In NANTICOKE, the vote on a new housing project for the city will happen later than expected, on May 23. This decision was made after the zoning hearing on Wednesday where the board requested a more detailed application from the developer, Housing Visions.
The hearing will be postponed for over a month so that the applicant has enough time to prepare and submit a new plan to the zoning officer.
Since the date and time of the next meeting have been announced by the board, no further advertisement for the meeting will be necessary.
The audience was filled with residents, many of whom wanted to share their opinions about the project. However, the board decided to wait for public comments until the next meeting.
The potential housing development would consist of four 12-unit apartment buildings in a wooded area in the Hanover section of the city at the intersection of Espy and Bliss streets.
This would include a maintenance shop, community building, playground, and 97 parking spaces.
Chairman Michael Jezewski stated that the application submitted “did not appear to be together” and lacked important information such as building dimensions, as well as the entrances and exits to and from the property.
Jezewski expressed the need for a better submission, which was met with applause from the audience.
The chairman clarified that the board did not require a land development plan, but they should “at least be looking at schematics.”
Attorney Sean Logsdon, representing Housing Visions, said that his client did not want to invest extensive costs into the project until they were approved for the use variance, but he would “be happy to provide as much information as the board needs.”
A post on the city’s Facebook page on March 19 announcing the project and its potential tax benefits was met with strong opposition from residents.
Residents have circulated a petition opposing the development project, expressing concerns about the impact on property values, traffic congestion, noise pollution, and more.
Handmade signs urging the board to vote against the project also appeared near the property site.
The city responded to many of the questions raised by residents regarding the project in a follow-up post, describing the new development as “workforce housing catered to individuals and families that are currently paying a disproportionate share of their income towards housing costs.”
Restrictions for the apartments involve income at 50-60% of the Area Median Income (AMI), as per the post.
Monthly costs for the apartments were listed as: $637-$770 for a one-bedroom, $ 758-$935 for a two-bedroom and $870-$1,074 for a three-bedroom.
The city further stated that Housing Visions would own and manage the property, with an on-site staff including at least a full-time property manager and maintenance technician.
According to the post, all the trees would not be cut down and the House of Prayer Church would not be demolished.
The meeting on May 23 will be held at 6 p.m. inside the Nanticoke Municipal building, 15 E. Ridge St.
