From: “Mark Platts”
mplatts@yorkheritage.org
To: “John A. Klinedinst” <Jak@csdavidson.com>; <lwtdkeener@balzenet.net>; <76535.56@compuserve.com>
Sent: Friday, May 09 2003 4:18 PM
Subject: RE: Lauxmont meeting
John, Don & Dave –
Bob Bair has briefed me by phone about the actions taken by the Board last night. I know I wasn’t there and have only heard on version of what took place, but thought I should offer my thoughts.
First, I think all of you, particularly you John, are due big congrats for devising a strong argument for denial of the subdivision plans and supporting the Board with the information they needed to legally do what the community wanted them to do. It seems to me that if the Kohrs intend to appeal the denial (which is still an open question) they would do so regardless of other Twp action, so your professional opinions backing up a denial would need to stand on their merits in any case. You guys did the right thing which allowed the Board to do the right thing – this is good!
As far as the action regarding potential acquisition of Lauxmont properties, I don’t see how it is in conflict with the work of the “Saylor group” or makes our schedule meeting unauthorized or unneeded – rather, I think it gives our group’s work public & political legitimacy and makes our scheduled meeting next week all the more critical. The players are all the same, we still need the appraisal, we still need State assistance, we still need Jackie Kramer’s help, etc.
Now we have formal & public Board support to get things moving along – and the Kohr’s know that the Twp is serious about preserving their land for public good, which may push them to consider other alternatives more seriously – and it would be better to do that outside of a legal appeal if possible rather than negotiating it under the pressure of the court process. It may end up in court anyways, but maybe it won’t.
I also don’t think that the Board action means that the Twp needs to foot the bill for full acquisition, but rather that the Twp will check out options and may step up to the plate as a political, coordination & funding partner. The Twp can always decide that it doesn’t want to move forward with either a negotiated purchase or a taking, and then any subdivision appeal will move along on its own.
Rather than dispirited by what seems to have happened last night I’m kind of excited! We’ve been dancing around this issue for 9 months now – maybe the Board’s action gives us the public charge to make this happen & get others to step up with us.
Mark
LANCASTER-YORK HERITAGE REGION
Mark N. Platts, AICP
Executive Director
250 East Market Street
05/28/2003 Page 2 of 2
York, Pennsylvania 17403
717-848-1587 office
717-968-6610 cell
mplatts@yorkheritage.org
-----Original Message-----
From: John A. Klinedinst
[mailto:Jak@csdavidson.com]
Sent : Friday, May 09, 2003 1:40 PM
To: Lwtdkeener@blazenet.net; 76535.56@compuserve.com;
mplatts@yorkheritage.org
Subject: Re: Lauxmont meeting
Don:
Considering the action by the Board to authorize negotiations to purchase Lauxmont and other properties last night, I think the scheduled meeting is both unauthorized and pointless.
The original authorized committee searching for funding and about to have an appraisal performed has been replaced with authorization for you and Dave Keiter to directly negotiate purchase of the property. I’m not sure how you do that without cost information, or any viable sources of funding, or a plan for use of the property; but that was not a condition of the motion.
After wrestling through most of the night last night with the action by the Board to, after a defensible plan denial, act like “opportunists” by offering to buy the property, and continuing to be extremely disappointed in the Boars decision to “sell out” in spite of the energy, emotion, and work by many that went in to the process and reviews, I continue to think that we both lost the subdivision battle (on definite appeal) and /or saved the Kohrs from bankruptcy by potentially bankrupting the Township. I do not believe the Board recognizes the potential consequences of their action. I maintain that such a motion as last night should have been made AFTER the appeal was filed, as a part of settlement negotiation, not as an appeal matter
David disagrees; I can only hope, as a Township resident, that he is right.
John
From: “Donald O’Shell” <Doshell@pahousegop.com>
To: <maxt@arlenspecter2004.org>;<lowerwindosrtwp@blazenet.net>; <lwtdkeener@blazenet.net>;
<76535.56@compuserve.com>; <jevans@cyberia.com>; Nixon@envirolink.org>; <nixon@enviroweb.org>;
<jkramer@farmtrust.org>; <blackrail@hotmail.com>; <sstetler@pahouse.net>;
“Beverly Mackereth” <bmackere@pahousegop.com>; “Bruce Smith” <Bsmith@pahousegop.com>;
“Cheryl Bohnert” <Cbohnert@pahousegop.com>;”Jo Anna Shovlin” <Jshovlin@pahousegop.com>;
“Keith Gillespie” <Kgillesp@pahousegop.com>; “Ron Miller” <Rmiller@pahousegop.com>;
“Steven Nickol” <Snickol@pahousegop.com>; “Stan Saylor” <Ssaylor@pahousegop.com>;
<bthompson@pasen.gov>; <garmstro@pasen.gov>; <gmahon@pasen.gov>; <mwaugh@pasen.gov>;
<nhubner@pasen.gov>; <wkostoff@pasen.gov>; <arlen_specter@specter.senate.gov>; <carey_lackman@specter.senate.gov>;
<gayle_mills@specter.senate.gov>; <cchace@state.pa.us>; <dstrattan@state.pa.us>;
<kcarr@state.pa.us>; <lwilliamso@state.pa.us>; <mschneide@state.pa.us>; <pwelty@state.pa.us>;
<rkienitz@state.pa.us>; <rsprenkle@state.pa.us>; <bryan@tatefamily.com>; <gopbair@yahoo.com>;
<BLBair@york-county.org>
Cc: <plattssimons@pahousegop.com>; “Cheryl Weidner” <Cweidner@pahousegop.com>;
“Jess Henninger” <jhenning@pahousegop.com>;
ttobias@pasen.gov
Sent: Wednesday, July 16, 2003 12:40 PM
Subject: Lauxmont Farms Meeting – Wednesday, July 23rd at 1:00 p.m.
–Wrightsville House
Next Meeting
When: Wednesday, July 23rd, 1:00 p.m.
Where: at the Wrightsville House, Wrightsville PA – corner of North Front Street and Locust Street
What: We will be meeting with Mike Nixon, J.D. To quote from his resume, “Mr. Nixon has Nationwide experience in environmental and natural resources policy, law and regulation, with emphasis on complex government procedures, strategic planning, public relations, litigation and legislation. Mr. Nixon has a special interest and nationwide experience in cultural resources protection and historic preservation. He has served as a historic preservation advisor to Native American Tribes, non-profit groups, neighborhoods and individuals.” We are hoping to put Mike Nixon’s knowledge and experience to work for us in securing the future of Laxumont Farms property.
Who: You! Please make plans to attend. I apologize for the short notice but this just came together late last week and I just now have the opportunity to spread the word via email. Please contact me if you have any questions either by email or by phone at 717-840-4711.
Update
Good news and positive developments continue to take place as we move forward in our efforts to develop alternatives for the Lauxmont Farms property that will preserve the beauty and character of the area, preserve its rich history, and provide for public access and recreational opportunities.
We continue to form a number of strong partnerships on a variety of levels. On June 23rd in Harrisburg Mark Platts of the Lancaster/York Heritage Region and Jackie Kramer of the York County Farm and Natural Lands Trust made a presentation to the York County state legislative delegation (including Bob Reilly from Congressman Platts’ office), representatives form DCNR including Larry Williamson, Don Keener from Lower Windsor Township, and Noel Strattan from PHMC. The presentation was well received and vision presented by Mark and the numbers presented by Jackie were viewed favorably.
It was agreed that the $14 million capital appropriation that Rep. Say managed to secure last year was critical to the effort and that we would ultimately seek $8 million of that appropriation - $5 million toward acquisition and $3 million for development of the site. Those funds require non state 50% matching money of which land value (market based appraisal) could be used as part of the match. Don Keener, manager of Lower Windsor Township, confirmed the Board of Supervisor’s potential $2 million commitment to this project as well.
Rep. Saylor is currently pursuing those funds via the entire York County delegation with the Governor’s office. In addition to the meeting with the delegation, Mark Platts, Jackie Kramer and Don (me) met with Hugh Baird of the Office of Communications and Issue Development in the state Senate Democratic Caucus, Greg Mahon of Sen. Brightbill’s office (Senate Majority Leader), Rep./Chairman Dave Argall and Dave Reddecliff of the Appropriations Committee (that meeting included LWT Supervisor Bob Bair) and Patty Welty, the Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs in the Governor’s Office. Again, all of those meeting were very positive as we continue to build the case for Lauxmont.
Assistant Secretary Welty put us in contact with Lauren Zaccarelli of the Dept. of Revenue to determine if any indebtedness to the Commonwealth by the current property owners could be used toward the purchase of the property. We have learned that legally it is allowed and we continue to pursue that initiative.
In terms of federal partnerships, Sen. Arlen Specter and his office have shown a tremendous amount of interest in the project and are committed to helping us achieve our goals. County Treasurer and Republican State Committeewoman Barb Bair and Bob (LWT Supervisor) had the opportunity to personally provide the Senator with a copy of the Lauxmont presentation/ materials in Washington during a visit of Republican State Committee to the Senator’s office making the Senator (and other members of State Committee) aware of our efforts.
Bolstered by Congressman Platts’ strong support of this undertaking Sen. Specter and his staff are now fully engaged. On July 1st Gayle Mills of the Senator’s Harrisburg office spent three hours with Mark Platts, Jackie Kramer, Barb Bair, Bryan Tate, (chief of staff to Congressman Platts) and a state Dept. of Ag conservation official learning about the property via Mark and Jackie’s presentation and actually visiting the farm and the Long Level area in Lower Windsor
In previous discussions between Congressman Platts and his brother, Mark, it was determined that we would seek $5 million from the federal government for land acquisition and another $5 million for development. We continue to work with both Congressman Platts; office and Sen. Specter’s office in determing the funding streams and the proper budget request.
The York County Board of Commissioners and the County’s administrator, Chuck Noll, are also being brought up to speed through the efforts of Treasurer Bair. At some point along the way there maybe an opportunity for county involvement in this process.
That is the update from my perspective amidst all of the activity. Thanks again for all the interest and efforts to date… this project continues to move forward! See you on July 23rd
Don O’Shell, Chief of Staff 4188 Lincoln Highway York, PA 17406 Ph. 717-840-4711 Fax 717-755-2896