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Carbon County planning commission approves several conditional subdivision plans, tables one application
Summary
The Carbon County Planning Commission approved multiple conditional minor-subdivision and conditional-plan requests and tabled one subdivision application for missing review fees. Commissioners and staff flagged outstanding documentation and required future permits or municipal approvals for several projects.
The Carbon County Planning Commission approved conditional plans and minor-subdivision requests for multiple properties and tabled a separate subdivision application after staff discovered a missing review fee and incomplete documentation.
The actions covered small-lot subdivisions, conditional approvals tied to surveyor certifications and municipal sewer hookups, and a tabling for failure to pay a required review fee. Commissioners recorded motions and repeated "All in favor. Aye." on several items; where the transcript did not record roll-call votes or named movers, the minutes show unanimous voice approval.
Why this matters: these approvals allow property owners to move forward with lot consolidations or future building plans but commonly include conditions — certification by a surveyor, completion of required plan blocks, verification of municipal sewer hookups, and required erosion-control permitting for disturbances over one acre. Those conditions are intended to protect public infrastructure, water resources and follow municipal ordinances.
The commission approved or conditionally approved the following items:
Votes at a glance - Minor subdivision (lower-shape/minor subdivision discussed earlier): conditional approval after applicant addressed comments contained in a five-page letter from Van Cleef; outcome: approved (voice vote; roll call not specified). - Howard and Susan Bartholomew (725 Old State Road): conditional plan approval recommended because several required items (signed surveyor’s statement, certification of ownership, signature blocks, and documentation of significant natural features) were missing or incomplete; outcome: conditional approval (voice vote; roll call not specified). - Meel/ York / Inglorio / Seltzer parcel consolidation (multiple lots near State Park): conditional plan approval for consolidation into a larger parcel (approximately 228.896 acres described); staff cited missing contour intervals, locations of wells and on-lot systems, and unsigned surveyor certification; outcome: conditional approval (voice vote; roll call not specified). - Barry and Regina Genic (watershed property): conditional plan approval recommended with conditions because a borough ordinance limits one-lot septic systems within a half-mile of the lake and because municipal sewer hookup from Jim Thorpe Borough had not been finalized; outcome: conditional approval (voice vote; roll call not specified). The commission specifically noted that the Jim Thorpe Borough sewer connection is a critical outstanding item. - Larry D. and Barbara Shackle (Bonastown): subdivision application TABLED for incomplete administrative submission; the engineer did not pay the required review fee (approximately $50 outstanding). The commission will consider the application at its next meeting on July 15 if the fee and completed materials are received; outcome: tabled until July 15, 2025 (motion recorded and seconded; voice vote).
Other items noted briefly - Penn Forest Township zoning ordinance rewrite: staff returned a markup for review; the commission recommended approval of the revisions presented to the county (voice vote; details not recorded in the transcript excerpt). - PPL (utility) notification: the county received notice of a proposed new 230 kV electrical substation in the Tresckow area; no formal action recorded. - Administrative note: staff reported that for future construction, if site disturbance exceeds one acre, a state erosion-control permit will be required before building can proceed.
Discussion and conditions Staff (presenter) repeatedly identified missing items that must be corrected before final recording: signed surveyor certifications, certification of ownership, full plan block completion to permit staff entry on the property, contours at required intervals, locations of existing and proposed wells and on-lot systems, documentation of adjoining property owners, and demonstration that municipal utilities will serve the lots where proposed. For several items staff recommended only conditional plan approval so the applicants could proceed with the planning process while outstanding technical corrections are completed.
The commission also noted procedural items: the applicants should obtain required municipal letters (for example, sewer service letters from Jim Thorpe Borough where relevant) and comply with borough ordinances that restrict septic systems near the lake.
What happens next Applicants with conditional approvals must submit corrected plans and the missing certifications or municipal approvals before final plan recording. The Shackle application will remain tabled until the required review fee and administrative completeness are provided; staff said it will be placed on the July 15 agenda if the fee is paid.
(Ending) The commission chair closed the business portion of the meeting after staff confirmed the month’s submissions and the commission moved on to new-business and regional coordination items.
