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Residents allege unpermitted development by Daniels Excavating; board cites enforcement process
Summary
At Salem Township’s July 17 meeting, residents complained that Daniels Excavating began work on Route 819 in 2020 without land-development approvals or required permits. The solicitor described the matter as an enforcement issue; residents pressed for stop-work orders and clearer enforcement steps.
At the July 17 Salem Township Board of Supervisors meeting, residents accused Daniels Excavating of carrying out land development along Route 819 beginning in 2020 without submitting required land-development applications or obtaining permits.
Resident Lisa Sagina told the board that neighbors received notice of the work only several years after development began and said, “Ignorance of the law or bad advice is no excuse.” She asked whether any supervisors or the solicitor had personal relationships with the developer; board members acknowledged seeing development activity but said discussions occurred in staff meetings rather than in public sessions. Several residents, including Matt Humes and abutter Ron Muir, described safety and nuisance concerns tied to the work, including difficulty seeing when pulling onto Route 819 and ongoing noise.
Solicitor Falatovich said the issue is being handled as an enforcement matter and that the developer has been cooperative. Falatovich did not, according to the meeting record, say that a stop-work order had been issued. Residents pressed why a Highway Occupancy permit had not been required or enforced earlier; a resident cited a July 1 voicemail from PennDOT stating the township is responsible for trimming brush and maintaining sight distances where township roads meet Route 819, but the board did not confirm PennDOT’s statement on the record.
The board did not take a formal enforcement motion at the meeting. The solicitor’s office and township staff were described as pursuing compliance; residents said they want clearer penalties in the subdivision and land-development ordinance to prevent future unpermitted work. The board noted that some discussions had occurred in staff meetings and that further public follow-up was being pursued.
What happens next: no formal action was recorded at the July 17 meeting beyond the public comments and the solicitor’s representation that enforcement steps are underway. Residents requested that the township consider stop-work remedies, confirm permit requirements for the site, and review any traffic-safety implications for Boggs Hollow Road and Kennan Road where sight distances were questioned.
