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Resident urges review of subdivision variance, tree removals and street-safety procedures
Summary
During public comment, a longtime resident asked the borough to halt issuance of seals and permits for a subdivision until documentation of prior variances, ownership transfers, tree permits and sewer certifications are produced; the council asked staff to follow up and accept the resident’s paperwork.
Brian Owens, a resident of High Street, used his allotted time during public comment on July 20 to press the borough for documentation and enforcement related to a subdivision he says has affected his neighborhood.
Owens asked why a zoning-board variance had reduced a width requirement from 62 to 50 feet, called that reduction a circumvention of the ordinance, and said he received documents from the borough clerk on July 18 that raised further questions about the basis for the variance. He asked the council to instruct the building department to delay issuance of any seals or further permits for the two properties in question until the borough has reviewed the procedure and confirmed no improprieties.
Owens also alleged that Liberty Tree Service removed six evergreen trees without permits, asked whether summons were issued and fines assessed, and requested documentation that the recent sewer work for the subdivision had been properly made and certified to prevent raw-sewage leaks. He further raised safety concerns about recent curb and sidewalk work he observed, saying heavy equipment operated while traffic and pedestrians continued through the work area and that no police or street-closure permits appeared to be in place.
Council members and staff acknowledged Owens’s concerns and invited him to leave the paperwork with the clerk so staff could follow up. Borough staff said an email record showed follow-up on July 18; Owens disputed receipt of the outreach and staff agreed to double-check contact records and investigate the documents he provided.
The council did not take formal action during the meeting on Owens’s requests but indicated staff would review the record and follow up with the resident.
