PLANNERS BACK TO BUSINESS
By Travis Moshier Endeavor News

It was back to the usual business Tuesday night for the Potter County Planning Commission now that the wind turbine discussion has changed hands.

In front of only a few guests and a lot of empty chairs the commission approved three major subdivisions.

First was for Gerald and Rachel Pfautz of Sylvania Township, who were requesting to be able to divide their property on the First Fork Road, making one large lot and two smaller single family residential lots.

Second was for Elwin and Helen VanEtten of Harrison Township, who requested dividing their lot, which had previously been subdivided, into two lots. The smaller of the two lots had already been granted a 10- acre exemption, which was also granted in the initial subdivision.

"I thought they could only get the exemption one time on the lot," questioned John Nordquist, "but they have the permit."

The subdivision passed with Nordquist abstaining, and Charlotte Dietrich, planning director, said she would be researching the 10-acre exemption.

Third division was for Jeremiah Kosa of Harrison Township, who had requested to divide one residential lot into two.

Dietrich, a member of the Pennsylvania Greenways, said the region had received funding from PennDOT and DCNR to be split among the counties. Each of Cameron, Clearfield, Elk, Jefferson, McKean and Potter counties would be receiving $30,000, and the commissioners would be matching $4,000 of that.

Dietrich also presented a memorandum of understanding that stated the commission and conservation districtwould work together as a team. She explained that she had been working well with Art Beaver and they wanted something formal to keep procedures consistent.

Richard Erickson was at the meeting to follow up on a letter that he and his wife, Susan, had sent to the commission. They had asked statistics and information that were used to determine the proposed wind turbine regulations in the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.

"The commissioners are certainly hearing from the landowners and need to know where our figures came from," agreed Chairman Wanda Shirk, who asked that all members submit the research behind their decisions.

Development of travel trailer parks in Potter County created a bit of a stir after Dietrich presented the idea of redefining them for the purpose of regulation.

"I think we may have a problem in the future," she said of the current rules, which define a travel-trailer as living quarters with current registration, fixed wheels and not attached to the ground.

"It seems like travel-trailer parks are really growing," Nordquist added.

Rance Baxter pointed out that the definition should be sensitive to families who have reached rock bottom and may have nothing other than their travel-trailer to live in.

"My only concern is the sewage and dumping," Dietrich said.

Shirk pointed out that now that the "stressful" wind turbine issue was in the past, the commission needed to again consider itself a team that works together.

"People who study things sometimes come to different conclusions, but we still need to work together," she said.

Nordquist added to that saying, "The best thing a board can be is people with different opinions."