As Coolbaugh’s Board of Supervisors fend off a lawsuit over environmental regulations, leaders are looking at new options to preserve township land.
The board met with representatives from the Pocono Heritage Land Trust and the Trust for Public Land during its Sept. 3 work meeting. Both organizations recommend the board add a referendum to the ballot asking residents if they approve a tax to create an open space fund. Coolbaugh could use that funding to buy undeveloped property from landowners and preserve the land from any form of development – including residential and private.
This meeting comes two months after Monroe County’s economic development organization and a private landowner sued the board over municipal ordinance changes that would expand wetland buffers for new commercial developments.
Pocono Mountains Industries (PMI) and Orchard BJK Co., in a suit filed May 3 in Monroe County Court, argue that the township’s Board of Supervisors acted arbitrarily to restrict development. They contend the move violated Pennsylvania’s Constitution by discriminating against developers, and caused a multi-million dollar loss to properties the parties seek to develop in the township. PMI is owned by Pocono Mountains Economic Development Corporation, the county’s economic development organization.
Resident and environmental activist Jim Miller hopes the board will seriously consider the referendum. He asked supervisors to expedite the process to get the question on this November’s ballot. Township Solicitor Patrick Armstrong said it probably can’t be done, the election is only two months away.
But Miller said the board needs to act now before it’s too late. The township faces 11 warehouses in the making, and some of the built centers have been vacant for over a year. Miller is a member of Coolbaugh Township Citizens for Responsible Growth, a local protest organization against overdevelopment.
“Y’know, let’s be frank, I’m sure a part of this drive is the threat of all the distribution centers that are finding their way into the Poconos. And it’s made people a lot more aware of what they have and what they could lose,” said Miller.
The board didn’t say it plans to counteract warehouse overdevelopment, but Supervisor Lynn Kelly did not deny it when asked by WVIA News.
“[It’s] in response to environmental protection. Because, our public is saying they’re very concerned about protecting the environment,” said Kelly.
The possible referendum would allow the board to prevent commercial developers from building on township-owned land bought through an open space fund. Chairman Bill Weimer said the township doesn’t have the cash to support a new environmental program on its own.
“Well, generally the public has come to us and wants us to maintain the status quo of what we have, the beautiful Coolbaugh Township, and right now the funding isn’t there,” said Weimer. “So, in order to make this happen, unfortunately we don’t have millionaires around that just are willing to donate lots and lots of land. So, it just gives us some options.”
The Pocono Heritage Land Trust and the Trust for Public Lands more directly stated that the fund could be used to curtail warehouse development. Ellen Lott, a Trust for Public Lands project manager, told supervisors and residents that the money could be used to protect vulnerable areas.
“If a property comes up for sale and you’re worried about it and people are worried about it, it’s too late,” said Lott. “...And y’know, you need to have money available and let’s leverage all that money that’s out there for conservation.”
Pocono Heritage Land Trust posted on its Facebook that it intends to show Coolbaugh ways to “preserve and protect natural land” from distribution centers.
Coolbaugh’s supervisors did not make any decisions on open space funding during the meeting. The township’s next meeting is scheduled for Sept. 17 at 6:30 at the township’s municipal center.
