Sale of Former Parsonage Green-Lit By Council

in Hellertown can sell its former parsonage without filing a plan for a minor subdivision with , Borough Council determined Jan. 17.

The church, which is located on Third Avenue, has long owned three separate parcels on three separate deeds, council solicitor Michael Corriere explained.

The three separate deeds are for the church, the parsonage and a parking lot, he said.

However, in attempting to sell the parsonage it was discovered that the building shares a county tax ID number with the church, he said.

An individual number is necessary for the purpose of selling real estate.

"It does appear to be a mistake by the county," Corriere told council.

He said borough zoning and codes enforcement officer Joe Chernaskey had been apprised of the situation, and that Chernaskey did not think a subdivision plan needed to be filed in order to correct the error.

Chernaskey was absent from the meeting.

"Basically, from a legal perspective, I certainly don't have a problem (either)," he continued. "I see no reason to do a subdivision."

Councilman Tom Rieger questioned whether the historic use of the parsonage as a church-owned, i.e. tax-exempt property, would have had something to do with the two buildings having a common tax ID number.

"That's why it was under the same tax ID," he surmised. "Because as a religious organization you're exempt from taxes."

Rieger also noted that the parsonage has not been used as such for some time, and said that in the recent past it has been rented as an income property.

"But this now will become a taxable property," borough manager Cathy Kichline interjected.

The property meets all the zoning requirements for becoming a single family residence, she said.

Borough engineer Bryan Smith, of Barry Isett and Associates, noted that the purpose of a subdivision is to create a deed rather than an individual tax ID number. Since a deed for the property already exists, there should be no need to subdivide, he added.

A motion to approve the request by the church to forego the subdivision filing was subsequently approved, 6-0.

Councilwoman Gail Nolf was absent from the meeting.