PETERSBURG – Beesleys Point neighbors are complaining about the noise levels, including Saturday operations, related to the dismantling and demolition of the old B. L. England Generating Station, the Upper Township Committee learned at its Nov. 28 meeting.
Upper Township Engineer Paul Dietrich said the township, when it drafted its noise ordinance provisions, was more focused on residential areas and it did not foresee the present level of demolition now taking place at the England location.
“This is a 1000-acre site, and the level of commercial activity surpasses what was anticipated that the ordinance would cover in residential neighborhoods,” Dietrich said. “The company may increase its activity to adhere to a work timeline, where concrete foundations need to be out by early spring, and (the company) can’t predict how long work will take.”
Dietrich said the amount of work involved to remove concrete foundations is hard to estimate as they are underground and no one can accurately pinpoint the foundations’ size or depth.
The committee debated various solutions, saying in the past they have given waivers by committee resolution in certain situations, such as for Army Corps of Engineers dredging, mining and other work. Mayor Curtis Corson said, in this case, the work is important to the township, while realizing residents have the need for peace and quiet.
The committee ultimately decided it would prepare a new resolution requiring a “good idea of the scope of work and time limits” for the company’s demolition.
“A good solution would be that the company finish by March 1 and on Saturdays limit work from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Then we will re-address the situation to see if another waiver is necessary,” Corson said.
Janice Connell, president of the Strathmere Improvement Association – Strathmere being a village where noise concerns are consistently raised – said she considers “this approach is reasonable, and the benchmark should be is there a critical business need?”
