Caernarvon plans ahead for waste water management

LANCASTER COUNTY - At the July 2 meeting, as Township Engineer John Roche was reviewing issues of concern, he said the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has been putting pressure on municipalities to address wastewater management. Sometime in the near future residents of Caernarvon Township will be required to have their septic systems pumped out in certain yearly intervals. Caernarvon may be one of the last local townships to adopt such a program.

“We would have to put together a program which would suit the needs of Caernarvon Township,” Roche said. “We could create a model ordinance by looking at similar ordinances from other municipalities.

Chairman Doug Maitland told Roche to put together a model ordinance and have it ready in a couple months.

“We can study it at a work session,” he stated.

A photo I.D. will be required at the November 2012 election. There are several types of photo IDs which are allowed. One is a non-expired Pennsylvania Driver’s License. A form with information about acceptable forms of photo ID is available at the Caernarvon Township Building for anyone with questions.

Road Master Terry Martin said all of Oak Lane, Longview Drive, Agape Court, Maxwell Hill Road, and the upper ends of Swamp Road and Edwards Road will be sealed and chipped this summer. Reconstruction work will be done on Welsh Road.

The township is looking at long term maintenance of Pool Forge Park. Martin said some trees at the park have to be cut for safety reasons for a cost of about $3900. Four weddings are planned this summer and they want the park looking nice. There is concern about control of invasive weeds.

Plans are being considered for flood control along the Conestoga Creek at Pool Forge. Roche showed a blueprint of what can be done to reduce the risk of flooding. Emphasis will be put on restoring the stream bank to reduce flooding. Roche said the D.E.P. wants them to look at the impact downstream, as they need some calculations and factual demonstration of the outcome.

There is concern about security at the park. Boulders or fencing will be located along road ways to keep vehicles from parking in non-permitted areas. Jeff Buckwalter said one or two individuals may be asked to do public service work at Poole Forge Park. They will be interviewed first.

Land owner Charlie Martin will be given 90 days to start work to comply with stormwater maintenance requirements at the property he owns at Narvon Station said Maitland. If he does not, the township will do the work and bill Martin. Martin has several large wooded lots for sale near Logan and Wertztown Roads.

A final inspection was done during the last week in June at the new Turkey Hill convenience store, said Roche, and there are some minor things that have to be addressed.

Martin said the timing of the traffic control lights has to be adjusted.

The Planning Commission will start reviewing the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance. They will use a model ordinance provided by the Lancaster County Planning Commission to make the local ordinance more efficient, said Maitland.

Supervisor Gary VanDyke said there were 18 people at the June 21 meeting of the Ag Advisory Committee. They are working with East Earl Township and getting advice from the Lancaster County Planning Commission in a study for implementing receiving and sending areas for using Transfer Development Rights as a means of preserving open space. They are contacting Terre Hill Borough and Brecknock Township about cooperation. Plans are being studied to revitalize New Holland.

The Lancaster Farmland Trust has been sending out applications for land owners to apply to get in an Ag security zone. Caernarvon Township has about 7000 acres out of a total of 18000 in the Ag security program. Farmers in the Ag security areas are protected from nuisance ordinances and eminent domain.

The Pedal to Preserve Bike Ride on June 2 raised $55,000 for land preservation, announced VanDyke.

Funds from the William Penn Foundation have provided grants for five farmers to plant buffers.

The Money Rocks County Park and the Welsh Mountain Preserve have a total of over 1000 acres of land, said VanDyke. Trails for horses and mountain bikes are being developed, and plans are underway to make a parking area and trails for the disabled.

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