Public Notice: 06/18/2024 [ffb7e0bbadf7191bf241e501d00da92c]

THE TOWNSHIP OF SMITHFIELD MONROE COUNTY, PA NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE SMITHFIELD TOWN- SHIP ZONING ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING UPDATED STANDARDS AND CRITERIA FOR WETLANDS, TO REPEAL PARTS OF INCONSISTENT ORDINANCES AND TO REPEAL LANGUAGE FOR VALIDITY CHALLENGES Notice is hereby given that the Township of Smithfield, Monroe County, Pennsylvania, will hold a regular business meeting on Wednesday, June 26, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. at the Township Municipal Building, 1155 Red Fox Road, East Stroudsburg, PA. At that meeting and as a meeting agenda item, there will be a public hearing to consider and vote on whether or not to adopt proposed Township Ordinance No. 251 that would amend the Township Zoning Ordinance as follows: The Township Code of Ordinances, Chapter 27-Zoning, Section 27-401-District Regulations and subsection 3, D, (1)(a)(b) and (2)-Wetlands shall be repealed and replaced with a new section outlining inter alia where a on-site wetlands investigation is to be conducted by a licensed engineer, hydrogeologist, soil scientist or similarly qualified professional experienced in wetlands ecology to determine if wetlands are present; if no wetlands are determined to be located on the site, a note must appear on the plan or application being submitted; prohibiting development, filling, draining, piping, diverting or earth disturbance activities within a wetland and no more than forty (40%) percent of a wetlands margin shall be altered, regraded or filled; no on-lot sanitary sewage disposal system and no on-lot water supply system shall be located in a wetland; and, no on-lot sanitary sewage disposal system proposed to exceed one thousand (1,000) gallons per day for a single lot and no on-lot water supply system proposed to exceed two thousand five hundred (2,500) gallons per day for a single lot may be located in a wetlands margin area; no cutting of any vegetation within a wetland area and only up to forty (40%) percent of a wetlands margin area may have limited forestry activities; no storage of construction-related materials (such as vehicles, topsoil or timbers) are allowed within either a wetland or wetland margin area; there shall be no storage or use of toxic, potentially hazardous, or contaminating compounds within either a wetland or wetland margin area; no sewer (or other liquid transport) lines shall be constructed in a wetland with certain exceptions and following various precautions; any road or driveway proposed to cross a wetland must meet certain criteria including inter alia establishing access is impossible from any other location, there must be minimal disruption of the wetland area and there must be a plan for the establishment of replacement wetland areas. Further, Section 27-802(1)(B)-The Zoning Hearing Board’s exclusive jurisdiction to hear challenges to the validity of land use ordinances raising procedural questions or alleged defects in the process of enactment or adoption shall be repealed and revoked in its entirety. Any and all interested persons or parties are invited to attend the meeting and public hearing and offer public comment prior to the Board taking official action. This meeting will also be live-streamed where for computers: https://zoom.us/join and where the Meeting ID Number is “489 980 8849” and the Meeting Passcode is “1155”; and, if joining by phone, the call-in number is 1-929-205-6099 and where the Meeting ID Number is the same and the Passcode is “1155”. Immediately following this public hearing and on the same day, time and place, the Township Supervisors will then continue with the public meeting to inter alia consider, vote and/or take official action on the zoning change or on any of the matters discussed at the public hearing; otherwise, another public hearing will be scheduled upon due and proper notice prior to taking such official action. A full copy of the complete text of the proposed ordinance has been delivered to the County Law Library and this newspaper for examination by the public and a full copy of the complete text of the pro-posed ordinance may also be examined without charge at the Township Building (at the address noted above) Monday through Friday du-ring its business hours (8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.) by requesting a copy of same from the Township Secretary; or, a copy of the ordinance may be obtained at cost upon payment to the Township of its copy charge for same. Smithfield Township Board of Supervisors P - June 11, 18, 2024