Thirty-three anxious residents of a defunct senior living community in Stevens received welcome news last week as East Cocalico Township supervisors conditionally approved measures that would allow the residents to keep their homes.
Supervisors unanimously approved a motion Aug. 5 to confirm the township's direction and agree to remove deed restrictions if certain stipulations are met on the properties on Stacey Court, Marlin Drive and Brian Court near Reamstown.
The residential community was part of Parkside Manor, a personal-care facility owned and operated by Vista Care Group LLC and closed by the state in March 2007 due to numerous health and safety infractions.
The closure resulted in a bankruptcy case, which threatened to displace 33 lot-renting homeowners from the former Vista Care-owned property.
For the past two years, residents have worked to appease the demands of bankruptcy trustee William Schwab and township zoning ordinances.
"I could talk about this for hours because it is very complicated and has lots of different points of view," residents' council Aaron Marines said. "The point that we've been trying to keep on the horizon is to get the current residents … their homes, their land."
More than a dozen affected residents attended the meeting. Marines provided supervisors with a current overview of the legal situation between the residents and the bankruptcy trustee. According to Marines, the residents and Schwab have entered into a verbal agreement that would possibly satisfy a bankruptcy judge. Under the agreement, the 33 residents would be allowed to purchase their lots. Resident spokesman Gerald Nye responded in an e-mail after the meeting, saying he was optimistic about the events.
"I believe in a matter of months we will have achieved our goal to buy our lots and remain in our homes," Nye said. "There is some concern about a few (residents) that are not going to be able to purchase or do not want to purchase (their properties)."
Marines addressed that concern during the meeting and explained that Schwab would be permitted to sell the lots to any interested investor. Causing the plan to buckle is a township zoning ordinance restricting subdivision on the property.
"Some things still have to happen, but we have a general consensus," board President Doug Mackley said. "We are willing to help you any way we can."
Supervisors agreed to conditionally remove subdivision restrictions on the property. The move by the township opens the way for residents to purchase properties formerly owned by Vista Care, and form a planned community with a separate governing entity. The declaration of a planned community was one of five stipulations imposed by the township at the recommendation of solicitor Tom Goodman.
The remaining four items requested by the township include a signed stipulation by the affected residents, a stipulation approved by the bankruptcy judge, an easement and maintenance agreement and a declaration removing deed requirements on the affected properties.
Ultimately, the borough will not be responsible for water and sewer, or for road maintenance.
"We are trying to find a way to get everybody their homes, satisfy the bankruptcy law … and try and satisfy the township and the water authority to make sure (they are) not taking on more responsibility," Marines said.