East Hanover Township supervisors in Dauphin and Lebanon counties are hosting back-to-back meetings where they will decide if Hanover Logistics, LLC can construct a nearly 1 million-square-foot warehouse that straddles the county line.
The company is seeking a conditional use permit from East Hanover Township in Dauphin County on Nov. 19 and variance from East Hanover Township in Lebanon County on Nov. 20. The site plans call for a 963,790 square-foot warehouse and logistics center on 55.5 acres in Dauphin, as well as a parking lot on 17.2 acres in Lebanon.
“I want people to know that this is coming,” said Tina Hastie, who resides in East Hanover Township in Dauphin County. “It’s a reality.”
She’s been watching the project’s progress and is worried that the new warehouse could also bring new problems along with it.
“People need to come out to have their voices heard,” she said of the upcoming public hearings. “I really don’t think East Hanover Township residents want this in their community. It can’t just be one person; use your democratic right to come out and express your opinion.”
Hastie said she thinks the site plans go against the township’s comprehensive plan. She believes supervisors should be working toward protecting the land, water, and air. East Hanover in Dauphin only paves five miles of roadway per year, which is something she said will become difficult as tractor-trailers access back roads.
“Those roads were not built for tractor-trailer traffic,” she said. “There are a whole lot of unknowns. We already have terrible traffic control on I-81 when there are crashes and concerts at Hershey.”
The proposal asks for them to build on property located north of Interstate 81, east of Firehouse Road, and south of Fox Run Road. A portion of the property in East Hanover Township is located in the township’s industrial zone. Warehouses are permitted by conditional use in that zone, according to the township’s ordinance.
Supervisors in Lebanon County voted against the warehouse earlier this year, Hastie said. When speaking about the Dauphin County township supervisors, she said, “there are two people on the board who are pro-development, and there are other people on the board who would like to preserve the rural community, with the mountains and agriculture and farming.”
According to the Lebanon County municipality, “As part of the development, 76 trailer parking and trailer storage and 100 motor vehicle parking spaces are proposed to be located on the 17.2 acres of the property located in East Hanover Township, Lebanon County.”
The acres in Lebanon County are zoned in the agricultural zoning district, which doesn’t permit the proposed parking request. Hanover Logistics, LLC is seeking a variance in order to build out the parking lot.
The East Hanover Township Board of Supervisors are hosting a public hearing at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 19 at the township building, 8848 Jonestown Road in Grantville, Dauphin County. The East Hanover Township Board of Supervisors in Lebanon County is hosting a public hearing at 7 p.m. on Nov. 20 at the township building, 1117 School House Road.
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