Planners OK county emergency center

Carbon County’s emergency operations and training center is one step closer to being constructed.

On Tuesday, Carbon County Planning Commission voted to recommend plan approval for the project, located next to the Carbon County Emergency Management Agency on the Broad Mountain in Nesquehoning.

The plans, which had been scaled back earlier this year, includes a 1,600-square-foot law enforcement training building, 400-square-foot observation tower, 1,820-square-foot firefighter training building, a 924-square-foot fire training tower, storage building, burn pad and vehicle extrication area, and other concrete pads for storage and utilities, as well as two parking areas with 69 parking spots.

Ivan O. Meixell, county planner, pointed out that Emergency Lane leading into the site has already been widened from 11 to 22 feet and site prep work has been done.

He said that there were no visible barriers toward development or plan approval were noted and the plan conforms to all final plan requirements of Nesquehoning’s land development ordinances.

Meixell said that the project received variances from the borough in 2016 regarding the heights of the towers.

Carbon County has been working on this project since 2015 after the county’s burn tower was torn down because of deterioration.

Once completed, the fire training facility project will include live fire training sites and a drill tower for firefighters, police, county departments and EMS.

Other matters

The Carbon County Planning Commission also recommended conditional plan approval for a lot line revision/land development proposed by St. Luke’s at Palmerton, phases 1 and 2.

According by the plans submitted by Palmerton Site LLC, the lot line revision includes five parcels from 614 through 636 Delaware Ave., Palmerton.

The parcels include the former Haja Lanes, Mountain Karate Academy, Snyder’s Auto Repair and Terry’s Winner Circle, which were purchased by the hospital earlier this year for a future health care facility.

The recommendation will now be forwarded to Palmerton.