Two Muncy Township Supervisors approved sending a request to the township solicitors asking them to draft a historic preservation and demolition delay ordinance.

The vote by township supervisors Terri Lauchle and Denise Artley was done as part of new business not listed on the meeting agenda and could be a hurdle for those planning to raze the Bush House Estate to prepare for future commercial development at The District.

“The final item under new business is consideration of whether the township should explore adoption of historic preservation and demolition delay ordinance,” Lauchle said.

She added, “Given recent development activities and questions regarding historically significant structures in the township, it may be appropriate for the board to produce preservation tools that many municipalities use to balance development and community character.”

As she spoke, the room erupted with shouts of how this item was introduced improperly in terms of transparency and procedure.

“A demolition delay ordinance does not prohibit demolition, rather allows the township to temporarily delay demolition of structures that may have historical significance so that preservation options or alternatives can be reviewed,” she said.

She also clarified that it was to start the process of reaching out to the solicitors to have such an ordinance in place.

She then offered a period for discussion between board members.

“Any comments?” she asked her colleagues.

“No, I don’t have any,” Artley said.

Artley made a motion and Lauchle seconded.

“Nay,” said Supervisor Heath Ohnmeiss on the vote.

“How can you vote on something that is not even on the agenda, that was not posted, nor were we allowed to make public comment?” an attendee asked.

FAMVEST representatives said this was clearly an attempt of the two supervisors to prevent the proposed plans to demolish the Bush House Estate from proceeding.

The demolition is proposed to make site space for the new entrance to The District with a WAWA convenience store and gas station and a Hilton hotel, according to plans presented recently during a heavily attended open house.

The open house was attended by more than 500 people inside the building that is planned to become a Bass Pro and recorded for people to revisit.

During the township meeting, Lauchle said the township had a Bass Pro completeness review that she said was important because it showed the proper subdivision and land development ordinances (SALDO) procedure.

The board ratified the administrative correspondence done on Feb. 27 regarding the completeness review of the Bass Pro final land development plan submission.

“This was received earlier this year during a period of transition and the township office did not yet have a fully established intake process,” Lauchle said.

“We then started to do that intake on Feb. 27,” she said, adding that a representative from Mid-Penn Engineering was notified and that allows the board to formally ratify the communications for the township records.

Ohnmeiss declined to second the motion.

Zoning and codes changes also were approved in Pennsdale as the chair and vice chair of the board passed a motion on the review and assessment of zoning and codes enforcement services.

The township has been using Code Inspections Inc. under an existing agreement, and the board has been reviewing administrative services, needs and received information for services provided by Joe Lyons, managing director of Codes Assessment Professionals. The motion was for the board to have Codes Assessment Professionals to provide zoning and building code permitting service for the township and begin the transition process for those services, Lauchle said.

In other action taken by the board, Lauchle presented an item on ratification and reaffirmation of prior board actions taken in meetings in January and February, where procedural seconds or recordings of motions may not have been clearly captured in meeting minutes.

Ohnmeiss abstained on this motion.

The board took action on a fuel card temporary extension for the police operation done before the township secretary was fully bonded.

During the transition it was discovered the township fuel card required administrative updating in order to remain active, Lauchle said.

To ensure the township police operations were not interrupted the township contacted the fuel card provider and requested a temporary extension, she said.