Forward Township: Residents urged to attend Aug. 18 zoning hearing

The upcoming planning commission hearing for Coronado Coal was the main topic of discussion at Monday’s meeting of the Forward Township supervisors.

The hearing will be held at 7 p.m. Aug. 18 at the Elizabeth Forward Middle School auditorium to provide enough room for anyone in the township who would like to attend. Supervisors encourage community participation.

“It’s important that we show some strength there,” said Chairman Tom DeRosa.

“They need to see it is more than just a few guys saying yes or no on this, it’s the population,” said Supervisor Dave Magiske.

Solicitor Matt Racunas said Coronado Coal will be represented at the hearing by an attorney, though other people may also present testimony. “We don’t know what kind of presentation they are going to give. They don’t need to do anything,” Racunas said.

The company’s 132-page proposal of the Forward Township site where it would like to operate a coal mine is on file at the township building and available for review by the public. The company is seeking the rezoning of property, some of which is zoned for conservation.

Residents said they’ve noticed a number of gas wells being capped in the township recently and questioned whether that may be related to the coal mining proposal.

Tom Headley, the alternate member on the planning commission, said that is possible.

“Before they can put in a mine, they have to deal with the wells and cap them, including the ones that Atlas just drilled, with the exception of the ones EQT put in. They were done with the approval of the coal company,” Headley said.

Residents Rachelle Brewster and Shawn Starr questioned the township requirements for keeping chickens and roosters, noting that their neighbor has put a coop against their property line, possibly over the property line, and near their bedroom window. Brewster said there are three roosters on the 1½-acre lot that crow at all hours of the night.

Supervisors said they were about to advertise an ordinance for adoption at a future meeting. The proposed ordinance would limit property owners with fewer than 10 acres of land to own no more than four hens and no roosters.

An enclosed coop, with or without an enclosed run for the chickens, would have to be at least 30 feet away from an occupied structure on a neighboring property.

The supervisors also voted to dismiss a part-time police officer, with no further information provided.