School salt shed, pavilion plans reviewed
EAST ROCKHILL » Pennridge School District’s plans for a new salt shed and a pavilion are moving to the next step.
The existing salt shed on the 5th Street campus that houses Pennridge High School and Pennridge North Middle School is being removed as part of parking lot expansions. The district initially proposed building a new salt shed across 5th Street. Neighbors, however, raised concerns, including early morning noise from trucks loading up on salt and possible well contamination. As a result, the district revised the plans, moving the salt shed back to the school property near the district’s bus depot.
“It’s moved around a little bit, but this is a great location,” PSD Director of Operations Kelly Harper said at the July 26 East Rockhill Township Board of Supervisors meeting.
“It’s barely visible at all from 5th Street. There’s no neighbors. Our closest neighbor is the church next door. It’s not really visible from that site, so, visually, there’s not any concerns,” Harper said, “and it really works out to be the best option for everyone at this point.”
The plans keep the impervious surface at the site within the allowed limits, said Andy Cecere, director of construction administration for sitelogiQ, the district’s engineering firm. There are no issues with stormwater run-off, said Steve Baluh, the township’s engineer.
The meeting also included a review of the district’s plans for a 600-square-foot pavilion at Robert B. Deibler Elementary School.
Harper said it would be near the playground and be used for outdoor educational presentations.
“It’s just a roof, with a concrete pad under it. It’s really for additional educational open-air abilities,” he said.
In answer to questions by board member Jim Nietupski, Harper said there are no plans at this time for lights in the pavilion and that it would be used during school hours.
The board agreed to the district’s request for a waiver of having to go through the land development process for either of the two plans. West Rockhill Planning Commission had also reviewed the plans and recommended the waiver be approved.
That isn’t final approval of the plans, but makes getting the approval quicker and less expensive, board member David Nyman said following the meeting. The district still has to get building permits, he said.