|
Halfway House Plans Stalled -- For Now
August 14, 2008
ECO Staff -- Laure Cioffi, senior journalist
WAYNE TOWNSHIP -- Overwhelming community opposition has put a temporary stop
on plans to build a halfway house on Wampum Road.
The Wayne Township planning commission tabled the review of a land
development plan submitted by developers Gabe Cilli and Robert Shrock to
construct a 200-bed transitional living facility for state inmates released
on parole.
Planning commission member Bruce Badger proposed the delay after a crowd of
more than 100 people showed up at Wednesday's meeting which was moved to the
lawn of the Wayne Township Municipal building because of the crowd.
"I'm against this as much as you are," Badger told the crowd. "I want to
give you until Aug. 27 to look into it. I'm not in favor of it, but we have
to follow the law."
The township supervisors will also look at the plan at their Sept. 4
meeting.
Wayne Township Planning Commission Chairman Ed Leymarie told the crowd that
the sole function of the planning commission was to determine whether the
building meets Wayne Township buiding code regulations. Since Wayne Township
has no zoning laws, the commission could not consider the use of the
building in its decision.
Cilli told the crowd that he and his partner have complied with all township
requirements and any delay would cause them to construct the building with
lesser materials than the intended split block construction.
"If you delay this project, you will create a false hope that something
could come out of the heavens to stop this," Cilli told the commission.
A group of residents have been activily opposing the plan since it became
public in late July.
Frank Stefura presented the commission with petitions signed by 2,000 people
opposed to the plan.
Stefura urged the commission to delay its decision.
"We have not had the time to formally obtain legal counsel. This thing is
being rushed through," Stefura said.
Most who spoke were concerned about public safety noting the Wayne Township
Police Department is part time and the Pennsylvania State Police take 45
minutes to an hour to respond to matters in the township.
Dominick Farina of Community Alternatives, the agency that will operate the
halfway house, said there will be 30-second delays on all doorways and video
surviellance of the residents. They will be required to have passes to leave
and their whereabouts must be accounted for.
Wayne Township residents say that isn't enough.
"We don't want this in our community, so go somewhere else," one resident
said which elicited loud cheers from the crowd.
Leymarie said the planning commission must act within 30 days of receiving
the developer's request or the land development plan is automatically
approved.
(Laure Cioffi can be reached at LaureCioffi@EllwoodCity.org)
|