October 10, 2000 The meeting of the Supervisors of Franklin Township, held in the Township office, was called to order by Chairman John Sachar at 2000 hours with the Pledge of Allegiance. Present were Sachar, Denver Ireland, David Henderson, Hugh Crandall and Dan Parker. HEARING: CONDITIONAL USE FOR A HOME OCCUPATION, SHIRLEY RICKERSON, 7766 CRANE ROAD-2000 HOURS Ms. Rickerson has requested a conditional use permit for a home occupation of polishing dies. She has stated that she picks up and delivers the dies to various tool and die shops within the area. She does the polishing in her home at a desk and does not plan to expand outside of her home. She has no employees and no customers come to her home. A small business sign at her residence is all she wishes to have. Ireland - she has two signs, a Shir Polishing sign and a Shir Stable sign. Can she have two signs? Crandall - she wants a directional sign off premises at the corner of Rt. 98 and Crane. Can she have one for a home occupation? Henderson - that would be on the directions we give her. Crandall - you get 6 or 8 directional signs crowded on a corner, it could be a mess. For a home occupation, you should have to call for directions. I'd like to see all directional signs go away. Sachar - it amounts to a mini-billboard. The ordinance states that off-premises signs are allowed for a business but not for a home occupation. We're getting a lot of signs for home occupations. Henderson - off-premise business signs would apply for Sandy's Greenhouse as well. Crandall - someone looking for a home occupation should know where they are going and not be drawing customers in. Arrows with house numbers would help. A lot of signs cluttering up the neighborhood should not be allowed. Is that like Russell Standard's signs, an off-premise business sign? Henderson - Russell Standard's signs were non-conforming prior to this ordinance. Crandall - we haven't allowed them before, we need a clarification. Shouldn't the new person at Cousins' apply for a conditional use? Henderson - the sign at the corner is allowed, 64 sq. ft. or less, and the sign at the building is still less than the allowed 64 sq. ft. Sachar moved to approve the conditional use request for a home occupation of Shirley Rickerson, 7766 Crane Road but not to allow the business directional sign at the corner of Rt. 98 and Crane. The business has to stay within the scope as described in the letter from Ms. Rickerson. One on-premise home occupation sign of 9 sq. feet or less will be allowed. Ireland seconded. Carried. Hearing adjourned at 2010 hours. VISITORS/PUBLIC COMMENT Crandall asked if Dave would check the white pines he planted at the corner of West Stancliff and Eureka to see if they are a proper distance off the road. Crandall - the Planning Commission is starting to work on limiting the number of animals per acre. The Commission thought Washington Township's 12 rabbits per acre was limiting. Discussion on the numbers that would be feasible. Sachar - if animals and manure were contained and managed, what's wrong with that? A complaining neighbor would have recourse in Commonwealth Court. Crandall - with Growing Greener being pushed and private drives allowed, we should be concerned with animal density. Sachar - the State regulates that. Once you're over the allowed density, you have all their regulations, State and Federal. Crandall - what the State has doesn't apply to what you'd get on two-acre lots. As lots shrink, density needs to be addressed. Henderson - work on it and see what you come up with. Crandall - we didn't want to get too restrictive. We will present our ideas to you. Fairview Township is pretty restrictive on their numbers. Right now the sky is the limit. There is no definition of intensive animal raising in the Zoning Ordinance that defines numbers. Henderson - in A-1 special animal raising is a permitted use. There can't be a limiting factor if it's a permitted use. Crandall - at what point is it a conditional use instead of a permitted use. Limiting the numbers would give you a handle on permitted use and conditional use. Big farm uses are being applied to smaller farms. Discussion. Sachar - when you come to a consensus, let us know. Don't be too restrictive, you'd like to almost be able to do whatever you want. Ireland - has George Antolik come to the Planning Commission with his second phase? Crandall - no and he is way beyond the limitations. He is way beyond the five years for completion. We have a private drive with public access, what exactly does that mean? Henderson - if the private drive is dedicated to public use, it can be used by the public. The purpose of doing that is to access the land at the rear so it can be used at some point down the road. Crandall - my impression is mail trucks, utilities, fire trucks, etc. only can use it. Henderson - a private drive has to be attached to a particular piece of property. There is a difference between a township road and a public road. The subdivision association would have whatever control available to them. The same rules would apply to it as any other public road. Discussion on a public road privately maintained. A flag lot would have a private drive. Two flag lots would have two private drives. Crandall - you're allowed only four lots on a private drive. Henderson - the public drive has to access the fifth lot. MINUTES Henderson moved to approve the minutes of 9/28/00 as presented. Ireland seconded. Carried. REPORTS Superintendent - Dave reported that we had 3.7 inches of rain in the last seven days. Crew is back on the roads grading. The Oshkosh is almost done. Trucks 5 and 6 are going for inspection and clutch replacement. The one-ton won't start when it's cold. The tanker needs a muffler. Dave stated that we are behind in work to be done yet. The State snowplow contract starts October 15th and goes until April 30th. Green Acres will quote a price for guide rail on Francis. Sachar - are any sections of the roads particularly bad? Henderson - no, not real bad. We lost the crown on some. Mager Tree Report - nothing to report. Generator - nothing to report. Gravel Road Program - nothing to report. Girard Township/Gudgeonville Road Complaint - no reply to our letter. Agility - Ray is on the last mowing round for the State. Falls Road Bridge #2 - Mark Corey will have a photo taken of the bridge by a professional and would like us to apply for any applicable awards. Corey is also thinking about the rocks in the streambed. Discussion on the pipe on Francis. FINANCIAL AND TAXES Bills - discussion on various bills. Henderson moved to approve the bill list for payment totaling $5,133.35 general fund; $3,200.00 Silverthorn Road assessment fund; $1,046.94 equipment fund; $106.97 municipal building fund. Ireland seconded. Carried. Payroll - none. PLANNING, ZONING, RECREATION, SAFETY AND HEALTH Planning Commission Minutes - nothing. Update Comprehensive Plan - nothing. Buren Subdivision - will remove from agenda. Industrial Park/KOZ - trying one more time for a regional authority between Washington Township and Edinboro Borough. Recreation Complex/VFW - Dave reported that he is moving ahead on the application. The VFW is deciding if they want to be involved with government. Ireland moved to advertise a hearing on the Recreation grant on October 26 at 8 a.m. Henderson seconded. Carried. Ireland - is the master site plan done yet? Henderson - no, it can tag on to the application information. Dave's Pond Letter - no response to our letter. Abandoned Gas Wells - waiting for DEP information. Storage Trailers - research is done, thinking about it. Walker Subdivision - nothing. SOLICITOR Western Trail/G. Antolik - no word on the engineering bill. Sachar - have any residents on Western Trail voiced concern on snow plowing? Henderson - Scott Tait called and was told we're waiting for Antolik to pay the engineering bill. No response from Antolik as yet. Impact Fee Ordinance - nothing. OLD BUSINESS Lights on for Safety - nothing. Census - nothing. Malone/Vincent Mylar - Bernard Vincent, 9721 Mohawk, is adding a small strip of land 51.99 feet wide and 774.05 feet long amounting to 2.181 acres to his property that he purchased from Dave Malone at 9749 Mohawk. Sachar moved to approve the Mylar as presented. Ireland seconded. Mylar was signed. Discussion on Storage Trailers - the County considers them a motor vehicle and does not tax them. They won't assess them even if the owner owns the trailer. Current Township regulations allow a temporary permit good for two 6- month periods. Crandall - they are a good way for quick storage as long as there is no advertising on them. Henderson - but a way around paying taxes on a storage unit. NEW BUSINESS Washington Township Recreation Grant/Ball Field - Washington Township sent a letter saying that they are also applying for a grant to build a ball field in the future. Henderson - I suggest we approach Washington Township and others to see if they'd like to discuss regional facilities so there is no duplication. Their 20-acre site will have a baseball field when the high school field is eliminated when Route 99 is upgraded. Henderson moved to contact the two other municipalities and set up a meeting to discuss recreation facility plans. Sachar seconded. Carried. Edinboro Borough Grant - they sent a letter asking for support for their grant application to build a public bathhouse on Lakeside. Henderson moved to send a letter of support. Sachar seconded. Carried. Addition to Part-Time Driver List - Henderson moved to add Finley Horn to the part-time driver's list. Sachar seconded. Carried. CORRESPONDENCE Reviewed. ADJOURN Sachar called the meeting adjourned at 2126 hours. Bonnie J. Bernhardt, Secretary