Schuylkill planners table Valley of Lakes golf course

POTTSVILLE - After minor adjustments, a subdivision plan for an 18-hole championship golf course and homes along the course at the Valley of Lakes (VOL) development south of Hazleton will be approved by the Schuylkill County Planning Commission.

At the request of Frank M. Cedrone, VOL managing general partner, the planning commission Wednesday night tabled the subdivision plan for the course and 326 home lots that will be built on 127 acres that will encircle the course.

John Kweder, of Alfred Benesch and Associates, Pottsville, the engineering firm representing the planning commission, said there. were several minor discrepancies concerning the sewer and water systems layout that had to be ironed out before the planning commission could approve the plan.

Kweder asked about the status of a sedimentation and erosion management plan, which is required before the plan can be approved.

Terrence McAlister, the VOL engineer, said the plan has been submitted to the Schuylkill County Soil Conservation Service for its review, but VOL has not heard about the progress of the review.

Kweder also said since the development is more than 25 acres, an earth disturbance permit will be required. That means the plan will have to also be reviewed by the state Department of Environmental Recources' office in Pottsville. That office will review the stormwater management plan VOL has developed for the subdivision.

The sewer and water facilities that will serve the development are owned and operated by VOL - the sewer system by Valley Utilities and the water system by the Oneida, Water Co. Kweder said approval letters from the utility companies must be submitted.

Kweder also asked for cost estimates to install the water and sewer lines. Cedrone said VOL crews will install the lines, and cost estimates for their work can be provided.

Atty. Blasco Mattioni, the VOL attorney, said revised plans for the sewer and water facilities have been submitted.

Kweder also asked if plans for the sewage treatment plant that serves VOL have been approved.

Cedrone said DER has approved expansion of the plant from its present capacity of 50,000 gallons per day to 980,000 gallons per day.

The approval was give by DER when VOL sought similar approval for construction of the Arapahoe West Townshouses, Cedrone said.

The plant will be expanded in phases, the first phase to 250,000 gallons per day.

With the housing already in place, Cedrone said only 75 percent of the original 50,000 gallons per day capacity is now being used.

Cedrone had asked for conditional approval for the discrepancies, so that final approval could be granted with the revised information when the conunission meets next Oct. 11.

But Charles M. Ross, executive director of the planning conurtission, cautioned that if all of the bugs aren't ironed out of the plan by the next meeting, the plan would have to be rejected, and VOL would have to resubmit the plan to the commission.

So Cedrone then asked the commission to table the plan, in case the information required to make the plan complete cannot be obtained by the Oct. 11 meeting.

Cedrone is planning to sell 108 lots on the front nine holes of the course, and 104 lots on the back nine holes of the course, which is being designed and will be operated by the development firm headed by golfing great Arnold Palmer.

In addition to the golf course, which is located in East Union Township, a new administrative building is being built near the entrance to the Eagle Rock Lodge in Hazle Township.

Cedrone said the 30,000-squarefoot building, which will have two floors and a mezzanine, will house offices for VOL's sales and marketing, administrative services, data processing for bookkeeping and accounting, utility services, the construction company for water and sewer construction, and executive offices. Cedrone said the building will be at least partially occupied by the end of the year.

Also, the construction of the Arapahoe West Townhouses has begun. The development consists of 260 townhouses located in the North Union Township portion of the development. The first phase of that project, which consists of 30 townshouses, has begun.

Also, the new lodge at the base of Eagle Rock Mountain is nearing completion, Cedrone said. Also planned is a $75 million hotel and convention center.

The development is built on the slopes of Little Sugarloaf Mountain. Valley of Lakes and Eagle Rock resort is a multi-stage residential-resort community located on 4,000 acres in East Union and North Union townships in Schuylkill County, and Black Creek and Hazie townships in Luzeme County.