The dispute over whether the popular Ligonier Country Market should be allowed to have vendors sell their wares on Waterford Fire Department property in Ligonier Township will resume April 14.
That’s when the township supervisors hold a public hearing on the fire department’s request to rezone its 22-acre field adjacent to the fire hall from an agricultural classification to a commercial one.
That would allow the vendors at the Country Market to sell their food, crafts and other items there.
Township Solicitor Daniel Hudock told about 30 people at Tuesday’s township supervisor’s meeting who may have hoped for a vote on the request then that a public hearing is required to amend the township’s zoning ordinance. The hearing is set for 6:30 p.m. at the Ligonier Township Municipal Building.
Waterford Fire Department President Robert Derk told the supervisors that the township created a problem for the fire department when it misclassified its property with an agriculture designation in 1969, rather than a neighborhood or highway commercial designation. The fire department was at the site 30 years before zoning was adopted, Derk said.
“Change over our property to what it should be,” Derk said.
That change would allow the retail sale of farmer products on the fire department field, thus removing the restriction that exists in the agriculture zone.
Following the meeting, Derk said the impetus for the township fire department to request the rezoning is not for the farmers market, but for Waterford to be able to construct a new building to replace the 85-year-old building that houses the firetrucks, firefighters’ equipment and gear. With the agricultural designation, Derk said they only can expand the existing building by 25%, which would be only enough for one room.
Derk said all of the township’s fire departments were misclassified when the zoning ordinance was developed in 1969.
No market lease signed
The fire department has not signed an agreement with Ligonier Country Market for use of the property, Derk said. He declined to comment on how much money the nonprofit Ligonier Country Market is offering the fire department to lease the property.
The Ligonier Country Market sought the site after failing to reach an agreement with the Loyalhanna Watershed Association on leasing its 9-acre site off West Main Street, just across Mill Creek from Ligonier Borough.
Dawn Kissell, who lives near the fire hall, said moving the farmers market to the fire department property would disturb the neighborhood for multiple Saturdays during the spring, summer and fall.
Vendors would be arriving early to set up booths, and there would be heavy traffic off Route 271 on a small lane to reach the fire department property. The heavy traffic to get into the Country Market site could create backups on Route 217, posing a safety hazard, Kissell said.
While listing objections to having the market locate at the fire department, Kissell said she realizes it would be an incredible source of revenue for the fire department.
The dispute between the Country Market officials and the watershed association has created a divide in the community, said Linda O’Sullivan.
“This has created a huge divide between the (Ligonier) borough and the township,” O’Sullivan said.
O’Sullivan asked the supervisors to do their due diligence, including any necessary traffic and safety studies.
Even if the township supervisors were to approve the rezoning request, Township Manager Michael Strelic said, the Ligonier Country Market would have to apply and be approved for a special events permit.
Because two of the five supervisors are members of the township fire departments — Paul Knupp and Chairman John Beaufort — they had to abstain from the vote because of an apparent conflict of interest. Hudock said he will check with the state Ethics Commission if they have to abstain from future votes on the matter.