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WILKES-BARRE — City council’s vote Thursday to deny a public hearing on a proposed senior living center in the Pine Ridge Estates neighborhood essentially killed the project, an attorney for the New York developer said.
After residents spoke against the project that was seeking a 10-year tax break under the state’s Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance program, none of the five council members supported a resolution for a hearing.
Previously, attorney Frank Hoegen requested the hearing so Clover Group Inc. could present its plans for the $15 million, 120-unit center.
“It’s over,” Hoegen said after the vote.
The hearing would have been the first step in the process and was required by law before the developer could request the tax breaks under LERTA from the city, Luzerne County and the Wilkes-Barre Area School District. If the project was built, the developer would have paid taxes on the property while taxes on improvements to the land were phased in incrementally.
Former councilman Phil Latinski said he spoke for the citizens concerned about the project and tax breaks. Some residents in Pine Ridge pay as much as $10,000 in taxes and they would be carrying the burden during the 10 years the developer is given breaks, he told council.
“If the LERTA is approved, all of the remaining lots of Pine Ridge would not be sold,” Latinski said.
Pine Ridge hasn’t become the hotbed for new homes as envisioned when the city sold the mine-scarred site in Miners Mills to a developer years ago, councilman Bill Barrett said at council’s work session Tuesday. The center would not be a good fit for the development, Barrett argued.
Pine Ridge resident Jackie Boyle added that there is an abundance of senior housing in the local market.”It’s saturated,” she said.
Council approved other items on its agenda Thursday, including:
• Forgiveness of a total of $27,489 in back taxes for 2006 and 2007 for the former Irem Temple mosque on North Franklin Street. The property is tax exempt and the taxes were assessed due to a clerical error.
• A $288,289 grant for a lead hazard control program with the state Department of Health.
• A Safe and Healthy Communities grant worth $622,523 with the state Department of Health.
• Purchase of a vehicle exhaust extrication system for $142,250 for the Wilkes-Barre City Fire Department headquarters on East Ross Street and South Fire Station on High Street from Air Cleaning Systems Inc. of Latham, N.Y.
• Appointment of attorney Rodney Kaiser to fill a vacant seat on the Wilkes-Barre Zoning Hearing Board.
• Approval of a five-year agreement with PennDOT for winter traffic services. The city will be paid $54,200 to maintain 37.21 miles of state roads.
• Transfer of a liquor license to the Turkey Hill store at 1037 N. Washington St. from a license holder in Avoca.