Gibraltar Rock, Inc’s Application 3 (referred to as GR3) before the New Hanover Township Zoning Hearing Board

Our attorney, Thomas Keenan, presented a memorandum to the zoning board quoting a section of the Penna. Municipalities Planning Code which states that a landowner who has challenged on substantive grounds the validity of a zoning ordinance to the zoning hearing board, shall not submit additional substantive challenges involving the same parcel, group of parcels or part thereof, until such time as the status of the original challenge has been finally determined or withdrawn.  Since the GR1 Application was a substantive validity challenge, Attorney Keenan requested, on behalf of Ban the Quarry, that the GR3 Application be dismissed pending a decision in the GR2 hearings.

Thanks to all the residents of New Hanover who recently demanded a change in our township’s direction and demanded that they continue to “fight this quarry”, the  turn-around began at the GR3 hearing on July 2.  Township solicitor, Paul Bauer, gave explanation and made a motion indicating his agreement with our attorney, Tom Keenan, that the GR3 application be dismissed.   Mr. Bauer also demanded that the February 2008 GR3 zoning hearing be dismissed also. 

Attorney Lawrence Sager, representing a private landowner, questioned the quarry’s witness, Uday Patankar and requested that a map be placed within the witness’s reach to mark the parcels included in the GR1, GR2 and GR3 applications.

The Paradise Watchdogs/Ban the Quarry have noted inconsistencies and misleading information on several Gibraltar Rock maps and quarry applications.  We are grateful to Mr. Sager for his eager participation at this meeting.

The Zoning Hearing Board’s response to these requests will be heard at the next meeting on Thursday, August 6, at 7:00 pm, at the township building.

THANKS to all who attended the July 2 meeting.  The room was overflowing!  Also, thanks to all who signed up for “party status” when invited to do so.