What would you do if someone showed up at your house with 1,500 yard waste toters? Big ones, too, at 96 gallons each? That's not your problem, but it will soon be a headache for Hanover Township Public Works Director Vince Milite. At their April 14 meeting, supervisors voted 4-0 to spend $74,412 to buy 1,475 of these wheeled trash cans for residents. Most of the money for this purchase comes from recycling grants.

"I don't know what I'm going to do with them," Milite said, but predicted they will go fast. "We've been getting calls after calls after calls."

Hanover ordered 1,300 of these yard-waste toters once before, and Milite explained there even was a waiting list for them.

In other business, supervisors voted 4-0 to increase the purchasing authority of Township Manager Jay Finnigan and Director of Administration Ryan Kish. They will be able to make purchases up to $18,000 without seeking approval of Supervisors. Previously, the level was set at $15,000.

Finally, supervisors reviewed Farmhouse Mews, a combined use of retail stores and residential townhouses at a 16.35 acre tract located the southeast intersection of Airport and Hanoverville Road. It's located both in Hanover and East Allen Townships. This is an Abe Atiyeh proposal, and he sent his engineer, David Harte, and in-house counsel, Mickey Thompson, to review the plans with Supervisors.

They directed their solicitor, Jim Broughal, to begin work on some zoning changes to make Atiyeh's dream become reality.

That dream is 20 retail units (1,000 square-feet each) at the intersection, in what appears to be a strip mall. To the east, there are 88 upscale clustered townhouses, to be built by Ryan Homes. Only 20 of these townhouses will be in Hanover Township, with the southerly most home located at least two football fields away from the nearest home in Hanover Township. These homes will be surrounded by an expanse of open space, to be maintained by a homeowners' association.

Engineer Harte accommodated concerns about stormwaters with two huge basins for runoff. He also stated that there is both sewer and transmission capacity at the site.

Because this project is located in two townships, it's unclear exactly how long it will take Atiyeh to get the necessary approvals.

Glenn Walbert was detained out of state and was absent. Manager Jay Finnigan was absent, too, and Director of Administration Ryan Kish assumed Finnigan's duties.

"The view up here is comfortable," Kish stated as his report. "I could get used to this."