Lower Paxton commission recommends conveyance to expand New Side Cemetery after GPR locates 48 suspected burials

Lower Paxton Township's Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of a preliminary/final subdivision (Site Plan 2605) that would transfer 0.1903 acres from the Four Seasons Condominium association to New Side Cemetery, commissioners heard at their July 1 meeting.

The plan, presented by a staff member identified as Nick, would reduce the condominium parcel from 3.9466 acres to 3.7563 acres and enlarge the cemetery parcel from 0.0609 acres to 0.2512 acres. Nick told the commission that no site improvements are proposed with this plan and that a plan note will identify the cemetery parcel as a preexisting nonconforming lot to address a county minimum-lot-size comment.

Representatives for the applicants, Mr. David Doyle and Jay Purdy, described fieldwork at the New Side site, including clearing and a ground-penetrating-radar (GPR) survey. Purdy and Doyle said the GPR produced 48 suspected burial 'hits' across the parcel and that the applicants flagged those locations with white flags, 9-inch nails for metal detection, and orange survey whiskers; they plan to GPS-map each flagged location. "We have located 19 individuals that would have been Revolutionary War veterans," one presenter said, adding there are also burials they attribute to the War of 1812 and the French and Indian War.

Commissioners and applicants discussed preservation measures. Applicants repeatedly said they do not plan excavation of remains and emphasized careful surface-level work for site improvements, noting that the most recent recorded burial was in 1854 and many documentary records were lost to a 1904 rectory fire. Staff said the conveyed parcel was intended to encompass the flagged areas; applicants said they surveyed about 20 feet beyond the flagged zone to the east without further GPR hits and felt the requested acreage "encompasses all the 48 hits."

The applicants described public-access and interpretation plans: limited visitor access using a pull-off on Newside Road, proposed steps linking an existing Four Seasons sidewalk to the site (to be built with Dolphin County Tech), brochures, and an interpretive plaque with a QR code to allow ongoing updates to research. They also said they plan a dedication event in September and have discussed state recognition options with local representatives.

After discussion, a commissioner moved to recommend approval of the Four Seasons HOA New Side Road Cemetery Site Plan 2605 "subject only to the general comments from Tri-County Regional Planning." A second was recorded and the commission carried the recommendation by voice vote.

The plan now proceeds with that recommendation and with the noted plan note documenting the parcel's preexisting nonconforming status. No formal numeric roll-call vote was recorded in the transcript; the recommendation was taken by voice and recorded as in favor. The commission then opened public comment (none was offered) and adjourned; its next regular meeting was announced for August 5.

Clarifying details reported at the meeting include the exact acreages listed in the plan (existing lot one: 3.9466 acres; existing lot two: 0.0609 acres; conveyed: 0.1903 acres; proposed lot two: 0.2512 acres), the count of 48 suspected burial locations from GPR, the researchers' identification of approximately 19 Revolutionary War–era veterans plus two War of 1812 and four French and Indian War burials, and that the last recorded burial was 1854. The applicants said they would not excavate remains and that records matching individual burials were not found at the county courthouse because earlier church records were destroyed in a 1904 fire.

Speakers at the meeting included staff presenter Nick and applicant representatives David Doyle and Jay Purdy, Commissioner Epstein (who raised preservation questions), a member who identified themselves as "Supervisor Bill," a referenced "Chief" who responded to a procedural question about the GPR count, and the meeting chair. A member of the Historical Commission was present and spoke during the public presentation. The recommendation included the exact condition that Tri-County Regional Planning's general comments be addressed as part of plan finalization.

The Planning Commission's recommendation preserves the conveyed parcel as open space intended to contain the flagged burial locations and couples that conveyance with interpretive and mapping work; it does not authorize excavation, nor did the commission approve any construction or improvement on the conveyed land under this motion.