Newville increases planning, zoning fees, weighs health insurance options

The Newville Borough Council on Tuesday voted to increase zoning and planning fees.

“As your zoning officer, reviewing your fee schedule, I realized that our costs were significantly higher than our fees were,” Borough Manager Robert Sabatini said.

A resolution adopted in 2019 charges $35 for residential and $50 for commercial zoning permits, but that doesn’t cover additional work necessary for properties that are in a historic district, which can require coordination with the planning commission, or a flood plain, which may need a Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency evaluation.

Tuesday’s resolution raised the price of residential zoning permits to $40 and commercial zoning permits to $60. It also implemented separate prices for zoning permits in overlay districts, such as the historic district or flood plain, at $80 for residential zoning permits in overlay districts and $100 for commercial zoning permits in overlay districts.

The price for conditional use permit applications rose from $350 to $400.

How will Newville get out of financial distress? Home rule could be an option.

A home rule charter allows a borough to restructure its government, transferring basic authority from the state's borough code to a local charter that is drafted, adopted and amended by voters.

The council also opted to swap Newville’s previous flat fees for zoning appeals, zoning variances, zoning use changes and preliminary and final subdivision plans to escrow accounts.

An escrow is an agreement where a third party keeps money or property until conditions are met. Escrow accounts will allow the borough to operate on a reimbursement basis, returning unspent money back to the developer or applicant or receiving additional money if the cost exceeds the initial amount.

The new resolution charges applicants for all engineering, legal, advertising and related fees, plus 10% in administration costs to account for necessary banking and borough staff time, Sabatini said.

Sabatini said the flat fees didn’t accommodate solicitor fees, engineering fees, mailing fees or filing fees associated with zoning and planning changes.

“With some of the more complex subdivisions, those fees can easily clear $5,000,” he said. “And you shouldn’t be paying for someone to develop a property, that’s part of the business.”

He anticipates the borough will receive at least one subdivision plan, a variance request and a land development plan later this year.

Resident Vicki Witter said the borough has been short-changing itself for a long time, something Sabatini confirmed “without doubt.”

“I don’t want to price people out the business,” he said. “But I also don’t want to have the taxpayers subsidize development.”

State officials to present home rule information at Newville council meeting Tuesday

The presentation will take place during the borough council's regular meeting at 6 p.m. in the Newville Borough Office at 103 S. High St.

Health insurance

Newville may select a different health insurance plan for borough and Newville Water and Sewer Authority employees.

Sabatini said the borough’s Act 47 recovery plan accounted for a 7% health insurance premium increase for next year’s plan beginning July 1. However, a recent health insurance proposal from the borough’s current provider, Highmark, indicates an 18% premium increase.

“Now we’re looking at having to change our plan itself to something that is not as good as our current plan is,” Sabatini said.

Borough and authority employees, including police, have a $500 deductible, but that could increase under a new plan.

“We have a pretty hard cap with that because all of our wages, our social security, our health insurance, life insurance all of it comes from the same pool and those are hard figures under the Act 47 plan, so we’re still digesting that,” Sabatini said.

He said the borough will discuss options with employees and make a final decision in June.

Former Newville Borough Manager Fred Potzer arrives at preliminary hearing

Former Newville Borough Manager Fred Potzer arrives and departs from his preliminary hearing at Magisterial District Judge John Hanner's office Thursday morning. Potzer waived his preliminary hearing and his charges were held to higher court.

Photos: Newville Kids Fishing Fun Day

Scenes from the 5th annual Newville Kids Fishing Fun Day

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