Latest News from the Borough

Annual Bulk Waste Collection

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Once a year the Borough holds a bulk waste collection week. It has been the week after the Bellefonte yard sales (May 14 & 15) During this week, Borough customers are permitted to place bulk waste at the CURB only for pickup by Borough staff. There will be no charge for this extra pickup service. The bulk waste pickup will follow the same routes and schedules as the regular refuse collection service, with one pickup truck-size load limit per customer. The refuse crew will not make extra trips to an address. Tires, batteries, items too heavy for two people to handle, construction material, paint cans and hazardous waste cannot be picked up during bulk waste collection.
Residents are not to use cardboard boxes for items if it is raining or it is calling for rain as it makes it difficult for the refuse crew to pick up the boxes without them falling apart. The Borough reserves the right to not collect if there is too much or it is too heavy.
Consider donating home improvement items, building materials and supplies to ReStore, 1155 Zion Road, Bellefonte, PA.
 
This year Bulk Waste Collection is May 17-21.

Air Pollution Complaints related to a Business 

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Bellefonte Borough does not directly handle air pollution complaints related to a business.  The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection may have issued a permit to a business which stipulates any restrictions.  Complaints may be filed with PA DEP by calling 1-570-327-3564.  When filing a complaint, please provide as much detail as possible – business address, date, time of the incident, a description of the incident, etc.   
 
If you feel an actual emergency is taking place, please call 911. 

Short Term Rental Ordinance Draft- Commenting period

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Bellefonte Borough is accepting public comment on a draft ordinance that would regulate overnight stays of less than thirty days where the unit is not owner-occupied.   This Draft is termed the “Short Term Rental Ordinance Draft”.  
 
Bellefonte Borough will accept emails and letters with your comments (support for, against, recommendations for modifications, etc.) through May 17th, 2021.  Oral comment will be received in a public comment period scheduled in conjunction with the May 17th, 2021 Virtual Council Meeting at 7:30 PM.  Oral comments will be limited to three minutes maximum.  Please contact the Borough at [email protected] to register for public comment by noon on May 17th.  We will send you the link or phone number for the council meeting.
 

PennDOT Transportation Report

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2023 12-Year Program Public Comment Period
Tell Us What You Think!
 
The State Transportation Commission (STC) and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation are excited to announce the 2023 12-Year Program Update Public Comment Period. The STC recently released the 2021 Transportation Performance Report. It contains information about how PA’s transportation system performed over the last two years. We encourage you to read and share the report and then – Tell Us What YOU Think!
Your feedback is important! We use it to inform the 12-Year Program, Pennsylvania’s Long Range Transportation Plan, and the Freight Movement Plan.
Take a few minutes to complete our Transportation Survey online or contact us at 717-783-2262 to request a paper copy or to complete the survey over the phone. You can also plan to join us for the Online Public Forum on March 23. The Online Public Forum will feature a live presentation and Q&A session with Pennsylvania’s Secretary of Transportation. The Public Forum will be broadcast via Zoom and Facebook Live with closed captions in English, and open captions in Spanish.
The Transportation Survey is open Monday, March 1, through Wednesday, April 14, 2021.
Online Public Forum: Tuesday, March 23, 2021 from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
  • Registration is desired, but not required to attend the Public Forum.
  • The Public Forum will be livestreamed via Zoom and Facebook Live.
  • Interested individuals who do not have internet access should contact PennDOT at 717-783-2262 to obtain the call-in number for listening-in only.
  • There will be a live Q&A session following the presentation.
  • You can submit transportation questions during the Q&A session or ask them in advance of the Public Forum by filling out the registration form or emailing them to [email protected].
  • All questions and answers received will be posted on TalkPATransportation.com at the conclusion of the Public Comment Period.
Each of us rely on Pennsylvania’s transportation system in a different way and many of us encountered unique circumstances with transportation this past year. We want to hear from you and encourage you to join the conversation! Feedback about your transportation needs is important to our transportation planning process. We look forward to your participation again this year.
PennDOT will make all reasonable modifications to policies, programs, and documents to ensure that people with disabilities and those with limited English proficiency have an equal opportunity to enjoy all of its programs, services, and activities. In accordance with Governor Tom Wolf’s COVID-19 mitigation efforts, the Public Forum will be held online only.
To request assistance to participate in the survey or Public Forum, please contact PennDOT’s Program Center by emailing [email protected] or calling 717-783-2262 from 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. Requests for assistance to participate in the Public Forum should be made by March 15, 2021. If you have other questions or challenges, please contact PennDOT’s Bureau of Equal Opportunity to request help by emailing [email protected]gov or calling 1-800-468-4201; TTY (711).

Bellefonte is a Welcoming Community: Hate and Violence are Not Welcome Here or Anywhere Else

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Tuesday, January 19, 2021

As President of Borough Council, I am speaking to our residents, neighbors, and visitors on behalf of Bellefonte Borough Council members and Bellefonte Borough Management.

On January 6, as a nation, we all witnessed with disbelief when, what should have been a peaceful protest, turned into an unlawful riot, resulting in destruction, unlawful entry, injury, and death. Our hearts go out to the families who lost loved ones and the families who had loved ones injured. Our prayers go out to every citizen of the United States to reunite. If there must be protests, they must be peaceful.

Unlawful actions that we saw last week should not be occurring in the United States of America and have no place in Bellefonte Borough. Remember that both spoken and written words affect the actions of others as they can inspire or incite. Vandalism occurred in Bellefonte in the wake of the Capitol riot. It was heart-lifting to see our community members come together to repaint a vandalized Pride Flag mural in downtown Bellefonte. We thank you for your display of respect and sense of community.

We now hear of possible protests being planned throughout the country during the inauguration of Joe Biden as our 46th President. While we support a citizen’s right to protest peacefully, we do not support events that cause injury to others or the destruction of property.

Our responsibility as elected officials is to support Federal, State, and local laws enacted to protect our residents, businesses, and properties. This Borough Council has given the Bellefonte Police Department the direction that should a peaceful protest occurring here in town turn into unlawful acts, the police will deal with it according to the law. The Bellefonte Police Department will use every resource available to ensure our community’s safety during any lawful-peaceful protest.  For the safety of protest participants and property protection, all Local, State, and Federal laws will be enforced, and those involved will be dealt with accordingly.

Our Police Department has the authority to call in whatever support is needed to maintain peace. Any resident who hears of or sees any suspicious or inappropriate activity is always encouraged to contact the Bellefonte Police Department at the non-emergency number 814-355-2320, or in an emergency, call 911. Doing this could keep you, your family, and your friends safe from harm.

Please stay safe and help keep Bellefonte peaceful and protected.

 

Joanne Tosti-Vasey

President, Bellefonte Borough Council

Borough Office update

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Due to the New Governor’s order of November 23rd, Bellefonte Borough has taken the following actions:
We have again closed the building to the public effective today. This includes the lobby to the 2nd floor offices and to the police station.
The office staff effective are working remotely. The governor’s order states that if telework can be done, then it is mandatory that people work from home.
The phones will be answered remotely within reason (person steps out for a minute or takes a lunch break. Please leave a message and we will get back to you as soon as we can.
We have not altered public services. Right now there is no changes to any of our operations – policing, water, sewer, streets, refuse collection, leaf collection.
For emergencies Call 911
During normal business hours 8-4:30 M-F, call 814-355-1501
For non-emergencies after hours, call 1-800-479-0050

What is a mill?

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A mill equals 1/1000 of the US dollar, or expressed as a decimal = .001 dollars.

So, if the Assessed Value of all taxable real estate in your municipality amounts to $10,876,234, and your real estate millage rate is 5.0, you would calculate the tax levy as follows:

5.0*.001 = .005

.005*$10,876,234 = $54,381.17

Often you hear people ask: What’s a mill worth in your municipality? To calculate what a mill is worth, simply multiply your municipality’s assessed value by .001. In the example above, one mill is worth $10,876.23.

So where do you go to find out the taxable assessed value of all real estate in your municipality? All counties in Pennsylvania keep this information. Near the end of each year, they produce a “book” which lists all of the property owners by parcel along with the assessed value for each. This book is known as the tax duplicate and is used by your tax collector to prepare the annual tax bills for each property. Real estate bills are paid throughout the year and at various rates. There is a discount period at the beginning of the year followed by the flat rate period then the penalty period. If the bill is not paid by the end of the year, the Tax Collector is required to lien the property. During the year, interim assessment are made as a result of new construction.

With all these discounts, penalties, liens and interim assessments, how do you determine the amount of real estate taxes that will actually be collected?

A simple way to do this is to tract the collection rate over the past few years to determine the average amount collected as a percentage of the original levy (duplicate * tax rate). Then apply this percentage to the current year levy and use the result as the amount budgeted.

Bellefonte Borough “ABC” Vacancies

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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.

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 is currently a vacancy on the Housing Appeals Board.  The term expires on December 31, 2019. If you are interested, and you are a Borough resident, please fill out a Volunteer Application and return it to the Borough by Thursday, August 1, 2019. Council will review all applications and an appointment will be made at the August 5, 2019, Council meeting.

There are currently two vacancies on this Board; both terms expire 12/31/24.

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 is currently one alternate vacancy on this Board, with the term expiring on 12/31/2021.

"Do Not Disturb" List

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Recently the Borough revised its door-to-door sales ordinance. One change is § 410-22. List of homes not wishing to be solicited. There is now a “Do Not Disturb” opt-out form for Borough residents that can be completed and submitted by those residents who do not want door-to-door sales people. This form can be found on our website under “Residents” “Permits and Forms”. Simply complete all the required fields and submit. Your address only will be placed on a “Do Not Disturb” list that will be provided to anyone who obtains a solicitor’s permit.