Homeowners appeal Centre County township’s rezoning tied to contentious travel plaza
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Homeowners sued Marion Township, alleging supervisors rezoned properties without notice.
- Rezoning covered eight parcels near I-80; Onvo expressed interest though no formal plans.
- Residents raised environmental and crime concerns; supervisors next meet Feb. 11.
Homeowners in a small Centre County township filed a lawsuit Wednesday claiming the municipality’s governing body improperly approved an ordinance that could clear the way for a contentious travel plaza.
Matthew and Lisa Ford alleged Marion Township’s supervisors failed to have a public hearing or provide proper notice before unanimously adopting the new ordinance that rezoned eight properties.
The parcels are north of Interstate 80, near the intersection of Jacksonville and Walt roads. Scranton-based travel plaza and truck stop chain Onvo expressed interest in developing a location there if the properties were rezoned, though township Solicitor Louis Glantz said Thursday he does not believe formal plans have been submitted.
Dozens of the rural township’s roughly 1,200 residents have been at loggerheads for months since Onvo first requested the rezoning of 16 acres for future development.
Before the board approved the ordinance at its December meeting, former Supervisor Orie Hanley said he was “pissed” and encouraged residents to leave if unspecified intimidation and threats persisted.
The Fords’ appeal challenged the ordinance, in part, because it was not included on the township’s agenda and there was no mention of it being adopted at the time. It was passed during the public comment period.
The longtime township residents — who live about a mile from the rezoned properties — further argued the supervisors failed to follow mandatory procedures after they declared the township’s zoning ordinance invalid in September. Glantz said at the time that the township had until March to revise the ordinance.
At a pair of standing-room-only hearings that month, some residents expressed environmental and crime concerns if development of the travel plaza was allowed. Others, including Matthew Ford, urged the supervisors to slow the process.
No Centre County judge was assigned to the appeal as of Thursday afternoon. The next township supervisors meeting is scheduled for Feb. 11.