Modular home in historic district

Honesdale considers an architectural review board

By TOM KANE

HONESDALE, PA — A group of Honesdale residents appeared at the borough planning commission last week and at the borough council meeting on September 14 to protest the construction of a modular multi-family residence on West Street in the borough’s historic district.

In both meetings, residents came forward stating that the modular is incompatible with the other homes in the historic district and that its placement, squeezed between two homes, is unacceptable and might even be illegal.

As a zoning solution, the residents urged the borough to initiate an architectural review board whose role would be to promote buildings that were consistent with the borough’s architectural character. They pointed out that a similar review board has existed in the Borough of Milford for a number of years.

“Since the borough is developing a comprehensive plan, this would be the perfect time to include this in the zoning,” said resident Barbara Lewis.

Glenn Kowalik, who lives next door to the modular on West Street, claims that, in addition to the incompatibility issue, the building is illegal and should have never been built there, citing a section of the borough’s code to prove it.

“Sadly, I could not tell you then (referring to an earlier meeting), as I can now to look at Borough Municipal Code #210-30, which states that ‘a structure may be erected on any existing lot of record provided the owner does not own adjoining property,’” he said. He claimed that he had done research in the county courthouse and found that the builder of the modular, John Malti, lived in an adjoining property in breach of the municipal code provision. Malti could not be reached for comment.

“Our solicitor previewed the building plan for the structure and found nothing that would prohibit the construction,” said council president Ed Langendoerfer. “The building is in an R-Two zone that allows one-family and two-family homes.”

On the issue of whether an architectural review board could be adopted, Langendoerfer said, “It’s possible to have such a board but it’s hard to tell people whether they can build a porch, for example, or what kind of shingles they have to use. We can have an architectural board but it depends on what the board will do.”

As to the force of the historic district on zoning issues, he said that the borough is seeking the approval of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission but that, as of now, the historical district does not have a valid place in the borough’s zoning code. “This is all possible to do but we must be careful of what we get into,” he said.

Residents can comment on this at the next meeting of the borough council on Monday, October 12 at 6:30 p.m.