MANSFIELD - After some adjustments were made to plans for a housing development at the Interstate 99 commerce park, borough council approved sending the plans on to the planning commission for review.
Marty Eustace, of Eustace Engineering, explained the revamped plans for a single- and multi-family development located between Brooklyn Street and Madeline Drive and consisting of nine single-family dwellings and six 30-unit multi-family buildings, with 271 parking spaces, as well as driveway parking and garages for the single-family houses.
"We have pushed most of the multi-family development to the south," he said.
The existing storm water management basin would remain untouched, he added, and two private roads will provide access off Madeline Drive and the nine single-family units with a cul-de-sac at the end.
"We are proposing a culvert to handle a hundred-year flow of storm water if the basin should fail taking water out to the Tioga River," he said. "This alleviates a lot of pressure that would occur with the residential units."
Runoff also is designed to go around the back and be piped into the subsurface system, he said.
An existing pipe would be replaced with a larger culvert to extend the swale out to the river, cutting down flow to the corner, Eustace added.
Natural screening provided by evergreens and other native trees would shield established residents views from Brooklyn Street, along with landscaping around each individual unit and shielded street lighting.
"The units closest to Brooklyn are between 150 to 175 feet away, and the houses about 90 feet away, with retaining walls ranging in size from two to 10 feet and about 50 feet from the west edge of pavement on Brooklyn," he said.
The single-family units already comply with zoning along Brooklyn Street, as do the multi-family units for the area they would be in, said codes officer Shawn Forrest.
"The only overlay (of zones) is in the green part, which is a good option," he said.
Water flow for a development that size was another issue, with 400 gallons a day estimated for single-family units and 60 gallons per day per person for multi-family units, "but a three-bedroom apartment could hold more than three people and calculations could be a bit light, so they might need to look for additional water sources," Forrest added.
Council also approved a request for a zoning change from Bill Waldman for 1 Meadow St., the former Kuhl's Florists, so he and his wife, Marci, can open a bed-and-breakfast with a gift shop included.
Council also:
Approved new sewer rates for Richmond Township for 2013 at $2.605 per 1,000 gallons.
Heard a request from borough resident Stan Orchowski that Fourth Street up to his house be included in the tar-and-chip schedule or at least have dust control applied.
Extended its agreement with the YMCA for the former armory building to 25 years with the condition that if the Y ever ceases to operate the building, it reverts back to the borough for other uses.
Agreed to give away wood chips made from compost at the sewage treatment plant to anyone who wants them. Individuals are limited to two yards, or a pickup truck load.
Heard that this year's trick-or-treat hours will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Halloween night, Oct. 31, and approved Mansfield University's homecoming parade for 10 a.m. Oct. 13.
