Commission tables Millersburg subdivision for more information on Evelyn Drive and easements

The Dauphin County Planning Commission voted to table action on a subdivision application filed by the Charles and Margaret Polk Foundation that would create a new roughly 6-acre lot containing a medical center in Millersburg Borough and Upper Paxton Township.

County staff identified several outstanding technical issues that they asked the applicant to resolve before county approval. Staff said the submission requested a preliminary-plan waiver but did not include justification for that waiver; identified two existing 30-foot-wide utility easements; and did not clearly show whether utility easements or connections crossed the residual parcel and the proposed new lot.

Staff also flagged the status of Evelyn Drive, which the plan shows as a 20-foot cartway in places and which may be a public road in the township but not in the borough. That ambiguity matters because the county subdivision ordinance requires adequate cartway width, frontage and, where necessary, dedications or maintenance agreements for existing streets. Staff reported they found two deeds of dedication and a maintenance agreement from 1991 that appear to govern Evelyn Drive maintenance; staff said they will forward those documents to Millersburg Borough and the Polk Foundation to confirm whether the 1991 agreement still governs the road and whether a new maintenance agreement is needed and should be noted on the plan.

Commission staff summarized their work and noted the county has a 90-day statutory review period for the submission; counting from the completeness determination, staff said that 90-day window would extend to December 7 (date provided in meeting). Staff recommended tabling to allow the applicant and local municipalities to resolve the outstanding items.

Commissioner Jerry (county staff member) summarized the issues and said staff would contact the applicant and borough/township to resolve the easement and maintenance-agreement questions before the next meeting. A motion to table the subdivision until the next meeting carried by a voice vote; one member recorded an abstention.

The commission emphasized the application involves a medical facility and said ensuring road maintenance responsibilities, emergency access and utility easements are clear is a priority for public safety and future property transactions. The commission will revisit the application at its next meeting after staff receives clarifying documents from the Polk Foundation and the borough and township.