The Eldred Township Zoning Board will continue its hearing tonight on the application for a special exception permit for Nestle Waters NA to extract water from a Kunkletown property.

The zoning hearing board will meet at 7 p.m. at the Kunkletown Volunteer Fire Company.At the first hearing, the board approved a number of residents as interested parties to the proceedings and approved the first expert witness to testify on behalf of the applicant.The board is also dealing with Nestle's request for recusal of the Zoning Hearing Board Chairman Francis O'Donnell for writing a letter to the Blue Mountain Conservation Group warning it of the possible impact that the Nestle project could have on the mountain. O'Donnell is president of the group.Denial recommendedThe Eldred Township Planning Commission recommended the zoning board deny the application.In the recommendation letter, the commission gives 10 reasons why the proposed project is not "in harmony with the purposes, goals, objectives and standards of the Township Comprehensive Plan" and "all other ordinances of the township."Objections include:• The public has "unanimously, and vociferously" voiced opposition to the project and its negative impact on the current and future uses in the township.• The site of the proposed extraction only represents a fraction of the "recharge" area and the surface water drainage area, thus giving Nestle a disproportionate control over the town's water supply.• The "Wellhead Protection" regulations are three zones identified within the application. The regulations protect Nestle's wells and place limitations on the use of residential and commercial land within the zones.The regulations dictate that land owners in the zones must adhere to Nestle's rules for how they use their properties, such as what products they use to fertilize their grass or family garden or what types of animals can be kept on the property.• The proposed increase in truck traffic remains a critical issue. The commission points out that the most critical intersection in the area for the trucks is not even in Eldred Township, but is the intersection of Sliver Springs Boulevard and Route 209 in Polk Township.• The proposed use of the site by Nestle does not fit within the description of the ordinance under which the permit is being submitted.The ordinance is under appeal by a number of residents and has been amended to remove water extraction/bottling from the permitted uses.The commission is saying in its recommendation that what Nestle is proposing is not water extraction/bottling, but is a Water Withdrawal Facility, which is much more extensive in nature and is not a permitted use under the applicable zoning ordinance.• The proposed location is unsuitable for the proposed use in terms of the physical characteristics of the site.• The letter also gives 44 reasons why the site will result in "undue adverse effect" on the area.