At the Oct. 1 Emmaus Borough Council meeting, it was announced the developers for the potential convenience store on Cedar Crest Boulevard will be at the planning commission meeting Oct. 11.

Emmaus Borough Manager Shane Pepe said the planning commission will focus their attention on the land development piece and the plan being submitted and whether or not it fits within the land development ordinances.

The planning commission is focused on how the proposed convenience store will affect development, stormwater, the sidewalk ordinance, the entrance and exit ways and the proposed road to name a few.

Pepe said residents are more than welcome to come to the meeting and express their concerns. He said this is specifically the ideal time for residents to express their safety concerns.

“Absolutely the commission will listen to safety concerns and take those into consideration,” Pepe said. “If somebody is afraid of competition, that’s not their problem. It’s merely land development.”

In other business, resident Desiree Frantz spoke before council regarding an issue she’s been having with her neighbor Providence Home Healthcare.

Frantz, who has lived in the attached twin house since 2011, says Providence Home Healthcare owner Mike Frazer turned his once family home into a group home this year. She said there are three patients currently living there and one of the patients is severely disabled and nonverbal.

“He has outbursts or fits throughout the day, every day of the week, anywhere from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.” Frantz said. “These fits include grunting, screaming, clapping his hands and banging on the walls, and last anywhere from five minutes to five hours.”

Frantz’s home and Providence Home Healthcare share a dividing wall and she said she can hear this patient having fits in all rooms of her house, on the porch and in her backyard.

Frantz said the staff have told her on multiple occasions they do not feel comfortable with handling this patient safely.

“I’m concerned for the patient, staff, my family, my property, the safety of the community and the other residents on the block, many of whom are families with small children,” Frantz said.

In her attempts to contact Frazer, Frantz said he was “defensive, threatening and uncooperative.” In addition, she received a letter from his attorney stating not to contact him anymore and threatened her with legal action if she speaks out about the situation or Providence Health Care.

Frantz said her issue is with that specific patient.

“His severe disability prevents him from communicating and he belongs in a facility with trained, educated professionals who have experience in caring for a patient this severe,” she said.

Frantz contacted the county’s department of adult corrective services over a month ago, and nothing was done. In addition, she was told by Frazer’s attorney, the police department and the borough zoning office to call the non-emergency number when he is having fits. She says she calls three to four times a week, and that does not include every fit he has.

“Mr. Frazer is profiting from this situation, while my family is being violated,” Frantz said.

Pepe said he spoke to Frantz earlier in the day. “She has video and audio that she played, where literally, when she says she can hear it all over the house, she’s not kidding,” he said. “Not quietly, you can hear in every room of her house the noise, and it’s not talking, it’s a person with medical issues.”

“At what point, or what powers do you have as a municipality to say she has the right to quiet, peaceful enjoyment of her own home, while they [Providence] have a right to do what they’re doing and have a group home.”

Borough Solicitor Jeffery Dimmich says this is a very difficult situation due to the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Dimmich said he will look into it and contact the appropriate people so they are aware of the situation. “A person like that does not belong in that environment, and you need to get someone who understands that to get them out of there,” he said.

Pepe said he did reach out to Frazer’s attorney, and he’s open to having a discussion, so they will start there.

In other business, Emmaus Triangle Park was awarded the Great Public Space Award from the American Planning Association Pennsylvania Chapter. Presenter Nathan Jones said the program was started in 2014 to “recognize places with exemplary character, quality, identity, cultural interest and community involvement.”

Jones said to date, the chapter has designated 31 great places across the commonwealth.

Mayor Lee Ann Gilbert proclaimed the week of Oct. 7 to 13 as Fire Prevention Week and the month of October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The mayor also proclaimed 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 26 as Trick Or Treat night in Emmaus. Residents wishing to participate in handing out candy should leave their outside light on.