Weaverland Produce Auction needs more covered areas to provide protection for more bins and carts of produce.
Todd Shoaf, of Pioneer Management, told the East Earl supervisors a traffic and parking study done on Oct. 3 showed the existing 69 parking spaces will provide enough parking spaces even with the addition. The study was done on a Tuesday which is one of the biggest days at the auction. Apples, pumpkins and mums were sold that day and spaces were filled to capacity.
Many vehicles come to unload produce and are gone in 15 minutes, said Shoaf. For studies, the parking area was divided into nine sections. There are box trailers, pickup trucks, cars, horses, tractors and wagons. Refrigerated trucks are located on the eastern side of the building. Hay and straw are also auctioned there.
No parking signs will be located along Precast Road and stop signs will be at the entrance.
Supervisor Joe Shriver said he heard about some overflow parking on the grass areas. He is concerned about horses getting into the storm water settlement basin. Shoaf said he didn’t think horses would go down a three foot slope.
‘I rarely saw horses in the basin,’ said Carl Hoover, one of the managers at the auction. ‘I see your concern. We can put a fence around the storm water basin.’
Shriver asked Hoover and Shoaf to address comments by the Planning Commission and E.L.A. Group, the township engineers.
Hoover said he and John Shick checked the status of vehicles at the auction on 15 minute intervals. It could be called controlled chaos.
‘You have a traffic study and propose to use it with reference to a new building,’ said Shriver. ‘How is it going to work in a new set up? It is organized chaos. You have everything from a tractor trailer to a wagon to a wheel barrow.’
The Environmental Protection Agency wants the parking area blacktopped so the dust doesn’t get on food.
‘There are odds and ends to be discussed to settle up,’ said Chairman Dave Zimmerman.
Some waivers are requested for stormwater management, curbing and lighting. Since the building is for commercial use, lighting must be to code. Zoning Officer Shaun Seymour insisted it must be on the plans or he will have to reject them.
Cooperation between police departments helped lead to the arrest of four individuals and a juvenile from the Terre Hill area in several local robberies and other attempted robberies, said Chief of Police Kevin McCarthy.
‘It shows how cooperation helps,’ he said.
During November, East Earl Police answered 141 calls for service. Investigations were made into 14 traffic accidents and there were 11 criminal investigations. The department received 20 calls for service from Terre Hill Borough, investigated a traffic accident and conducted three criminal investigations. The department issued 72 citations and 23 individuals were arrested for crime codes violations.
During November, Seymour issued 14 permits with a value of $300,000. Fees amounted to $2,122 and 21 occupancy permits were granted.
Safety Coordinator Bill Shirk said the Safety Committee will inspect the water tower at Blue Ball Commons.
On Nov. 14, members of the Emergency Management Committee received instructions on how to manage emergency radio communications, said Shirk. On Nov. 20, Shirk attended a meeting of the Susquehanna River Basin Commission. On June 7, Shirk will attend a seminar for instruction on dealing with hazardous materials.
Jeff Sweater, township engineer with ELA Engineers, told a contingent of concerned East Earl residents that he had just returned from the Terre Hill Borough meeting. Now they are looking into a regional solution to solve the wastewater management problem of Goodville and Terre Hill.
Goodville has had some contaminated wells for 20 years. The Department of Environmental Protection wants an approved consent order or the township will be fined $500 per day. Officials are looking for the cheapest plan which can be approved. They are looking to go with a new consent order with Terre Hill and have to make a decision by Dec. 24.
The Terre Hill plant was built in 1960 and it will need repairs in five years. A joint plan would be a good thing for them, officials said. They are asking for time until Dec. 17 to draft a new consent order.
Sweater has been discussing plans with people from Conestoga Wood products. He said he made a sketch plan of a 600,000 gallon a day plant at Conestoga Wood Products on a 1.05 acre parcel of land.
There has been no response to the outcome of a meeting planned for Dec. 17 for the purpose of making a report on a new consent order. After the plans are approved, it may take nine months to a year for engineering work to be completed, said Sweater. After that, it may take 12 months to locate funding and four years to complete the project.
A pump station would be located at a low place west of Goodville along Route 23. From there the waste water would flow by gravity to Conestoga Wood Products. The pump station would be housed in a building approximately 25 feet square. A regional plan is cost effective but sometimes that doesn’t work, said Sweater. The plant can be expanded and officials are looking at costs for that.
Nine homes in Goodville have holding tanks. They are pumped as needed. Officials have to deal with it because it is a consent order, said Sweater. Funding wasn’t available before because it was too expensive.
‘The plans are still evolving,’ said supervisor Earl Kreider.
Repairs are needed on the bridge over the Conestoga Creek on Quarry Road, said Zimmerman. The work can be done while the bridge is in use.
Donations for 2013 include $500 for the New Holland Ambulance Service, $500 to the Fivepointville Ambulance and $5,000 to the Elanco Library, as well as $18,000 to the Garden Spot Fire Rescue and $11,280 to the Weaverland Fire Department. A donation of $1,200 will be made to Elanco Social Services Network and $500 to the New Holland Historical Society, and $2,000 will be donated to the Welsh Mountain Park and $2,000 to the Terre Hill Park. The Lancaster County Conservancy will receive $10,000.
