Supervisors hold off on towers, roads

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, March 20, 2001

Two ordinances continued to plague the Adams County Supervisors Monday — towers and a subdivision road ordinance.

After some debate the board voted 3-2 to put off a decision on the subdivision and road ordinance until the next meeting.

&uot;I haven’t had the an opportunity to look at the modified version,&uot; said Supervisor Darryl Grennell

Email newsletter signup

But in light of ongoing development in Adams County, Supervisor Virginia Salmon pushed the board to adopt the ordinance Monday even if it had to be amended at a later date.

&uot;Right now we need to put it in place,&uot; Salmon said.

The ordinance regulates such things the platting and subdividing of land and standards for roads to be dedicated for public use.

&uot;We’ve had the finished draft since 1999,&uot; Salmon said. &uot;This is absurd.&uot;

Supervisor Lynwood Easterling also thought it was time to approve the subdivision and roads ordinance.

&uot;A lot of time has passed and why do we take so much time getting something done,&uot; Easterling said.

Like the tower ordinance, it has taken Adams County way too long to adopt the subdivision and roads ordinance, he said.

&uot;We’ve had a lot of time to discuss it, and we’re going to discuss towers just as long as we discussed this ordinance,&uot; he said. &uot;I can see it.&uot;

The supervisors held a public hearing on the ordinance last May and also met with realtors and local developers about the ordinance last October.

Supervisors Grennell, Thomas &uot;Boo&uot; Campbell and Sammy Cauthen voted against a motion to adopt the ordinance to give Campbell and Grennell more time to study it.

&uot;(We’ll) give you all another week,&uot; Cauthen said.

Also on Monday, the supervisors decided to meet soon to discuss procedures to implement its new tower ordinance

The Adams County Board of Supervisors adopted the ordinance last month lifting a moratorium banning tower construction in place since July.

The supervisors also discussed three towers constructed in Sibley, Leesdale and Fenwick by Communisite Towers Rental during the moratorium.

&uot;It was disrespectful to the county during the moratorium,&uot; Grennell said.

Because of when they were constructed Adams County did not issue a permit for the towers.

&uot;So nobody know if they’re in compliance in any phase of the ordinance,&uot; Salmon said.

The company was fined and has since submitted permit applications.

Supervisor attorney Marion Smith said the board needs to first study the permits and see if the towers are in compliance.

&160;