Borough Council

STROUDSBURG BOROUGH COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES AUGUST 18, 2020 A regular meeting of the Stroudsburg Borough Council convened via Zoom and was livestreamed through the Stroudsburg Borough Facebook page at 7:00 P.M. on August 18, 2020 with the following members present: Anthony Lanfrank, Council President; Matt Abell, Vice- President of Council; Erica McCabe, Council President Pro-Tem; Jim Evanisko, Council Member; Victoria DeVries, Council Member; and Boyd Weiss, Council Member. Council Member James Smith was absent. Also present were: Brian Ace, Jr., Borough Manager; Tarah Probst, Mayor; Joseph McDonald, Jr., Borough Solicitor; Jennifer Lyon, Stroud Area Regional Police Department Chief; Mary Pat Quinn, Executive Assistant; and Ron Kimes, Code Enforcement/Zoning Officer. Public Hearing and Consideration to Adopt An Ordinance of the Borough of Stroudsburg, Monroe County, Pennsylvania, Amending Chapter 15, Motor Vehicles and Traffic, of the Stroudsburg Code of Ordinances. This Ordinance will add 529 Thomas Street to §316 “Handicapped Parking Zones” There were no questions or comments from the public on the aforementioned Ordinance. The public hearing was closed on a motion made by Ms. McCabe, seconded by Mr. Abell. The motion was carried. (6-yes; 0-no; 0-abstain). A motion was made by Ms. McCabe, seconded by Mr. Abell to adopt “An Ordinance of the Borough of Stroudsburg, Monroe County, Pennsylvania, Amending Chapter 15, Motor Vehicles and Traffic, of the Stroudsburg Code of Ordinances”. The motion was carried. (6-yes; 0-no; 0- abstain). Approval of Council Meeting Minutes for the Regular Meeting, August 4, 2020 A motion was made by Mr. Weiss, seconded by Mr. Evanisko to adopt the minutes of the regular meeting of August 4, 2020 as circulated. The motion was carried. (6-yes; 0-no; 0-abstain). Approval of Council Meeting Minutes for the Special Meeting, August 14, 2020 A motion was made by Mr. Weiss, seconded by Mr. Abell to adopt the minutes of the special meeting of August 14, 2020 as circulated. The motion was carried. (4-yes; 0-no; 2-abstain Mr. Evanisko and Ms. DeVries). Monthly Administrative Reports A motion was made by Mr. Weiss, seconded by Mr. Abell to approve the following monthly reports: Permits Issued Report, Parking Report, Fire Department Report, Right to Know Report, and the Stroud Area Regional Police Department Report. The motion was carried. (6-yes; 0-no; 0-abstain). Accept the Unaudited July, 2020 Treasurer’s Report A motion was made by Mr. Weiss, seconded by Ms. McCabe to approve the July 2020 Bank Balances Report and the Budget to Actual Report. The motion was carried. (6-yes; 0-no; 0- abstain). OLD BUSINESS Consider the application of John A. Young of MKSD Architects as recommended by the Historical Architectural Review Board for an addition and renovations to the Jacob Stroud Mansion at 900 Main Street John A. Young, P.L.A. and Christ Worton, P.L.A. of MKSD Architects were present and reviewed their Historical Architectural Review Board application with the Borough Council. The following scope of work was proposed by applicant and approved by HARB:  Jacob Stroud Mansion: Exterior work limited to the removal of fire escape, facade to be patched and repairedto match adjacent facade conditions.  1890’s Addition: Addition and foundation to be removed. Portions of existing facade along Ninth Street to besalvaged, reused, and partially reconstructed with new: Horizontal Cement Board Siding, Double Hung Wood Windows with True Divided Lites Slate Roof (alternate: asphalt shingle roof that imitatesslate), Half-Round Gutter and Downspout (copper of aluminum with Kynar finish)  New Addition: Construct three story addition with the following finishes:Keim Stucco Wall Finish with Joint Articulation (color and finish to match the recent existing building restoration) Pennsylvania Bluestone VeneerClear Anodized Aluminum Curtain Wall with Clear, Spandrel, and Ceramic-Fritted Glazing Extruded Aluminum Cornice with Kynar Finish  New Garden Area: Construct White Glazed-Brick Wall with Saylorsburg Brick on top of wall. The discussion was opened to the public. Kris Battle asked how close the addition would be to the PATH House. Mr. Young answered that it will be 15 feet from the property line of the PATH House. Cindy Blake asked when the construction will start, and she expressed concern about the safety of the preschool children who attend the day care at Rainbow Trail and who play outside. Mr. Young stated that the construction will start early in CY 2021 and will likely take twelve (12) months. There will be a brief period of time wherein a crane will be used during the construction. He emphasized that safety is the number one priority, and neighboring property owners will be given plenty of notice as the construction moves forward. Mary Stuart spoke in favor of modernizing Main Street. Mr. Abell offered the following statements in connection with the application: The significance of Jacob Stroud as the namesake of our historic borough cannot be understated. With that in mind, the Monroe County Historical Association’sHARB application for a proposed addition to the JacobStroudMansion deserves careful scrutiny. Members of the Council and the community should ask themselves: Does this addition support our town’s architectural heritage, or depart from it? And what does affect will it have on the district as a whole? The following are the pertinent sections of the HARB ordinance that I feel need to be addressed: 901, 214.1.A “The effect of the proposed change upon the general historic and architectural nature of the district shall be considered.” Mr. Abell’s comments: While the design of the proposed addition takes many subtle cues from the original Jacob Stroud mansion, I feel it does not consider the context of the neighborhood in general, particularly as it relates to its next-door neighbors of the brick Victorian PATH house and St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church on Ninth-Street, as well as the stone and brick Victorian residences at 904 and 906 Main Street. These are all historic structures that have been respectfully preserved and maintained. Moreover, the HARB requirement that all applications include photos of neighboring buildings in the district has not been met. (The application states “Photos under separate cover,” but none were found in the application provided to Council.) 901, 214.1.B “The general design, arrangement, texture, and material of a building or structure and the relation of such factors to similar features of buildings or structures in the district shall be considered.” Mr. Abell’s comments: Again, the proposed addition has clearly considered its relation to many of the features of the historic Jacob Stroud mansion, such as the spacing of windows on the Ninth Street façade to mimic the original mansion, as well as matching the color of the proposed stucco accent walls to the mansion. But the addition’s relation to neighboring buildings is less well- considered. What is the impact of a nearly all-glass, modernist structure when viewed next to a historic masonry structure such as St. John’s Lutheran Church, built in 1868 by famed Philadelphia architect S.O. Wetzel, who also designed Stroudsburg’s Holland Thread Mill and the Stroudsburg National Bank Building? This should also be considered in the proposed design. 901, 214.1.B.2 Proportions of Openings within the Building. “The relationship of the width to height of windows and doors should be maintained.” Mr. Abell’s comments: This works well on the Ninth Street elevation, which follows the same rhythm and spacing of windows as the original mansion, but does not work so well on the Main Street elevation, which looks more like a greenhouse or three-season room. The solid expanse of glass on the rear addition does not reflect the rhythm of windows along the mansion’s Main Street façade. 901, 214.1.B.3 “Rhythms of Solids to Voids in the Front Facade. The relationship between a recurrent alteration or strong and weak architectural elements should be maintained.” Mr. Abell’s comments: Again, this works very well for the Ninth Street elevation, which follows the same rhythm and spacing of windows as the original mansion. The Main Street elevation, however, does not really relate to the original mansion nor to neighboring structures. The relationship of solids to voids on the mansion’s masonry facade broken up by five columns of windows is not reflected at all in the all-glass window of the rear addition. 901, 214.B.9 “Where adjacent historic buildings have a pitched roof, a new building or addition should include a similarly pitched roof. Roof styles shall follow a style that is present among historic buildings in the Historic District.” Mr. Abell’s comments: While the flat roof on the proposed addition keeps the emphasis on the original historic structure, it does not meet the direction of the ordinance. 901, 214.1.B.23 Window Construction. “Wherever possible, the style of window shall be complementary to historic structures nearby.” Mr. Abell’s comments: Here, the design of the Jacob Stroud addition fails to meet the HARB guidelines. Transparent, continuous glass walls (referred to in the application as “ceramic-fritted glazing”) do not complement the double-hung windows with masonry lintels and sills at the PATH house, nor the 12-over-1 double-hung windows at 904 Main Street, nor the elaborate divided-lite arched windows of St. John’s Church. Though not specifically required by the HARB ordinance, architectural elevations that include historic neighboring structures have not been provided by the architect. Given the scale and importance of this addition, I feel renderings for this application should also include nearby existing structures in order for both HARB and Council to determine the impact of the addition on the character of the district as a whole. Mr. Abell’s recommendations for remedy would be the following: (1) Provide photos of all neighboring structures within the sightlines of the proposed additions, as required by ordinance, and also include more of these buildings in the illustrations for comparison purposes and a better sense of the scale of the addition within the context of the district. (2) Break up the large window on the rear addition so that it better relates to the rhythm and proportions of the original mansion’s windows facing Main Street. (3) Consider an alternative siding material to the proposed clear anodized aluminum curtain walls with ceramic-fritted glazing in order to better relate to nearby historic masonry structures. Mr. Young referred to the NPS Brief 14 and suggested that the materials used in neighboring buildings would be inappropriate and would diminish the project. A motion was made by Mr. Abell, seconded by Ms. McCabe to deny the issuance of a Certificate of Appropriateness for the subject application and to recommend that the application be modified to break up the glass in the addition and tie in the masonry treatment to other neighboring buildings. The motion was carried. (4-yes; 2-no Mr. Evanisko and Mr. Weiss; 0-abstain). Solicitor McDonald will provide a detailed letter of denial to the applicant. Consideration to approve a request from Tracy Tomlinson to conduct the Annual Scott Street Neighborhood Block Party from 12:00 P.M. to 10:00 P.M. on Saturday, August 29, 2020. The request also includes permission to close Scott Street from 7th Street to 8th Street Tracy Tomlinson was present for this discussion. She provided the Council with a detailed social distancing plan for the proposed block party. A motion was made by Mr. Abell, seconded by Mr. Weiss to approve the aforementioned request. The Street Department will provide barricades to close Scott Street between 7th Street and 8th Street. The motion was carried. (6- yes; 0-no; 0-abstain). Consideration to Adopt a revised Resolution Authorizing the County of Monroe Board of Commissioners to Submit an Application for the Community Development Block Grant- Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) Program Funds in the Amount of $64,913 on Behalf of the Borough of Stroudsburg AND to Authorize the Council President, Mayor and Borough Manager to Execute a Cooperation Agreement between the County of Monroe and the Borough of Stroudsburg for the Administration of the Monroe County CDBG-CV Program A motion was made by Mr. Weiss, seconded by Mr. Abell to adopt the aforementioned Resolution and to authorize the Council President, the Mayor and the Borough Manager to execute the corresponding agreement between the County of Monroe and the Borough of Stroudsburg. The motion was carried. (6-yes; 0-no; 0-abstain). Status of Bike Rack Project Mr. Ace reported that there is no change in status. Status of LERTA Ordinance Mr. Lanfrank reported that there is no change in status. NEW BUSINESS Consideration to schedule a Public Hearing in connection with a request for an Intermunicipal Liquor License Transfer to 615 Main Street, LLC located at 615 Main Street, Stroudsburg, PA A motion was made by Mr. Abell, seconded by Mr. Weiss to schedule a public hearing for consideration of the Intermunicipal Liquor License Transfer to 615 Main Street, LLC. located at 615 Main Street for Tuesday, September 15, 2020 at 7:00 P.M. Siamsa asked what an Intermunicipal Liquor License is. Solicitor McDonald responded that this is a procedural requirement. The motion was carried. (6-yes; 0-no; 0-abstain). Consideration to approve the Notice of Intent to Award for the Lee Avenue and Stokes Avenue Paving and ADA Ramp Project to Hendricks and Winot Group, Inc. dba Northeast Site Contractors in the amount of $149,221.00 A motion was made by Mr. Weiss, seconded by Mr. Abell to approve the issuance of the Notice of Intent to Award for the Lee Avenue and Stokes Avenue Paving and ADA Ramp Project to Hendricks and Winot Group, Inc. dba Northeast Site Contractors in the amount of $149,221.00. The motion was carried. (6-yes; 0-no; 0-abstain). The bid opening occurred via PennBid on August 6, 2020 at 3:00 P.M. with the following results: Northeast Site Contractors $149,221.00 Calenti $159,830.00 Cobalt $174,750.00 Barker and Barker $187,245.00 H&K $221,072.10 Engineer’s Estimate $176,264.00 BCRA Portion $ 45,070.00 Consideration to ratify the submission of a grant application for funding from the Monroe County Relief Block Grant Program in the amount of $5,000.00. A motion was made by Mr. Abell, seconded by Ms. McCabe to ratify the submission of a grant application in the amount of $5,000.00 from the Monroe County Relief Block Grant Program. The application was submitted for a reimbursement for personal protective equipment that was purchased for the Stroudsburg Borough Fire Department, future purchases of personal protective equipment for the Department and employees of the Borough of Stroudsburg, and supplies for implementing a sanitizing procedure when the Municipal Building is open to the public. The motion was carried. (6-yes; 0-no; 0-abstain). Consideration to appoint Jennifer Walker as the full-time Assistant Codes and Zoning Officer at the probationary hourly rate of $20.43 for six (6) months and $21.63 per hour upon a favorable review after the probationary period A motion was made by Mr. Abell, seconded by Mr. Weiss to appoint Jennifer Walker as the full- time Assistant Codes and Zoning Officer at the probationary hourly rate of $20.43 for six (6) months and $21.63 per hour upon a favorable review after the probationary period. The motion was carried. (6-yes; 0-no; 0-abstain). Consider a request from Jared Acosta to conduct a March Against Child Trafficking and Abuse on August 29, 2020 from Dansbury Park in East Stroudsburg Borough to Courthouse Square in Stroudsburg Borough. There is no request for street closures Chief Lyon advised that she has a lieutenant from SARP working with Mr. Acosta in preparation for this event. No action is required by the Borough Council. Committee Reports Codes Committee – Mr. Abell reported that the Codes Committee will be meeting at 3:30 P.M. on August 26, 2020 as scheduled. Solicitor McDonald advised that he needed additional time to finish the proposed fireworks and dog barking ordinance. He anticipated that Council could have a public hearing on both at the September 1, 2020 meeting. Parking Committee – Ms. McCabe advised that the Parking Committee will be meeting in two weeks as scheduled. Street Committee – Mr. Lanfrank advised that the Street Committee will meet at 3:30 P.M. on August 24, 2020 (an advertised special meeting). Public Relations/Media Committee – Ms. McCabe reported that the Committee will be preparing a Public Comment Form that will be put on the Borough website and on the Borough Facebook page and also a Facebook Policy. The Committee expects to present it to Council at the September 1, 2020 meeting. Mayor Probst advised that she, Mr. Evanisko, Ms. McCabe, Ms. DeVries and Tobias Sabatine met to discuss possible future events, such as the placement of veteran flags for persons of color on Main Street; the placement of Juneteenth flags on Main Street in June together with the Pride Flags; and events for Black History Month in February. They will be working with the NWACP. There is an aerial photo of the peaceful protest that occurred in Courthouse Square that is being considered for a mural. There was also a discussion about changing the reference to Sambo Creek, which is located by the Stroudsburg High School, to an appropriate name. A plaque for the first school for African American children is also being considered. The Committee will work on all of the things and present their final suggestions to Council in the future. Mr. Abell commended the Committee and Mr. Sabatine for their ideas. Redevelopment Committee – Mr. Abell advised that the Redevelopment Committee will meet at 3:30 P.M. on August 19, 2020 as scheduled. I-80 Expansion Task Force Committee – Kris Battle was present and advised that she sent the Finding of No Significant Impact to Solicitor McDonald. Solicitor McDonald advised that the staff sent a letter to the Brodhead Wastershed Association to set up a joint meeting with the I-80 Expansion Task Force and the Borough Council. He was also interested to know what the BWA’s legal budget is for monitoring the proposed I-80 expansion. It was noted that no Clean Water Act permit applications have been filed by Penn DOT with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. The Borough Council decided to advertise for a special meeting on Tuesday, August 25, 2020 at 3:00 P.M. via Zoom.com and livestreamed on the Borough’s Facebook page. The I-80 Expansion Task Force and the BWA will be invited to participate. Mr. Lanfrank appointed Joanne Kochanski to the I-80 Expansion Task Force as a community member representative. Ms. McCabe will be the Council member liaison. Stroud Region Open Space and Recreation Commission – Mr. Weiss advised that SROSRC will meet at 5:30 P.M. on August 25, 2020 as scheduled. Mayor’s Report Mayor Probst asked about the status of the traffic problem on McConnell Street by the Wells Fargo Bank. Mr. Ace advised that he spoke with the Branch Manager who advised him that only one drive thru land is open; the other one is malfunctioning. The bank ordered signs that they will post as soon as they come in. Mr. Abell suggested that they close off the drive thru. Council Member Reports Mr. Weiss discussed the speeding on Lower Main Street and asked for more police enforcement. Solicitor’s Report Solicitor McDonald advised that he has two potential legal matters that he will discuss with Council in executive session. Borough Manager’s Report Mr. Ace had nothing further to report. Code Enforcement Officer’s Report Mr. Kimes had nothing to report. Street Superintendent’s Report Mr. Ace had nothing to report. Approval of Bills on Warrants 200818 A motion was made by Ms. McCabe, seconded by Mr. Weiss to approve the payment of the Bills on Warrants 200818. The motion was carried. (6-yes; 0-no; 0-abstain). Public Input for Non-Agenda Items Jenny Armstrong, 864 Grove Street, advised that the street sign is down again. Mr. Ace advised he acknowledged this in an email to her. Chief Lyon advised that the 2020 hiring process for SARP has begun. There is more information on the SARP website for anyone who may be interested in a law enforcement career. Executive Session A motion was made by Ms. McCabe, seconded by Mr. Abell to go in to an executive session at 9:03 P.M. The motion was carried. (6-yes; 0-no; 0-abstain). The executive session was concluded at 9:41 P.M. on a motion made by Ms. McCabe, seconded by Mr. Abell. The motion was carried. (6-yes; 0-no; 0-abstain). The meeting was adjourned at 9:43 P.M. on a motion made by Mr. Weiss, seconded by Mr. Abell. The motion was carried. (6-yes; 0-no; 0-abstain).