Construction on the Lafferty Hollow Industrial Park project will
be put off for at least another two years.

Representatives from the Bradford Office of Economic and
Community Development, along with those from the Bradford Economic
Development Council’s engineering firm, Lee-Simpson and Associates,
the Department of Environmental Protection, the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and
Jennifer Gorrell of Foster Township, met Tuesday to discuss the
matter, according to Betty Cochran of the OECD.

In a report Cochran left with Supervisor Chris Wolcott, Cochran
said they discussed the steps needed to be taken in order to meet
requirements for a “provisional permit,” which the OECD applied for
in 2003.

She said the DEP indicated water quality certification would be
issued within the week, completing the Army Corps of Engineers’
permit and enabling the BEDC to “move forward with the next phase
of development.”

Cochran said that once the permit is approved, the BEDC can give
Lee-Simpson the go-ahead to start construction related to the
mitigation under Mackin Engineering’s wetland and watercourse
plan.

“The design of the access road will be done in conjunction with
the preparation of these plans,” Cochran said. Moreover, PennDOT
has indicated the only permit required for the access road would be
the Highway Occupancy Permit. Those at the meeting decided access
from Route 46 into the park could be gained from the alternate road
closest to Lafferty Hollow.

Cochran said that mitigation for the wetland and watercourse
plan will take place in 2006, and construction of the access road
and bridge will not start until 2007. She said that PennDOT would
have to meet federal highway requirements when building the road,
and that process can be “quite lengthy.”

“It is the intention of the BEDC to continue with the
construction of the access road; however, time lines are out of our
control,” Cochran said.

At least two residents at Monday’s meeting seemed upset by the
report, asking the supervisors, “So nothing gets us ahead?” and
adding, “We never thought this would take this long.”

Plans for the Lafferty Hollow Industrial Park started years ago,
with hundreds of thousands of grant dollars being awarded for the
project in 2002. Officials have said since that construction would
start any time.

At the September meeting of the supervisors, Cochran read a
letter from the DEP, showing that officials there had only started
reviewing a permit application the OECD sent in July of 2003.

With the DEP finally granting the needed permits, it seems as
though the entity now holding up the process is PennDOT, Wolcott
said.

Chairman Robert Slike encouraged residents to write to their
state representatives about the issue, adding the township would do
the same.

“It’s disgusting,” Slike said.

In other business, two Foster Township residents squared off
over a fence, which apparently has been at the center of dispute
for more than 20 years.

Dominic Pessia of Second Street expressed concern over the
fence, saying it was built on the property line between his
property and that of Jim Shannon. He claimed the fence was
dilapidated and detracted from the appearance of his own home,
which he recently spent $12,000 improving.

Shannon explained to the supervisors that the fence was built
more than 20 years ago, and the issue had already been litigated
with judgment in his favor. Moreover, he just started repairing the
fence panel by panel.

Pessia claimed the fence was illegal, encouraging the
supervisors to come to his residence and check out the
situation.

The supervisors told Pessia that if judgment had already been
made in Shannon’s favor, it was likely the fence had been
“grandfathered” into legality, putting the matter out of their
hands. They agreed however, to have Shannon provide zoning
enforcement officer Ralph Skaggs with documentation on the case
proving the fence was legal.

Pessia pressed the issue, adding he was sure he could legally
force Shannon to move the fence.

The supervisors advised Pessia to pursue the matter to his own
satisfaction, adding it would be a civil matter between he and
Shannon and would not involve them.

Also at the meeting:

* A township-wide clean up will be held from 8 to 10 a.m.
Saturday. No tires or loose shingles or insulation will be
accepted; everything must be bundled or boxed;

* The supervisors congratulated their local firefighters who
were nominated to, but did not win, the annual Bradford Rotary
Firefighter of the Year award;

* The supervisors adopted resolution 572, giving property owners
who are serving overseas and their families an 180-day extension to
pay real estate taxes;

* The supervisors reminded residents a permit is needed for
controlled, contained burns (leaf burning, for example);

* Slike reminded residents that pets are not allowed in the
Foster Township parks; those who do not comply with the ordinance
will be warned and then cited on a second offense; and

* Trick-or-treat has been set in Foster Township from 6 to 7:30
p.m. Oct. 31.

The next supervisors meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. Nov.
7.