Mount Hope retirement community plans to sell farm in Rapho Township

When: Rapho Township Board of Supervisors meeting, Jan. 16.

What happened: Supervisors approved a subdivision plan for Mount Hope Nazarene Retirement Community, 3026 Mount Hope Home Road.

Background: Mount Hope owns three properties zoned agricultural on the east and west sides of Mount Hope Home Road. The retirement home and three cottage buildings are on 7 acres on the west side of Mount Hope Home Road. A farmhouse, parking area and retirement community’s sewage treatment plant are on 28 acres on the east side of the road. A single-family home is on 1.4 acres at 3052 Mount Hope Home Road.

Details: Steve Gergely, an engineer with Harbor Engineering representing the retirement community, said Mount Hope plans to sell the 28-acre farm parcel. However, the area containing parking, sewage and stormwater facilities — about 2 acres — would be subdivided from the farm parcel and added to the 7-acre retirement community parcel. The farmhouse would be disconnected from the sewage treatment plant and served by its own on-lot septic system.

More: Mount Hope will add 1.4 acres to the retirement community lot, while the single-family home on that lot will continue to be connected to the sewage treatment plant.

Speed limit: Supervisors approved a speed limit of 35 mph on Breneman Road from Mount Joy to Hossler roads. Currently, there is no posted speed limit on this section of road, which means the speed limit is 55 mph.

Supervisor compensation: The board passed a salary increase for supervisors to $4,000 per year, which will take place at the start of a new term. The former rate of compensation was $2,500 per year. The new amount is permitted by a recent change in state law.

Next meeting: Supervisors will meet at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 6 at the township office, 971 N. Colebrook Road, Manheim.