May 13, 2014 2 min read

Robinson Township supervisors will hold a public hearing regarding amendments to the township zoning ordinance and map at 6 p.m. June 2 in the Fort Cherry High School auditorium.

Supervisors announced the hearing at their regular meeting Monday.

The old zoning ordinance was revamped in December when supervisors approved amendments in anticipation of the Southern Beltway, which will run through Robinson Township when it is built.

However, incoming board members Roger Kendall and Steve Duran indicated in December that they planned to revisit the zoning ordinance and repeal or make significant changes to it.

The changes have divided residents. There are those who believe the new revisions place restrictions on their property rights, while others worry the township will lose its rural identity and experience growth like neighboring Findlay and North Fayette townships.

In another matter, the board voted 2-1 to hire Bernard Boocks as a full-time member of the road crew at $14.50 an hour. The appointment brings the number of road crew employees to two. Supervisor Mark Brositz opposed the move. He had opposed that motion, as well.

He also questioned whether the road crew needed to add another member since it is considering hiring an outside company to complete road repairs.

Also, the board voted to seek bids to repair a township retaining wall using shotcrete, a version of a cast-in-place concrete wall. The concrete wall is a cheaper alternative to traditional wall repair, which Duran said would cost an estimated $200,000 or more, based on bids the township received.

In other business:

• Duran said the board has not yet selected a township manager to replace the previous manager, who was fired late last year.

• The board approved sending a township newsletter to residents. Brositz opposed it, saying he did not approve the content of a letter to residents included in the newsletter.

• Supervisors approved a motion to remove Luke Darragh from the zoning hearing board, contending he was improperly appointed by the previous board of supervisors. Brositz opposed the removal.