Compressor stations granted planning approval

BY STACI WILSON

Plans for two natural gas compressor stations received the approval of the county planning commission at its Sept. 28 meeting.

The commission granted preliminary approval to UGI Energy Services for a compressor station on the John Sershen property in Auburn Twp.

Sershen was granted both conditional and final approval for a one lot subdivision of his property to accommodate the UGI Energy compressor station.

Conditional final approval was also granted for a one lot subdivision of the Kenneth, Howard and Ronald Sharer property in Rush Twp.

Stone Energy plans to build a compressor station on the property, said Planning Director Bob Templeton, but noted the planning commission had not received the plan yet.

The Susquehanna County Housing Authority received final approval for the senior apartment building project in Hallstead.

Housing Authority executive director Karen Allen said she is anticipating a Nov. 1 move-in date for tenants at Emerson Southgate Apartments.

The building is located on a lot adjacent to the exiting 40-unit Howard J. Emerson apartment building.

Allen said the building has 22 one bedroom units and two two-bedroom apartments.

“Emerson apartments had over 60 names on its waiting list,” said Allen. “That’s how we knew the need was there. This will help a lot.”

To date, 18 tenants have been processed and approved to move into Emerson Southgate.

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act money were used to finance the project, Allen said. “$3.7 million in stimulus money was brought back into the county to build the building,” said the executive director.

The SCHRA also received $1.5 million in Penn Homes’ money and $100,000 from Susquehanna County in Act 137 funding.

Prospective tenants must be 62 years of age or older; or be eligible for a HUD Section 8 subsidy. Call the Howard J. Emerson rental office for more information on both housing complexes.

Construction on the building began in December 2009 but the project has been in the planning stage since 2007.

The SCHRA is also moving forward on a proposed senior apartment project in New Milford Borough, said Allen. The agency will be submitting a preliminary funding application for the project in November.

SCHRA plans to construct a 24-unit complex on the site of the current Southern Tier Plastics building in the borough.

“We’re very excited about that project,” Allen said. “Not only will it create affordable housing, it will be correcting a blighted property.”