Huntington Township Planning Commission members and residents spent the May meeting focusing on heavy truck traffic and land‑development activity tied to a conditionally approved plan for a JVI (also referenced as JBI in the record) site on Old Harrisburg Road.

Residents described frequent dump‑truck traffic on Old Harrisburg Road and asked what the township can expect once the company completes grading and site work. Resident Maria said, “I have counted 9 trucks coming up,” and described full trucks heading to Gettysburg and empty trucks returning, which she and other residents said has made walking and bicycling along the road unsafe.

Why it matters: residents said the volume and pattern of truck trips are disturbing daily life and raise safety concerns at driveways and intersections. Commission members said the planning commission’s role is to review land‑development plans for zoning and site elements such as parking, drainage and stormwater compliance; enforcement or access to state roads is handled through PennDOT permits or other agencies.

Commission response and permitting status
Zoning officer Scott (identified in the meeting) said the JVI plan has been conditionally approved and that the developer submitted permits and a bonding estimate. “After conditional approval is given, they have 90 days to complete the conditions,” Scott said. He also reported that the developer submitted a traffic study that PennDOT reviewed as part of the permit process for access to the state road.

Commission members told residents that heavy hauling is largely associated with placing fill to raise grades on the site, and that activity should slow after grading is complete. One commissioner summarized: once site fill is in place, “that site should calm down.” Commissioners also said they do not count individual trucks as part of their land‑development review but do review parking area size and whether the plan meets the subdivision and zoning ordinance.

Related land‑development items, engineering review and timelines
The commission’s engineer reported a range of land‑development items under review: JVI/JBI remains conditionally approved and will need to return with a revised E&S (erosion and sedimentation) plan notation; the E & B Clearing plan along Old Harrisburg Road is being revised to address county and conservation‑district comments and requires state permits for disturbances greater than one acre; and other plans (4 J Farm LLC and a Prostar single‑family lot) were discussed and in some cases tabled pending technical revisions.

Commissioners emphasized that the planning commission will try to reduce the number of conditional approvals forwarded to supervisors so the supervisors receive fewer outstanding conditions to resolve. The chair also announced a new policy restricting off‑topic audience comments: “I’m gonna not entertain actions off caller, good comments from here or off out of the audience about discussions that don’t pertain to planning, zoning, or comprehensive plans, or things like that. So just be warned. I’ll shut you down quick.”

What’s next
Commissioners said the developer must address the outstanding engineer and conservation‑district comments and return for reapproval; some applicants have agreed to return at next month’s meeting. Residents were told the traffic‑study documentation and PennDOT permit are available in township files for review. The planning commission set routine follow‑ups: applicants have the ordinary timeframes established by conditional approvals (90 days to satisfy conditions unless extensions are requested) and the commission will require reapproval for any plan changes to E&S or other notations.

Votes at a glance
- Reorganization nominations: Motioned nominations for chair (Ted), vice chair (Tom) and secretary (Roxy) were moved, seconded and adopted by voice vote (recorded as unanimous “aye” in the meeting).
- Minutes: April 28 minutes were moved and seconded and approved by voice vote.
- 4 J Farm LLC plan: Motion to table the reapproval until township engineers could review the revision was made and seconded and approved by voice vote.

Ending: The commission closed the meeting after public comment and administrative business and scheduled follow‑up items and next hearings for subsequent meetings. Residents who want to review permit and traffic‑study documents were told copies are on file at the township office.