Cornwall PA residents upset over lawn maintenance violation notices

VaselineMay 16, 2024

0 3 minutes read

Cornwall PA residents upset over lawn maintenance violation notices

Douglas Stump
| Correspondent

Cornwall Borough residents have approached council members about lawn trespass notices.

Sean McCarrick told the board he received a letter May 9 from the district’s contracted zoning enforcement officer, Jeff Steckbeck, saying his property along Rexmont Road is in violation of the district’s weed and grass ordinance. The grass on the right-of-way of McCarrick’s property had not been cut due to a temporary shoulder injury.

The letter said McCarrick had until May 13 to correct the violation, but contested the form letter sent by the zoning enforcement officer.

The return address on the envelope was Steckbeck’s and did not contain the neighborhood’s address and phone number. McCarrick also had questions about whether a property owner is required to maintain the right-of-way along the road.

According to McCarrick, 26 homeowners received the same letter about similar violations.

Tina Tobias, who also received a violation letter, told council members that her lawn is always well maintained and mowed every five days. But there was a week when her family helped an elderly member of her extended family keep her lawn from being mowed.

“I think the letter was rude,” she said. “He told me to cease and desist. I think the wording should be changed or someone could have knocked on my door asking why the lawn wasn’t mowed.”

Steckbeck told council members Monday that he noticed numerous properties in the neighborhood with violations after responding to a complaint about an overgrown lawn. He decided it wouldn’t be fair to send a notice to one owner and not the others in the neighborhood, so he sent letters to all the offenders, including McCarrick and Tobias.

The form Steckbeck used for the violation notices came from Commonwealth Code Inspection Services, based in Manheim. But he said he would not use that form in the future.

The municipal planning code requires a letter to be sent for the notice to be enforceable, according to community attorney Josele Cleary. Neither the return address nor the contact information used on the envelope make the notice invalid. However, we strongly recommend that the format of the letter be revised.

Cleary added that the new right-of-way agreements require the owner of property adjacent to a road to be responsible for maintaining that portion of the owner’s property.

Council members asked Cleary to draft a new ordinance violation notice.

Road problems

Resident Aimee Schmitt recommended a traffic study be done on Rexmont Road before final plans are approved for Cornwall Properties. The developer has proposed a 131-home development along Rexmont Road near the intersection of Iron Valley Drive, adjacent to Tony’s Mining Company Restaurant.

Aggressive drivers on the road make it difficult for anyone to walk on the road, and the problem will only get worse as traffic increases, Schmitt said.

Council member Tony Fitzgibbons said organizations that do traffic studies typically aren’t as concerned with the number of vehicles on the road as they are with traffic flow, intersection delays and certain safety issues.

Resident Jeff Bamberger told the council that he has observed numerous trucks traveling east on Route 419 from Route 72, arrive at the intersection of Cornwall Road, and instead of making a quick right onto Cornwall Road, and then immediately left onto Schaeffer Road , turn left and head north on Cornwall Road. He said that they would then realize their mistake and use various unsafe ways to return.

Council members suggested that PennDOT be asked to place a sign at the intersection directing trucks to the DHL warehouses, and the borough could place a sign there.

Other business

Resident Stan Alekna said the last planning commission meeting discussed what type of vehicles are not allowed to be parked in front of a house, according to the zoning ordinance. The ordinance states that large vehicles must be parked behind the front line of the residence, but the commission recommended that trailers also be considered large vehicles if they have a state license plate on them. Council member Nathan Walmer objected to the recommendation and said only large vehicles such as recreational camping trailers and 18-wheelers should be parked behind the front lot line. Council member John Karinch, who serves on the commission, recommended that the planning commission discuss the issue further.
District Manager Cody Rhoads unveiled a gray metal plaque mounted on the wall in the boardroom recognizing Raymond L. Fratini, “who volunteered his time and labor to build this room, allowing the Cornwall District to serve the residents of this community”. Fratini saved the neighborhood tens of thousands of dollars by using his skills to convert a large two-seater utility truck garage into the new boardroom. The plaque also listed district employees Tom Smith, Greg Munnion, Derek Walker, Brian Smith and Ryan Peters for helping Fratini.
Mayor Mark Thomas noted in his report that Hopkins Chief Sgt. Conklin and Officer Itzen attended a multi-day drug course, Conklin attended SWAT training and Officer Adrain Cann attended a two-week course to become a drug recognition officer.

Lebanon Daily News reporter Matthew Toth contributed to this story.

VaselineMay 16, 2024

0 3 minutes read

Road problems

Other business

Vaseline

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