Loyalsock Township supervisors Tuesday night gave their approval for conditional use of a property at 2997 Lycoming Creek Road to be used by a natural gas-related company for staging and storage, but not before setting a number of rules.
The approval is for American Peak Production to use the land owned by Bob Spencer as a staging facility. However, neighbor Ron Obryan, of 2980 Heshbon Road, said the company in the past was fabricating materials at night, allowing tractor-trailers to idle and spew diesel soot and using Woodruff Avenue as an access road even though it only is supposed to be used for emergency vehicles.
Obryan said on one occasion, a tractor-trailer sideswiped a utility pole near Woodruff Avenue, causing his power to be cut.
The resident said "all you can smell in our house is diesel" at certain times because of idling trucks, adding that soot gets on his recreational vehicle, truck and house.
Still, Obryan said employees were responsive when he asked them to curtail their activities.
"I have no problem with these guys whatsoever," he said.
Township Manager Bill Burdett said he was unaware of the company's actions, which went against what supervisor approved previously at the location. A land development plan was OK'd by supervisors on Aug. 30.
"This is news to us," he said. "What was presented to (supervisors) was basically a parking lot. It has turned into something different."
There were no representatives from American Peak Production at the supervisors' meeting Tuesday.
Supervisors voted 4-0 to approve the conditional use, but mandated that no trucks idle, no fabricating take place during daylight hours, that Woodruff Avenue be used solely for emergency access and that additional screening be placed along fencing.
A law passed by the state Legislature in 2008 bans large diesel vehicles from idling more than five minutes during any continuous 60-minute period. Violations are enforced by the state Department of Environmental Protection and can result in summary offenses with fines of $150 to $300.
In other business, supervisors approved an ordinance that allows the township building codes board of appeals to also hear sewer and storm water management plan appeals.
Supervisors also approved the sale of a 2004 dump truck to Limestone Township for $61,000.
Trick or treat hours were set from 6 to 8 p.m. on Oct. 31.
