During a meeting Monday, members of the Tamaqua Planning Commission said they would reject a plan for a subdivision along the Owl Creek Road unless the applicant requested an extension of the review period.

The applicant,

R.G.C. Development, Bath, seeks to create 8 lots on a 33-acre tract. The Planning Commission and Tamaqua council in 2010 had approved waivers that would allow the developer to use individual wells on each lot. In 2012, the Planning Commission granted conditional approval to the plan, but members said Monday that the developer has made changes to the plan, while not satisfying the conditions that were part of the conditional approval."There are a whole pile of problems that need to be addressed," said Chairman Tony Rodrigue. "I'm reluctant to do any recommendations until we confer with our solicitor and the solicitor for the Zoning Hearing Board."R.G.C. did not have a representative at the meeting.In other business, some members of the board expressed dissatisfaction with the pending Eastern Schuylkill Planning comprehensive zoning ordinance, which includes Tamaqua borough and Schuylkill, Walker and Rush townships. Rodrigue and Mark Conville said that they are concerned because many of the existing residential lots in Tamaqua would be termed "nonconforming," meaning that they do not comply with the ordinance guidelines for things such as required setbacks. Residents of those lots would have to seek a variance to make changes to their properties such as adding a storage shed or swimming pool, and the variance hearing would cost $500."Ninety-five percent of the lots in Tamaqua are nonconforming," Rodrigue said. "I want to add language which would give our zoning officer or the planning commission the authority to accept or reject a request as to its reasonableness or appropriateness, without the applicant having to go through the variance hearing process."The commission decided to put their advice in writing, and provide it to borough council for comment.