The Girl Scouts Adventure Place at Mountain Home project, first proposed more than four years ago to the Salisbury Township Planning Commission, returned to the township panel, which has recommended approval.

The Salisbury Township Planning Commission voted 5-1 with one abstention at the March 27 meeting to recommend approval of the project to the township board of commissioners.

After the planning meeting, Salisbury Township Planning and Zoning Officer Kerry Rabold told a reporter for The Press it is uncertain when the Girl Scouts’ project will be on the agenda of an upcoming commissioners’ meeting. The project has received a time extension until Aug. 31.

Approximately 30 township residents, most of whom reside in homes in the Summit Lawn area where the Girl Scouts project is proposed west of the Interstate 78 exit atop South Mountain, attended the March 27 planners’ meeting in the township municipal building. Approximately one dozen residents spoke during the meeting.

Planners reviewed the land development plan submitted by The Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania, Inc., successor by merger to Great Valley Girl Scouts Council, Inc., to construct a new, 3,177-square-foot, single-story multipurpose building with supporting infrastructure, including an additional parking area located internally on the property at 2638 W. Rock Road. The property contains 15.2128 acres of land, is improved as a nonprofit recreation area, and is located within the CR, Conservation Residential zoning district.

The one-story with basement building will be heated; have bathrooms with showers, sinks and flush toilets; activities rooms; staff office; trading post for purchase of Girl Scout items and paved parking area for 15 vehicles.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection approved the project’s sewage facilities planning module, required for a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit.

Township commissioners voted 5-0 at its Sept. 14, 2023, meeting to approve revisions to the project’s sewage module.

The Salisbury Township Zoning Hearing Board voted unanimously 5-0 at its March 9, 2020, meeting to approve the Girl Scouts’ appeal for a special exception to construct the building.

The Girl Scouts submitted a sketch plan for Adventure Place to the Salisbury Township Planning Commission at its Dec. 10, 2019, meeting.

The March 27 township planners’ meeting reviewed the project’s sewage facilities planning module.

Engineer David J. Tettemer read from a March 20 review letter about the project, which he said contained eight general comments.

“There are two of them [the comments] relevant to the planning commission,” Tettemer said.

Among these is the requirement to remove tent platforms and an outhouse on the property.

“We have a number of drafting items to be cleaned up before it goes to the commissioners,” Tettemer said.

Tettemer, who retired from Keystone Consulting Engineers, was Salisbury Township’s consulting engineer and has been involved with reviewing the Girl Scouts’ project and attending township zoning hearings and planners’ meetings ever since the project was proposed.

“It meets all zoning regulations,” Rabold said, referring to the project in her March 20 review letter.

“We would recommend conditional approval,” Tettemer said.

“We feel we can comply with the conditions in the letter, Attorney Stephanie A. Kobal, shareholder, Fitzpatrick Lentz & Bubba Attorneys at Law, representing the Girl Scouts, said.

“Both my mother and I attended this camp [of the Girl Scouts]. It’s pretty cool to be here tonight,” Kobal said.

“This project has been going on for a long time,” Kobal continued, adding, “The scope of the project has been reduced.” Citing the 3,100-square-foot size, “which is less than many of the residences in the area [of the project],” Kobal said.

Kobal noted a Feb. 8, 2024, letter stating DEP approval of the project’s sewer module.

Geotechnical studies came back positive, Christopher Williams, operations manager, Lehigh Valley Civil Land Development, Barry Isett & Associates Inc., engineer for the Girl Scouts project, said.

Concerning stormwater, an underground detention basin will be constructed.

“The post-stormwater results are better than they were before,” Williams said.

The DEP required the Girl Scouts’ project to revise its sewer module. There will be two sand mounds: 315 feet by 60 feet and 95 feet by 60 feet.

“They [DEP] directed us to use a drip-irrigation system,” Williams said.

“We can’t deny something that the DEP has approved,” Jason A. Ulrich, partner, Gross McGinley LLP Attorneys at Law, which is Salisbury Township’s solicitor firm, said.

“If there are any issues with the DEP, you need to raise them with DEP,” Ulrich said to the audience.

“DEP has reviewed the information and they have determined that it met the requirements and we have to follow that,” Tettemer said.

The project’s sewer module requires an annual inspection by DEP and township officials.

“If there is any noticeable damage to the pipes, they will be repaired immediately,” Tettemer said.

“If anybody notices the system, is failing ... smell ... they [Girl Scouts officials] will be required to go in there and fix it,” Tettemer said.

Summit Lawn homeowners have voiced concerns at township zoning, planning and commissioners’ meetings about the project’s impact on residential wells, stormwater runoff and traffic.

The site now has on-site water facilities and no latrine sanitary sewage facilities. There are no indoor bathroom facilities at the camp.

The camp has tent platforms, pavilion, lodge, cabin, garage, kiln, fire pit, other buildings and a gravel road.

The Girl Scouts has owned the site and operated it as a private recreation area since 1952.

The April Salisbury Township meeting schedule in the municipal building, 2900 S. Pike Ave., includes: 7 p.m. April 10, zoning hearing board; 7 p.m. April 11, board of commissioners; 7 p.m. April 17, environmental advisory council; 7 p.m. April 24, planning commission and 7 p.m. April 25, board of commissioners.