This article was funded by LebTown donors as part of our Civic Impact Reporting Project.
Cornwall Borough Council on Monday agreed unanimously to Resolution 2022-10, increasing the borough’s recreation fee from $1,250 to $2,500.
The Recreation Committee recommended a $2,500 fee after engineer Jeff Steckbeck completed a recreation study finding that the borough could charge up to $3,325 per lot.
A recreation fee is charged to developers in cases where subdivision and land development plans cannot include a 10-acre public dedication of park and open space land that also satisfies six conditions laid out in ordinance 13-518.
A recreation fee can only be spent on parks and recreation expenses. With a parks and recreation master site plan also in the works, the council felt it was time to update the fee.
Read More: Cornwall Borough Council authorizes work on parks & rec master site plan
Steckbeck reported that no developers currently owe recreation fees, so the updated ordinance will only affect new plans.
The council also discussed with solicitor Josele Cleary whether the 54 limitations placed on H&K’s development plan apply to new development as well.
Cleary noted that the conditions apply if they are both relevant to the new development and the development is at or above the intensity of the planned H&K development. She did not respond when asked how intensity would be determined upon receipt of a preliminary development plan, but said that rezoning would need to happen first.
The borough also authorized the hire of Brandon Nye to the water and sewer department. The department budgeted for two part-time employees, but Nye is being hired full-time largely due to his broad skillset and leadership potential, according to councilman John Karinch.
Nye’s hiring was approved with a nay vote coming from councilman Thomas Burton.
In other news, council:
- Unanimously approved Ordinance 2022-3, which updates stormwater management requirements to newest standards. Council noted no major changes have been made.
- Unanimously authorized an agreement with Sunoco allowing access.
- Authorized MMOs for 2023.
- Tabled the authorization of an Ordinance for Reformation of Authority.
- Tabled appointments to the Steering Committee for the Parks and Recreation Plan.
- Unanimously approved the minutes for their Aug. 8 meeting, which should be posted on their website this week.
- Presented the budget report, which includes that as of the end of August, revenues totaled $2,168,669.30 (89.16% of the budgeted $2,432,226) and were down from last year by 9.08%, while expenditures totaled $1,495,181.34 (54% of the budgeted $2,769,684.16).
- Reviewed the police report, which notes that there were 95 incidents in August.
- Unanimously approved reports including the treasurer’s, mayor’s, and highway department’s.
Cornwall Borough Council meets the second Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. The location for the Sept. 10 meeting has not yet been decided. These meetings are open to the public and do not require prior registration.
Questions about this story? Suggestions for a future LebTown article? Reach our newsroom using this contact form and we’ll do our best to get back to you.
Free news isn’t cheap. If you value the journalism LebTown provides to the community, then help us make it sustainable by becoming a champion of local news. You can unlock additional coverage for the community by supporting our work with a one-time contribution, or joining as a monthly or annual member. You can cancel anytime.
Full Disclosure: Steckbeck Engineering & Surveying, Inc., is an advertiser on LebTown. LebTown does not make editorial decisions based on advertising relationships and advertisers do not receive special editorial treatment. Learn more about advertising with LebTown here.
