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Welcome to winter Bellefonte. We will soon have freezing temperatures along with snow and ice in our area.
Be a good neighbor and clear your sidewalk(s) of all snow and ice as soon as you can after a snowfall.
It’s best (and easiest) to shovel just after the snow lets up and before pedestrians walk on the sidewalk compacting it into a heavier, denser snow and ice mixture.
If you are out of town for any period of time during the snowy season, please be a good neighbor and ensure that someone is available to shovel the sidewalks in your absence.
In the interest of public safety, Bellefonte property owners are required to remove snow and ice from adjacent public sidewalks.
According to the current Bellefonte Borough ordinance, snow and ice:
Property owners should not shovel or blow snow from sidewalks onto streets. Violators will receive a $25 fine.
Bellefonte Borough does not issue warnings for snow and ice removal.
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Borough of Bellefonte
Proposed Ordinance No. 20211115-01
Amendment to Non-Uniform Pension Plan administered by Pennsylvania Municipal Retirement System
Bellefonte Borough Council will consider approval of a proposed amendment to ordinance Chapter 97: Pennsylvania Municipal Retirement System at their regular meeting on Monday, November 15, 2021, at 7:30 p.m. in Council Chambers, 236 W. Lamb Street, Bellefonte, PA 16823. A complete copy of the proposed changes can be viewed HERE.
Ralph Stewart
Borough Manager/Secretary
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Below is a listing of Bellefonte Borough “ABC” vacancies. If interested in any of these vacancies, click here to obtain a volunteer application. All applications are due to the Bellefonte Borough Office, 236 West Lamb Street, Bellefonte, by December 13th, 2021 for appointment at the December 20th, 2021 Council Meeting.
Bellefonte Borough Authority
The Bellefonte Borough Authority is a seven-member Authority, all appointed by Council for a five-year term. Residency is required. The Authority transitioned from a fiscal authority to an operating authority around 2003 when Bellefonte Borough and the Authority entered into a management agreement. The Authority sets the policies and rates while the Borough uses its staff to manage the day-to-day activities of both the water and wastewater system. The Bellefonte Borough Authority meets the first Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. in Council Chambers in the Borough building.
There is currently one vacancy on this Authority.
Bellefonte Borough Planning Commission
The Bellefonte Borough Planning Commission is an advisory or recommending body to the Borough Council. It consists of five members, each appointed by Council for a four-year term. The Commission works closely with the Zoning Administrator. The Planning Commission meets the fourth Monday of the month, normally at 5 p.m. It considers planning issues such as rezoning requests, transportation, environmental impact, water and sewage issues. This body also reviews all land development and subdivision plans submitted to the Borough and forwards an advisory opinion to the Borough Council. Reviews are performed to determine compliance with Borough zoning and subdivision regulations as well as with state regulations. The Commission then makes a recommendation to the Council for their ruling on the issue in question.
There is currently one vacancy on this Board.
Historical and Architectural Review Board (HARB):
The purpose of the HARB is to offer advice and counsel to Bellefonte Borough Council concerning the erection, reconstruction, alteration, restoration, demolition or razing of all or any part of a building or structure located within the boundaries of the Historical and Architectural Review Board District and visible from a public right-of-way. For this purpose, the Historical and Architectural Review Board may make and alter rules and regulations for its own organization and procedure.
The HARB shall be composed of seven members and at least one alternate member, recommended by the HARB, and approved by Council. Of the seven members, one shall be a registered architect, one a licensed real estate broker, one the Borough building official, one a business person whose principal place of business is located within the HARB-regulated historic district, and three additional persons with a knowledge of and interest in historic preservation.
The HARB’s regularly scheduled meetings shall be held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month unless circumstances warrant a postponement.
For more information, a copy of the HARB’s By-Laws can be found here.
There is currently one vacancy on this Board for an Architect, with the term expiring on 12/31/2024.
Civil Service Commission
The Civil Service Commission is a three-member Commission with each member serving a six-year term. The Commission is designed to oversee the hiring and promotional process related to full-time police officers. Residency is required. Candidates for these positions must go through a civil service process where written and oral exams are given and scored. The Commission presents a list of eligible candidates to Council for their consideration. The Commission must meet the first Monday of the even-numbered new year to re-organize. Other meeting times are on an as-needed basis.
There is currently one alternate vacancy on this Commission.
Housing Appeals Board
The Bellefonte Borough Housing Appeals Board consists of five members with each member serving a five-year term. It considers appeals regarding the requirements, determinations, and decisions made by the Borough’s inspectors in their enforcement of Chapter 425 of the Property Maintenance and Safety Code ordinance in instances where literal application of the code would result in exceptional practical difficulty.
There are currently two vacancies on this Board.
Zoning Hearing Board
The board shall hear requests for variances where it is alleged that the provisions of the zoning ordinance inflict unnecessary hardship upon the applicant.
For more information regarding the Zoning Hearing Board, please click here.
There are currently two vacancies on this Board.
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The Public comment period for the Diamond Area Safety Improvements will be available thru Tuesday, November 30, 2021. You may either comment via email to [email protected], thru the Survey link posted below, mail your comments to 236 West Lamb Street, Bellefonte, PA 16823 or you may stop by the Borough office Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm to complete a comment form.
Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/F3XJCYB
To watch the Public Comment meeting live on November 4, 2021 at 6:30pm please click on video below.
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The Big Spring Cover Design was presented during the Bellefonte Borough Authority monthly meeting on Tuesday, November 2, 2021 at 6:00pm in Council Chambers, 236 West Lamb Street, Bellefonte, PA 16823.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3RCWwqKDRc
The Public comment period for the Cover Design options will be available thru Tuesday, November 30, 2021. You may either comment via email to [email protected], thru the Survey link posted below, mail your comments to 236 West Lamb Street, Bellefonte, PA 16823 or you may stop by the Borough office Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm to complete a comment form.
Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/F368KDN
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Below is the link to the Council Meeting on April 19, 2021 where Chief Weaver, Bellefonte Police Department, presented Pedestrian and Crash Data within the Borough and specifically within the “Diamond”.
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Solar Tour in Centre County
November 7 @ 1 – 3 PM
Solar United Neighbors (SUN) with its local partners is hosting a Solar Tour in Centre County on Sunday, November 7, 2021 from 1 – 3 PM. This event is free and open to all community members in Centre County. You will have the ability to see and talk to the homeowners about their installations including rooftop solar, ground mount solar, electric vehicles (EVs) and battery storage.
This event will be a great opportunity to ask questions directly to someone who has already gone through the process and you can also learn about the Centre County Solar and EV Charger Co-op.
The Solar Tour include 6 homes in the following neighborhoods:
To learn more and register: http://solarunitedneighbors.org/SolarTourCentreCounty
Local partners include:
Centre Region Council of Governments, Bellefonte Borough, Centre County Government, College Township, Ferguson Township, Patton Township, and Sierra Club Moshannon Group.
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In recent weeks, Bellefonte Borough emergency services have experienced difficulty locating street addresses due to no or improperly positioned house numbers.
A Borough ordinance requires all buildings to have address numbers placed in a position that is plainly legible and visible from the street or road fronting the property. It is best to have the numbers positioned near the front door. Numbers should contrast with the background for easy visibility day and night. They should be Arabic numerals, a minimum of 4 inches high with a minimum stroke width of 0.5 inch.
If you have any questions call Harry Brooks @ 814-355-1501, ext 225.
