Firetree Pulls Halfway House Application (Updated)

Will Resubmit Application to Lock Haven

LOCK HAVEN – Firetree Ltd. has withdrawn its application for a conditional use to allow the construction of a halfway house/re-entry facility in Lock Haven’s hill district but the Williamsport-based non-profit will be submitting a revised application at some unspecified date in the future.

As a result of the withdrawal, a public hearing scheduled for Monday will not be held.

The Firetree decision to withdraw its application was first announced Friday afternoon by Mayor Rick Vilello. He said Firetree sent an afternoon email to city zoning officer Cyndi Walker stating “This email will serve as formal withdrawal of Firetree Ltd’s conditional use zoning application pertaining to 25 Cree Drive.”

City manager Rich Marcinkevage later expanded on the Firetree withdrawal, circulating a memo to city council members and the media:

“Please be advised that we were contacted by the attorney for Firetree, LTD., advising that they had proposed to modify their site plans from the plans which were initially submitted to reflect additional information, and could not have them properly prepared for Monday’s meeting. After discussion and review with our solicitor, they have withdrawn the application and will resubmit the application at a later date.”

“We will not change the location of the City Council meeting that will still be held at Ulmer Planetarium at 7 p.m. on Monday, but there will be no public hearing on the Firetree Conditional Use application.”

The initial Firetree request had been met with a firestorm of resistance from members of the public who had attended a city planning commission meeting on the topic earlier this month; Thursday night Flemington borough council went on record against the proposal, approving a 13-point resolution against the project.

Firetree attorney George Bishop had released preliminary information on the social service agency plans at the planning commission meeting; he said the facility, designed to house up to 80 males, would be for those seeking to re-enter the community after incarceration, most of them after serving state prison time and most of them “non-violent offenders.”

Bishop said residents would be from “Lock Haven and surrounding communities” but acknowledged in response to questions they could come from across north-central Pennsylvania.