Plum Planning Commission Supports Amendment for the Development of Elderly Housing

Residents attending Monday's Plum Planning Commission meeting linked orders to draft an elderly housing amendment to the Unified Development Ordinance with Councilman Keith Nowalk's personal business ventures.

The borough planning commission approved a proposed amendment to the ordinance, which would allow elderly housing as a conditional use in both neighborhood and suburban residential zoning districts.

Planning commission members Martin DeGore and Paul DeSabato were absent from the meeting.

According to the amendment, elderly housing in a suburban residential zoning district would be required to sit on a minimum 10-acre lot and would be permitted to stand up to three stories high.

Elderly housing in neighborhood residential zoning districts also would be permitted to stand up to three stories high, but would be required to sit on only a minimum 5-acre lot.

“I see that with these acreage requirements, there’s little opportunity for these developments to occur,” said Robert Zunich, chairman of the planning commission.

Residents, however, said the 7-acre Leroy Street property belonging to Nowalk happens to meet the requirements for the elderly housing amendment.

In 2009, Plum council turned down Nowalk’s proposal to develop senior housing on that property. Residents said the elderly housing amendment would give Nowalk another shot to get an approval for his housing plan.

Residents voiced this as more than a coincidence because Nowalk presented the idea to create an amendment at the May council meeting.

“It’s abuse of public office for personal gain,” said Ron Jackson, who lives on Jackson Road.

Planning commission member Robert Kalichuk said acted faily in charging the commission with drafting the amendment.

“I think there’s a need for senior housing,” he said.

While residents pinpointed Leroy Street, Kalichuk said this amendment would apply for the whole borough, which has enough land to develop senior housing.

Leroy Street is hard to drive through, and adding more residents to the dead end street would not help, former borough council member Dave Vento said.

“You can’t get two cars crossing as it is,” Vento, a Leroy Street resident, said.

Jackson said he has come before the planning commission more than enough times to oppose Nowalk’s senior housing plans.

“We knew it was coming as soon as he got on borough council,” Jackson said to the commission. “I’m pretty sick about coming down here just for him.”

The commission said the elderly housing amendment will be available at the borough building for public review. Council is expected to review it next month.

In other news:

The planning commission also unanimously approved the final subdivision request for the Colonial Pointe subdivision proposed for Elicker Road.

Grasinger Homes, the subdivision developer, plans to build a 36-lot community on 20 to 22 acres of land near the high school.

If the developers enter a phase two for development, Kalichuk advised the developers to create a second entrance to the property.

“I give you all the credit in the world for this time with the way the economy is,” Kalichuk said.

Housing is slated for the fall.