East Hempfield supervisors approve reduced driveway setback for 733 Dorsia Road over neighbor objections

The East Hempfield Township Board of Supervisors voted 4-0 on Sept. 3 to grant a modification to section 222-5.11H of the township driveway design standards, allowing a 1.5-foot setback rather than the ordinance’s 3-foot minimum for a driveway serving 733 Dorsia Road.

The decision followed an extended presentation by staff and the property owner’s representatives, technical questions about emergency access standards, and several hours of public comment from neighbors who said a Dorsia Road entrance would be unsafe and alter neighborhood character. The motion to grant the modification was made by Mr. Russell and seconded by Mr. Johnson; the vote was recorded as 4-0.

Why it mattered: the parcel at issue has two potential access points — a narrow local street (Dorsia Road) and a wider arterial (Marietta Avenue). Township staff described the lot as roughly three acres with two ownership-created access points. The township ordinance requires a 12-foot driveway with a three-foot setback; staff confirmed emergency access can be satisfied by an 11-foot clearance in some circumstances. The applicant asked for flexibility to accommodate an 11- to 12-foot driveway while reducing the setback to allow construction of a single-family home.

Neighbors who live directly adjacent to the proposed Dorsia entrance said the narrower local road is not appropriate for increased vehicle traffic and that moving a nearby fire hydrant could change insurance considerations tied to hydrant proximity. Sonia Milin, who identified herself as living at 735 Dorsia Road, told the board that “my quality of life is going to be severely impacted if I step out my kitchen door and people are driving back and forth.” Several other residents urged the board to require the applicant to use the Marietta Avenue access instead.

Applicant and staff response: Craig Hammonds, whose property is listed as 733 Dorsia Road, said he had purchased the parcel expecting Dorsia access and that he was prepared to meet emergency-access requirements. Hammonds said he had spoken with the water authority, which told him the cost to relocate a hydrant could fall to the township if the deed predated a certain date; otherwise the property owner would pay. Hammonds said he had spent about $300,000 on the parcel and that his intent was to build a modest retirement home.

Nate Sergis, a township staff member, noted that the ordinance “encourages the use of the lesser classification road when a property abuts an arterial and a local road,” meaning the board can consider whether Marietta Avenue is a feasible alternative, but he said PennDOT access permits and storm-drain constraints could make Marietta an uncertain and potentially costly option.

Board weighing factors: members cited the legal threshold for denying reasonable waivers and the property owner’s right to use the land, while also acknowledging strong neighborhood opposition and the need to avoid harm to long-term residents. Several supervisors warned that directing the owner to Marietta Avenue could require extensive work (storm-drain relocation, PennDOT permit) and might not be feasible.

What the vote did: the board’s motion amended the driveway design standard for this property only, reducing the required setback from three feet to 1.5 feet to allow the proposed driveway alignment at Dorsia. The motion was approved 4-0.

What remains unresolved: the location and cost of relocating the fire hydrant and any neighbor-owned sheds, and whether insurance impacts tied to hydrant proximity will materialize. Staff and the applicant indicated further coordination with the water authority and the local fire company will be needed before final permitting and construction.

Next steps: the waiver allows the applicant to pursue required permitting and infrastructure coordination; any additional work that affects public infrastructure (hydrant relocation, PennDOT access work) will require separate approvals and likely cost determinations.