Damascus to hold public hearings

By TOM KANE

DAMASCUS, PA — Damascus is a busy township these days. It will hold several important public hearings soon on a number of pending issues.

On November 13 at 7:00 p.m., a public hearing on a conditional-use permit will be held at the township hall on Conklin Hill Road on a plan to erect a second cell tower on township property. The tower will be constructed by Wireless Edge Communications and the carrier of the cell phone systems will be Cellular One.

This is in addition to the cell tower that has already been approved that will be located on the property of Walter Barb on Plank Road in Atco. The company that will build that tower has not yet been selected, according to Jeff Dexter, chairman of the Damascus Township board. The carrier on that tower will also be Cellular One.

Another public hearing will be held on Thursday, December 3 at 7:00 p.m. in the township hall on an ordinance concerning township roads in preparation for gas drilling, which is expected to occur in the township soon.

“This does not mean that there will be new roads constructed that did not exist before, but will concern existing roads that must be brought up to the township standards to carry possible heavy traffic,” Dexter said.

One of the major concerns that the township will have to face is the ability to be compensated by gas drilling companies for any damage to its roads. In order to get this compensation, it must be clear what the conditions of the roads are prior to being used by the companies.