This chart from the Harlem Township Comprehensive Plan shows the number of rezoning cases in recent years.
Courtesy | Harlem Twp.
GALENA — Harlem Township’s Zoning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals have been active in the first half of the year.
The Zoning Commission met on March 13 for a workshop meeting.
The commission reviewed the language in one of its articles regarding overlay districts and procedures applicable for them. There are 13 different districts, the meeting minutes said. Former Trustee Bob Singer, who was present, offered his comments. Scott Sanders from the Delaware Regional Planning Commission was also at the two-hour meeting and made suggestions.
The commission next met on April 3.
A Montgomery Road resident applied to rezone his property from AR-1 to FR-1 “to make his two pieces of property to align,” according to the meeting minutes. A hearing date was set for May 1.
The monthly zoning report noted 19 permits had been issued to date in 2023, compared to 32 in 2022. There was discussion on making the Quick Strategy Guide easier to access on the township website. There was also talk of making Planned Residential Conservation Districts available on smaller-sized lots. New article numbering for the zoning resolution was also discussed. A hearing date of April 24 was set for the new articles.
The commission met for a workshop on April 10, picking up where they left off in March, looking at its articles. Among the changes in language was replacing the word condominiums with multi-family.
“The Commission decided that the new order for the application process would be: a) Site Analysis and Conceptual Plan and Sketch, b) Walk About, c) Preliminary Meeting, d) Application and Development Plan, e) Zoning Commission Public Hearing, f) Action by Township Zoning Commission, g) Action by Township Trustees – Uphold, Modify, or Overturn the recommendation of the Zoning Commission, h) Subdivision Plat, i) Zoning Certification,” meeting minutes said.
The commission is Chair Mike Kabler, Brittany Hoperich, Virginia Lewis, Joni Manson, Tom Nied, and alternate Bruce Hamill. Mike Cannon is the director of zoning.
The Harlem Township Board of Zoning Appeals first met on Jan. 16 for an organizational meeting. Keith Campbell was named chairman, and Jim Steelesmith was named vice chairman. The other members are Bill Gallagher, Jason Gloeckner and alternate Kyle Farris. Sherrie Steele is secretary. They meet third Mondays at 7:30 p.m. in the firehouse, 3883 South State Route 605, Galena.
On Feb. 20, the BZA met to consider a resident wishing to add a room to the front of his Orchard Road home to enclose two front porch areas, expanding it by 25%. It didn’t encroach the existing setbacks, and the variance was unanimously approved.
The April 17 BZA meeting included a report by Steelesmith on the township’s Strategic Planning Committee. Next, they met on May 15, where there was an update from Zoning Director Mike Cannon (he said at the next meeting that 50 permits were issued to date, and two issues were in the Court of Appeals). Finally, on June 26, there was a discussion about a 15-acre property on Center Village Road whose owner would like to hold weddings and other events.
Assistant Editor Gary Budzak covers the eastern half of Delaware County and surrounding areas. He may be reached at the above email address.
