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Some park fees to increase in Pine
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Pine supervisors Tuesday increased fees for some park facilities and discussed whether to regulate the locations for gas and oil wells.
The superivsors voted 5-0 to raise some park fees to recoup some of the maintenance costs and on the recommendation of the parks and recreation commission.
The cost of renting a pavilion will remain the same, but a permit to serve alcohol will rise from $10 to $25.
Field rentals will rise by $10 over a two-year period. This year, the cost to rent a field will increase from $55 to $60 per slot, defined as 2 1/2 hours a week for 16 weeks. It will rise to $65 in 2013.
Baseball and soccer leagues will pay an additional $10 per slot because of the amount of materials and time needed to maintain infields, Mr. Gill said.
Pine has not raised the cost of renting fields for five years. Commission members were looking for a "fair recapture rate" and decided on 25 percent of the cost of maintaining the fields, said John Gill, commission chairman.
Meeting rooms in the community building also will see a 10 percent increase in rental fees. The fees vary, depending on the size of the room.
Groups or leagues in which 75 percent of members are Pine residents do not pay any fees, said Joni Patsko, recreation director. On most of the teams, 50 to 74 percent of members are residents, she added.
The proposed ordinance regulating drilling in the township should be ready for supervisors in March, solicitor Gary Gushard said.
The ordinance is a model from the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors and has already been adopted by most second-class townships.
"Many of the surrounding communities are in the process or have done such an ordinance," Mr. Gushard said.
Since Pine does not have an industrial zone, "we had to work within the existing zoning framework," he said.
Natural gas compressor stations, processing plants and oil and gas well sites will be conditional uses, which are subject to public hearings and approvals by the planning commission and supervisors.
They will be allowed in the following zoning districts: S-1, special; B-1, rural business; C-1, community service center; and C-2, planned transition.
They are not permitted in any of the residential zones or the Greenways Overlay, Traditional Village Overlay, Town Center Planned Residential Development or Planned Residential Development districts.
"If we pass this ordinance, we're going to get ourselves into a lawsuit from somebody," Supervisor Frank Spagnolo said. "Two-thirds of the township is already built up. ...Your open areas are mostly in R-1."
Mr. Spagnolo said he could see only four or five pieces of property that would qualify for drilling under the ordinance, and three of those are in residential zones. He said he knows of three landowners in the township who have already signed gas lease agreements.
Pending legislation in Harrisburg would override any local control of drilling, said supervisors Chairman Michael Dennehy.
Supervisors canceled their Feb. 8 meeting. Their next meeting will be Feb. 21, the day after Presidents Day.
First Published January 19, 2012 12:00 am
