ZOOM MEETINGS FOR MAY 2021

VIRTUAL MEETING FORMAT:
The Borough of Lewisburg will be holding virtual meetings via Zoom Webinar in May for Council and Committees listed below in order to adhere to social distancing guidelines and to help prevent the spread of the Coronavirus causing COVID-19.

MEETING REGISTRATION:

Advanced Registration is required for members of the public who wish to attend.  When registering, you will need to provide your first and last name, your email as well as your street address.  This will serve as the meeting sign-in requirement for the Lewisburg Borough Council public meeting.  Please do not use fictitious names when registering.  You can register up until 15 minutes before the scheduled start of the meeting.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

COUNCIL AND COUNCIL COMMITTEE MEETINGS REGISTER HERE:

Administrative Finance May 10, 2021, at 4 PM

Borough Council Work Session May 11, 2021, at 6:30 PM

Community Development Planning Committee May 13, 2021, at 5 PM

Borough Council Meeting May 18, 2021, at 6:30 PM

COMMITTEE MEETINGS REGISTER HERE:

HARB May 11, 2021, at 5 PM

Shade Tree Commission May 13, 2021, at 6 PM

Shade Tree Commission Work Session May 27, 2021, at 6 PM

PUBLIC COMMENT

Members of the public may submit questions and comments to William Lowthert, Borough Manager, at wlowthert@lewisburgborough.org prior to the meeting.  Once the meeting has started, meeting attendees can submit questions and comments through the chat function of the Webinar format.  

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING AND ENACTMENT OF ORDINANCE

TO ALL CITIZENS & RESIDENTS OF THE BOROUGH OF LEWISBURG:

NOTICE is hereby given that the Borough Council of the Borough of Lewisburg, Union County, Pennsylvania, will hold a public hearing virtually via Zoom on Tuesday, May 18, 2021, at 6:30 P.M., for the purpose of receiving and considering written or oral testimony and comments concerning a proposed Ordinance, of which this Notice is a summary, amending Section 360-6(D) of Article II and Sections 360-11 through 360-19 of Article IV of Chapter 360 of the Code of the Borough of Lewisburg, being part of Ordinance No. 1010, enacted December 20, 2011, as amended, know as the Lewisburg Borough Zoning Ordinance of 2011, by deleting certain definitions and adding certain other new definitions; establishing certain general and specific standards relating to the location, placement, construction, maintenance, operation and removal of tower-based wireless communication facilities, non-tower wireless communication facilities, and small wireless communication facilities; and providing further for the regulation of such facilities within the public rights-of-way and outside the public rights-of-way and for the enforcement of said regulations.

 

Following the said hearing, the Borough Council of the Borough of Lewisburg will consider for enactment into law the aforesaid proposed Ordinance to become effective immediately upon enactment.

 

The place within the Borough where copies of the proposed Ordinance shall be obtainable for a charge not greater than the cost thereof and available for examination without charge is the Lewisburg Borough Building, 55 South Fifth Street, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.

 

Any person with a disability who wishes to attend the said public hearing and cannot otherwise do so or is unable to participate in the proceedings at such hearing without auxiliary aid, assistance or other accommodation should contact the Borough Secretary at (570) 523-3614 prior to the hearing to discuss how your needs may be met.

Lewisburg Borough FFY 2021 Community Development Block Grant First Public Hearing Notice

POSTING DATE: April 26 – May 4, 2021
CONTACT PERSON: Mitzi Gallagher-Long (570) 524-4491

LEWISBURG BOROUGH
FFY 2021
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT
FIRST PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE

Union County, on behalf of Lewisburg Borough, plans to submit an application to the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) for Federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds. For Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2021, it is estimated that Lewisburg Borough will be allocated $99,900.

A Public Hearing will be held on May 18, 2021, at 5:30 PM. Keeping with federal and state guidelines regarding COVID 19, this meeting will take place as a virtual video web and tele conference. The public is invited to observe and participate in the hearing as follows: To access via web video, type the link: https://meetings.ringcentral.com/j/8383951780. To access via telephone dial +1(470) 869-2200 and enter Meeting ID: 838 395 1780. The meeting will be recorded. The meeting platform is accessible to persons with disabilities. If accommodations are needed for those with special needs related to language, sight, or hearing, please call 570-524-4491 at least five days in advance. Interested applicants should contact Lewisburg Borough as soon as possible for funding consideration, but in no case later than May 18, 2021, at which time the Public Hearing is scheduled.

Proposed project activities must meet one or more of three objectives: benefit low- and moderate-income (LMI) persons; prevent or eliminate slums or blight; and/or alleviate immediate threats to the health and safety of the community. Housing, community and economic development activities are eligible; examples include housing rehab, demolition or improvement of blighted property and public works projects. A list of eligible activities can be found in Section 105(s) of the Housing and Community Development Act (P.L. 93-383), as amended.

Union County, on behalf of Lewisburg Borough, will commit not less than 70% of the total funds after administration costs, to projects which principally benefit (LMI). They encourage public comment on possible projects including environmental impacts, the Borough’s Three-Year Community Development Plan, as well as current or past CDBG projects.

No displacement is anticipated, and every effort will be made to avoid or minimize displacement and relocation. Should displacement be required, the applicant is responsible for replacing all LMI housing units that are demolished or converted. At this hearing, Lewisburg Borough will disclose the types and levels of assistance that it would make available if persons were to be displaced by CDBG-funded activities.

Union County, on behalf of Lewisburg Borough, does not discriminate in access to, participation in, or treatment or employment in its federally funded programs or services. In the event the public believes that discrimination, denied accessibility, or denied equal opportunity has occurred, Union County, on behalf of Lewisburg Borough, Section 504 officer the Chief Clerk, Union County, may be reached at (570) 524-8686.

Technical assistance will be provide
d upon request to any groups or persons, especially LMI persons or their representatives, when developing proposals intending to use CDBG funds. The Lewisburg Borough Council will strive to make all programs and activities accessible to all learning, mobility, vision, hearing, and language-impaired persons. If you have a disability or limited English proficiency and require an auxiliary aid or accommodations, please contact Rachel Radel at SEDA-COG, 1-800-332-6701, 1-800-654-5984 TTY, 1-800-654-5988 TDD to discuss your needs. Translators will be available upon request.

Any complaints or grievances should be written and submitted to Mitzi Gallagher-Long at mgallagherlong@seda-cog.org or at SEDA-COG, 201 Furnace Road Lewisburg, PA 17837. Written responses will be addressed within 15 working days when practicable.

Übersetzer sind für die öffentliche Sitzung auf Anfrage erhältlich.
Traductores estarán disponibles en las reunions públicas por petición.

Lewisburg Borough recognizes Flood Safety Awareness Week

In recognition of Pennsylvania’s Flood Safety Awareness Week starting on March 22, Lewisburg Borough and SEDA-Council of Governments (SEDA-COG) are raising awareness of the dangers of flooding and the resources available to help borough residents prepare.

Lewisburg Borough Manager William Lowthert said it is crucial to know what to do before, during, and after a flood.

“Flooding is a natural disaster that we can prepare for in advance. It can be easy to avoid thinking about a flood until it happens, but there are simple ways to prepare for floods that work. We encourage residents to be proactive to help preserve their lives and properties,” Lowthert said.

In high-risk areas, there is a one-in-four chance of experiencing a flood over the life of a 30-year mortgage and residents should consider purchasing flood insurance.

Safety tips to prepare for flooding include making a plan, building a go kit of supplies, knowing the types of flood risk in the borough (both river and stream flooding), signing up for emergency alerts, practicing evacuation routes and shelter plans, buying flood insurance, keeping important documents in a waterproof container, and proactively protecting property. More information about flood safety and preparedness can be found at www.ready.gov/flood.

SEDA-COG will publicize more safety tips the week of March 22 on its social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

The borough contracts with SEDA-COG to provide professional and administrative services for the Community Rating System (CRS), which gives its residents a 10% flood insurance premium discount for all properties in the Special Flood Hazard Area, and a 5% discount for all other properties. If residents’ properties are not mapped as that area, they still may qualify for a lower-cost preferred risk policy.

For more information about flood hazards, flood protection, or for a site inspection, residents may contact Lewisburg Borough at 570-523-3614 or office@lewisburgborough.org or SEDA-COG’s Flood Resiliency Program at 570-524-4491 ext. 7218.

Pennsylvania’s Flood Safety Awareness Week is held the fourth full week in March each year.

SEDA-COG’s Flood Resiliency Program offers services related to flood resiliency and mitigation assistance both within and outside of its 11-county region. Its goal is to help break the damage cycle and stop its drain on people and communities. For more information, visit https://seda-cog.org/departments/flood-resiliency/.

 

Spring Brush Pick-Up

Borough residents are encouraged to participate in the annual spring (brush, tree trimmings, and leaves) pick-up scheduled for the week of April 5th through the 9th.

The Borough Public Works Department will be following the daily street maintenance schedule in its efforts to collect brush, tree trimmings, and leaves.  These materials will only be collected on the day the street is posted for no parking from 7 AM to Noon, and any subsequent debris left unattended will be considered litter.

 Tree limbs and tree debris should be no larger than 4” in diameter and cut to manageable lengths.  It should be placed between the curb and the sidewalk where appropriate.  Leaves should be managed in the same manner as fall collection (placed in the gutter along the street) and not co-mingled with limbs and brush.

 The Borough hopes this annual spring pick-up will help alleviate the hassle of residents collecting the material individually and transporting to the municipal brush pile.  (Brush pile times of operation: Wednesdays 8 AM to 4 PM and Saturdays 8 AM to Noon.)

 Additional questions can be directed to the Borough Office at (570) 523-3614.

 

Discounted elevation certificates for Lewisburg homeowners

Lewisburg homeowners who live in the 100-year floodplain can get discounted elevation certificates that can reduce their flood insurance costs.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) elevation certificates cost $700 for these homeowners. This is a discounted group price that SEDA-Council of Governments (SEDA-COG) negotiated with Orangeville Surveying Consultants Inc. Without the discount, the rate can be as expensive as $2,000.

Residents must own and occupy their homes.

Geralee Zeigler, a program analyst in SEDA-COG’s Flood Resiliency program, explained how elevation certificates can reduce flood insurance premiums.

“Your insurance agent will use the elevation certificate to compare your building’s elevation to the Base Flood Elevation shown on the map being used for rating and determine the cost to cover your flood risk,” Zeigler said. “If the elevation certificate shows your property at a high elevation, it will lower your flood insurance cost.”

Zeigler also said the certificates also can help when homeowners want to sell their homes.

“Not only can elevation certificates greatly reduce flood insurance premiums, they also make a home more attractive for buyers since the buyer will know where the house stands in relation to the floodplain and knowing they’ll have less of a flood insurance cost,” Zeigler said.

Interested homeowners can contact Zeigler at gzeigler@seda-cog.org or 570-524-4491 ext. 7218.

SEDA-COG’s Flood Resiliency Program offers services related to flood resiliency and mitigation assistance both within and outside of its 11-county region. Its goal is to help break the damage cycle and stop its drain on people and communities. For more information, visit https://seda-cog.org/departments/flood-resiliency/.