Tobyhanna Township

ROAD MAINTENANCE AND SNOW PLOWING

Residents who own property abutting township roads are reminded not to place any type of private property including, but not limited to landscaping shrubbery, fences, light posts or mailboxes in the Township Right-of-Way. The Township is not responsible for any damage caused by road maintenance or snow plowing to any private property located in the Township Right-of-Way. Residents are also reminded not to park cars in the Right-of-Way during the months when snow storms are probable. If you are not sure what the Right-of-Way is for your road, contact the Township Office.

GET INVOLVED

Find out what is going on in the community. Come to a Township Meeting. The Board of Supervisors, Township Planning Commission and Zoning Hearing Board as well as the Regional Comprehensive Plan and Open Space Meetings are all public meetings. The schedules are listed on the front of this newsletter and others are as scheduled. Call the Township for information. We welcome you to Come and voice your opinions and concerns.

ACCESS TO PUBLIC RECORDS

In compliance with the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law, the Township has a policy in place for access to public records by any citizen requesting to view or purchase copies of Township records. There is a form that must be completed and will be reviewed by the Township Secretary and the requester shall receive a response within 5 business days. If the access request is approved, the public record shall be available during business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, with the exception of holidays. Should you request photocopies, facsimiles, certified copies, and copies to a CD of any document, there will be a fee charged, plus mailing costs, if applicable.

If the request is denied, the requester will receive a notice and the reason for denial and the right to appeal.

WELCOME NEWCOMERS AND VISITORS TO TOBYHANNA TOWNSHIP

Please note that the Township of Tobyhanna requires permits to be obtained for such events as YARD SALES, BAZAARS, FESTIVALS, TRANSIENT MERCHANTS, SIGNS, AND A NEW OR CHANGE TO ANY EXISTING BUSINESS!

OUTDOOR BURNING

Our outdoor burning ordinance allows for outdoor burning during the following times:

Monday through Friday between 4:00 PM and 9:00 PM

Saturday 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM

A permit for burning outside scheduled times MUST be obtained from the Township Zoning Officer.
Commercial Burning is Prohibited.
Burning is prohibited on Sunday.
Outdoor burning bans may be imposed from time to time during extremely dry weather conditions.
A controlled burn must be overseen and have a source of water nearby. If you live in a development, check with your association office, as some prohibit burning altogether.

ALWAYS FEEL FREE TO CONTACT THE TOWNSHIP ADMINISTRATION OFFICE FOR INFORMATION AT (570) 646-1212 OR (570) 839-8632.

REGIONAL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN LAND USE MAPS

At their Regular Business Meeting on Monday, June 13, 2005 the Board of Supervisors adopted the Regional Comprehensive Plan. If you wish any further information, please call the administration office at (570) 646-1212.

We are herewith providing the proposed land use maps that have been drafted.

(reduced in size substantially for the web)

Land Use Map with Parcels | Land Use Map without Parcels

PLEASE DON'T FEED THE DEER!

The Township Board of Supervisors adopted a Proclamation wherein they request the public voluntarily refrain from feeding deer. The Township is suffering greatly from artificially high deer population and the flora will lose its ability to replace itself. Feeding of deer leads to high deer density increasing a risk factor for Lyme Disease and Chronic Wasting Disease ( Mad Deer Disease). Deer-vehicle collisions have caused an increase in human deaths, property damage and increasing insurance costs for the Township and its' residents. Many naturalist organizations have documented the negative effect on crops, songbirds, wildflowers and some animals from overpopulation of deer. These organizations have documented the negative effect of artificial feeding to the deer themselves. Please be aware of these problems and do not contribute by feeding deer. It is more harmful that helpful to them.

ZONING AND BUILDING NEWS

The Township has adopted a building code ordinance which requires all construction to be built according to ICC Code standards. When an application is received for construction, it is subject to inspections as outlined in the ordinance such as electrical, plumbing and structural. The Township has contracted with Guardian Inspection Services to handle these inspections. The Township Zoning Officer will provide the zoning inspections.

FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE, THERE IS A DROP-OFF BOX IN FRONT OF THE TOWNSHIP BUILDING FOR YOUR USE ON WEEKENDS AND AFTER HOURS.

BLAKESLEE SEWER NEWS

Aqua Pennsylvania, Inc. (Aqua PA) has been hired as our new billing collection Agency. If you have any questions concerning your bill, please call (570) 443-7099, for assistance.

The Township has been televising the collection system looking for broken pipes and/or damaged laterals. If you notice that your lateral clean out vent has been damaged, please contact a licensed contractor to repair it. Township ordinances prohibit the following from being connected to your lateral: storm water, roof runoff, air conditioner drains, sump pumps, area drainage or any sub-surface drainage.

Groundwater infiltration/inflow causes hydraulic overloading at the Treatment Facility and upsets the treatment process.

DO NOT introduce the following items into the collection system:

Sanitary Napkins
Tampons
Diapers
Paper towels
Cooking Grease
Petroleum products
Paint
Coffee grounds
Bones
Seafood shells
Eggshells
Plastic items
Glass
Metal
Socks or rags

Homes with Grinder Pumps:

The three-year warranty for E-One grinder pumps has expired. If your house is connected to the collection system utilizing a grinder pump, some actions which you can perform as a homeowner to ensure the proper functioning of your pump are:

In case of a power outage, check to insure your grinder pump is reset prior to using water.
Run the water long enough to cause the grinder pump to turn on. This will purge the system and fill it with a sufficient amount of clean water.
Leave the electrical power to the pump on. The pump contains a heating element in the control compartment to eliminate condensation problems.
If a problem occurs and the alarm light turns on and service is required, as a homeowner you are free to call anyone you would like to service your pump

The original pumps were purchased from:

Site Specific
SR 115 North
Blakesee PA 18610
(570) 643-6565

You may call them to request a list of local certified E-one pump repair facilities. You may also inquire about an extended warranty.

ON-LOT SEPTIC SYSTEM CARE:

A few simple steps will help keep your system operating properly.

Limit water usage and spread out throughout the day.
Do not put items such as disposable diapers, sanitary napkins, tampons, cigarettes and solids from garbage grinders in septic tanks. These items can clog drain field pipes.
Keep oil and grease out of the system.
Keep harsh chemicals and acids, pesticides, paint thinners out of the system.
Have the septic tank pumped at least every 3 – 5 years, depending upon tank capacity and usage.