A former Muncy Township zoning officer disputes a township supervisor’s version and timeline of events leading up to when the township first received a site plan and application for a preliminary zoning opinion for a data center on John Brady Drive.

“That isn’t factual,” said Victor Marquardt, the former zoning officer in the township, of the reference made at this week’s meeting by Supervisor Terri Lauchle, chair, to this being pushed through as a “warehouse.”

“I told her it needs to be denied as a use not provided for, and the developer, if they so choose, would apply for conditional use,” Marquardt said. “No discussion between her and I about a warehouse – none.”

According to Marquardt, the following is the timeline of events based on his logs.

He said his office received a notice March 12 that the township was terminating “our zoning and floodplain enforcement contract at the end of the required 30-day time period.”

That was with Code Inspections Inc., where Marquardt continues to work providing the area communities with that service. However, that action of terminating the contract had to be ratified at the March 26 public meeting because “no vote had been taken,” he said. The 30 days started after that action on March 26, he said.

“I received a preliminary zoning opinion request for the data center project along John Brady Drive on April 15,” Marquardt said.

However, Marquardt said when he received the preliminary zoning opinion request for the data center project on April 15 that “same day” he contacted the township solicitor, who at the time was Joseph F. Orso III, to let him know that he had received the application and that he was not going to take any action on it because there was a new zoning officer who would be taking over responsibility on April 27.

“On April 16, I was told by Orso to “hold onto the application and site plan,” Marquardt said.

Then, “on April 21, (Terri) Lauchle came into my office and picked up the application and the site plan, Marquardt said,” adding how he then explained to the supervisor that the preliminary zoning opinion request should be denied as a use not provided for under the ordinance, and that would prompt the applicant to apply for a conditional use hearing.”

Since April 27, all zoning requests have been forwarded to the new zoning officer, Joe Lyons, of Codes Assessment Professionals, Marquardt said.

Marquardt also is on the board of directors for Lycoming County Water and Sewer Authority.