ORWIGSBURG — A developer wanting to build a 33-townhouse development answered questions Wednesday at a borough council meeting.
Brian Kobularcik is a partner in B5K-K46, headquartered in Sinking Spring, Berks County. It is seeking to develop the property it owns.
Kobularcik discussed the business’ plans to develop a property between Grove Street and Hope Avenue on Route 443 East. The council gave conditional approval for the plan on April 8, 2009. The property now held by the limited partnership was bought from a bank in lieu of foreclosure, former Borough Manager Mike Lonergan said in December 2013.
Current Borough Manager Robert Williams said the council asked Kobularcik to attend this week’s meeting because he owes money to the borough for work done on the plan.
Paul Datte, borough solicitor, said Kobularcik owes money to the borough because the borough has incurred the fees from the engineers and Datte because of work done on the plan.
“It’s their (the borough’s) professionals who review it,” Datte said.
The borough’s subdivision and land development ordinance and the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning code outline the method for plan submission, payment and other issues.
“By law, those fees have to be reimbursed,” Datte said, adding there are legal guidelines to follow if the amount is being challenged, which is not what is happening here.
Documents provided by the borough show a balance has been owed since Dec. 18, 2014, that has been increasing since then for work done on the project since the original bill. The balance owed prior to a $250 payment paid to the borough Wednesday was $3,616.98. The amount originally was $1,311.19 as of Dec. 18, 2014.
Kobularcik said Lonergan told him he would consider a reduction of the original amount because of financial difficulties. Williams said this is true. Still, no payment was made until the one was made Wednesday, Williams said.
The council also previously adopted a resolution stating that final plan approval for the Villas of Orwigsburg is contingent on approved financial security within 90 days for the land development plan. The borough has given three extensions. Datte said the financial security has yet to be posted.
Council member Darle Cresswell asked why the development should get a break in paying in payments. Kobularcik said he understood his concern but appreciated the effort by the borough for payments and also said he was willing to pay interest if necessary.
Council President Buddy Touchinsky said the council would like an update on the project for its 7:30 p.m. May 4 work session.
After the meeting, Kobularcik said he was trying to pay the entire balance. When asked what the delay is on the project, he said, “The market is not there.”
“I am hoping that we are able to bring something to construction this year,” he said Wednesday.
In December 2013, Kobularcik said the intent was to break ground in spring or early summer 2014. As recently as August 2015, he said work could start possibly in the spring of this year.
In other matters, Orwigsburg Police Chief Stan Brozana spoke to the council about the list of items that Brozana said the council should address.
“We got a list together and are talking about $50,000. Of that before you have a heart attack and we have to do CPR, $40,000 of that is going to be the license plate readers and associated systems that come with that,” Brozana said.
The state Department of Transportation is eliminating the registration stickers for vehicles. The last registration sticker will be issued in December.
The elimination of the registration stickers by 2017 is part of Act 89, the state’s transportation plan signed by former Gov. Tom Corbett in November 2013. The state said it will save money with the change.
The last registration sticker will be issued Dec. 30. Vehicle owners will still have to register their vehicles with PennDOT. Motorists can also print their registrations after accessing their account online.
Brozana said he is not optimistic of seeing any grant funding for the license plate readers.
“According to PennDOT, there is going to be grant money available, when something freezes over, you might get it (because) every time we apply for grant money we don’t have enough crime. We don’t have enough incidents. We don’t have enough whatever. That is money we are going to have to consider in next year’s budget, but I’m bringing it up to you now so you are well aware of it,” Brozana said.
The other items on the list included vests for police officers, training certification, Internet and firewall upgrades.
“Everything is basically a priority except for the license plate readers for next year,” Brozana said.
Williams said the council will look at the list.
The council also took other action including giving an additional $1,500 to the Orwigsburg Historical Society & Museum as a 2016 contribution. The funds will be from the council of governments account.
The council had authorized a $500 contribution last month. A boiler malfunctioned in January and it will cost thousands to fix it, Williams said.