager Jason Stains said the city researched comparative municipal agreements and “the pricing was right in line” with what other towns were receiving for cell towers on their properties.
Martin also asked about the cell tower’s benefits to the community, stating it would be visible from his home on State Hill Road. Stains said the borough considered the lease a wise business investment. Verizon officials said they operate cell towers on the east and west sections of town. However, a new southern location would provide better cell coverage for Waynesboro citizens (Verizon provided detailed map graphics through the video link, backing up this claim), and the tower would “add more lanes to the information highway.”
Also in new business, the council considered a sponsorship agreement with the Franklin County Redevelopment Authority to explore the potential environmental clean-up and future use of the borough’s Ridge Avenue industrial site, previously used as a community dump. Representing the borough’s funding consultant, GMS Funding Solutions, Project Managers Kelly O’Connor and Jill Gaito were present to explain the reasoning behind the proposed sponsorship.
Gaito addressed the council and said that since the borough’s prior actions may have had an environmental impact on the property, they were ineligible to receive grant funding. FCRA would step in as the sponsor to receive grant funds for conducting a preliminary investigation. The borough would be responsible for 25 percent of the initial project cost, or approximately $52,500 of the $210,000 estimated total. The grant funding would cover the remaining 75 percent.
Gaito explained the benefits of a potential site restoration and FCRA partnership, and suggested the borough could consider various future uses, such as parkland, residential, industrial or commercial applications, and the clean-up standards for each usage would vary. “I think this is a great site…with potential to turn it into something more beneficial for the borough and its residents,” Gaito said.
If remediation was deemed necessary, GMS said additional grant funds were typically available to municipalities that voluntarily initiated an environmental refurbishment. The council expressed some concerns about any contamination findings a site survey could reveal. Gaito explained that because the process was a voluntary investigative step by the borough and not an enforcement issue, any clean-up would also be voluntary. After the completion of any environmental restoration, the borough would receive a release of liability. The council agreed that knowing the property’s current status was a logical first step and approved the sponsorship plan with FCRA.
In a continuing discussion, the council considered initiating a request for proposals from architectural and engineering services to design a police department building addition to the borough hall. Earlier considerations focused on other sites, including land formerly occupied by East Junior High School (now owned by WellSpan) and other Waynesboro locations. This latest proposal would utilize land owned by the borough.
Councilman Fleagle expressed his opinion about the latest plan. “I’m not convinced this is the way to go,” Fleagle said. Although Fleagle saw the reasoning in having professionals look into the feasibility of the project, he wanted assurances that requesting a proposal didn’t lock the borough into pursuing that site.
“We should be able to pull the plug if we have to,” Fleagle said. The Borough’s solicitor said the proposal process could include provisions to terminate the project if that was deemed the best route. The council approved the decision to move forward with the request-for-proposal process.
For the storm sewer project, the council awarded the $380,841 contract to E.K. Services of New Cumberland, Pennsylvania, to construct underground piping on King and N. Franklin streets to improve run-off and eliminate flooding conditions that persist in that low-lying section of town. The new system will funnel and catch rainwater underground to prevent it from pooling on borough streets. The council noted that the approved project bid amount was lower than the original forecast budget.
Mayor Dade Royer delivered his monthly report, and highlighted a recent meeting with Waynesboro Community Liaison Kay Martin and Police Chief Ramsey to discuss homelessness in the borough, which numbered 78 documented cases during the past year. They also talked about mental health challenges within the community. Royer said he was investigating solutions with community organizations to address the lack of state and county resources for people who experience housing crises, mental health challenges, and problems with food insecurity.
Royer also mentioned a discussion with State Representative Chad Reichard about pending legislation that would provide law officers with easier methods to enforce safe product requirements for Pennsylvania vape shops. Royer noted the Franklin County District Attorney recently notified area vape retailers by letter about the illegality of selling a product called “Delta-8”, which contains higher THC levels than allowed by Pennsylvania law.
Earlier in the meeting, Royer swore in Robert Atkinson, a newly hired Firefighter/EMT. Atkinson took the oath in front of his family, and THE borough council congratulated and welcomed Waynesboro’s newest public safety professional.
