Cornwall residents upset about lawn maintenance violation notices

Cornwall Borough residents addressed council members about notices of lawn violations.

Sean McCarrick told council he received a letter on May 9 from the borough's contracted zoning enforcement officer Jeff Steckbeck saying his property along Rexmont Road was in violation of the borough's ordinance relating to weeds and grass. The grass on the right-of-way part of McCarrick's property had not been cut, due to a temporary shoulder injury.

The letter stated that McCarrick had until May 13 to correct the violation, but he took issue with the form letter sent by the zoning enforcement officer.

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

According to McCarrick, 26 property owners 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 one week when her family was helping a senior member of her extended family that her lawn was not mowed.

"I think the letter was rude," she said. "It told me to cease and desist. I believe the wording should be changed or that someone could have just knocked on my door to ask why the lawn was not mowed."

Steckbeck told council members Monday that he observed numerous properties in the neighborhood with violations after responding to a complaint about an overgrown lawn. He decided it would not be fair to send a notice to the one property owner and not the others in the neighborhood, so he mailed letters to all violators, including McCarrick and Tobias.

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

The municipal planning code requires a letter to be sent to make the notice enforceable, according to borough solicitor Josele Cleary. Neither the return address nor the contact information used on the envelope make the notice invalid. Cleary recommend, however, that the format of the letter be revised.

Cleary added that newer right-of-way agreements require that the property owner adjacent to a roadway is responsible for maintaining that part of the owner's property.

Board members asked Cleary to create a draft for a new ordinance violation notice.

Road issues

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

Aggressive drivers on the road make it difficult for anyone walking along the road, and the problem will become worse with increased traffic, Schmitt said.

Council member Tony Fitzgibbons said that typically organizations that do traffic studies are not as concerned about the number of vehicles on the road as they are with traffic flow, delays at intersections, and certain safety issues.

Resident Jeff Bamberger told council he has observed numerous trucks that are traveling east on Route 419 from Route 72, reach the intersection of Cornwall Road and, instead of taking the quick turn right on Cornwall Road, and then an immediate left on Schaeffer Road, they turn left and go north on Cornwall Road. He said they will then realize their mistake and use various unsafe ways to turn around.

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

Other business

• Resident Stan Alekna said there was a discussion at the last planning commission meeting about what type of vehicles are not permitted to be parked in front of a house, according to the zoning ordinance. The ordinance states that major vehicles must be parked behind the front line of the residence, but the commission recommended that trailers also should be considered major 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 required to be parked behind the front line of the house. Council member John Karinch, who serves on the commission, recommended that the planning commission give further discussion to the issue.
• Borough manager Cody Rhoads unveiled a gray metal wall-mounted plaque in the meeting room recognizing Raymond L. Fratini, "who selflessly volunteered his time and labor constructing this room allowing Cornwall Borough to serve the residents of this community." Fratini saved the borough tens of thousands of dollars using his skills to transform a large two-bay utility truck garage into the new meeting room. The plaque also listed borough employees Tom Smith, Greg Munnion, Derek Walker, Brian Smith, and Ryan Peters for assisting Fratini.
• Mayor Mark Thomas noted in his report that Chief Hopkins, Sgt. Conklin and Officer Itzen attended multi-day drug training, Conklin attended SWAT training, and Officer Adrain Cann attended a two-week class to become a drug recognition officer.

Lebanon Daily News Reporter Matthew Toth contributed to this story.