JULY 12, 2010 — PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING NOTES Contact: Chris Hardie, County Planner (724-852-5300)
MINUTES — from June 7 meeting were approved by the Board.
ARTICLES OF DISCUSSION:
Greene County Planning Commission approved plans Monday by Laurel Mountain Midstream LLC to expand the Brown Compressor Station in Greene Township. Plans for the station off Falls Hollow Road were originally approved by the commission in 2005. A second building was constructed at the site in 2007, though plans for that building were never presented to the commission.
A new company has since assumed operations at the site. Laurel Mountain was formed by Atlas Pipeline and the Williams Companies Inc. The new company, after being contacted by planning commission staff in regard to changes that had occurred at the site, submitted a plan update to the commission for review and approval. The update also calls for construction of a new building to house four additional compressors.
A neighboring property owner, Bruce Razillard, addressed the commission. He said noise at the site was so loud that he no longer slept in his farmhouse but stayed at a house in Waynesburg. Razillard said he hoped he could work with the new company to address the problem.
Attorney Richard Bowers, representing Laurel Mountain, said the new company had not been involved in the construction of the second building, nor was it responsible for the removal of trees surrounding the site. Bowers said the company will plant new trees around the property that could help buffer the noise. Razillard noted, however, that even when the trees were still standing, the station was loud. Bowers also said the new compressors would be very quiet and the building housing them would help insulate against noise.
Razillard asked whether anything could be done to further insulate the existing buildings. He said part of the problem is that doors on the buildings are left open depending on the weather. Bower said the company is willing to work with Razillard to address his concerns.
Commission member Francis Minor also asked whether the commission could ask the developer for information on the new building in regard to its ability to mitigate noise. Commission Chairman Chuck Morris and member Sam Cario said the county's land development ordinance has no provisions regarding noise. Noise ordinances are usually adopted and enforced by the municipalities, Morris said.
The commission granted the project preliminary approval. The developer still must submit an approved stormwater management plan and receive state Department of Environmental Protection permits before the commission grants final approval.
The commission also gave preliminary approval to plans by Coal Gas Recovery to construct a 40-by-24 steel building to protect two compressors at a site on Turkey Hollow Road in Center Township.
Information Source: Observer-Reporter.com (Compressor Station Expansion gets OK), 7/13/2010 — by Bob Niedbala
ADJOURNMENT:
Next scheduled meeting is August 2, 2010. Meeting was adjourned.
Today's date is:
For general information, please contact the Information Services at 724-852-5399 / Toll Free: 1-888-852-5399. County Office Building, 93 E. High Street, Waynesburg, PA 15370
