Members of the Luzerne County Zoning Hearing Board conduct Tuesday’s meeting.
Margaret Roarty | Sunday Dispatch
WILKES-BARRE — A construction and demolition solid waste transfer station is coming to Yatesville Borough after the project was approved Tuesday at Luzerne County’s zoning hearing board meeting.
John Terrana, of 151 Second Street LLC, was granted a special exception to operate a construction and demolition solid waste transfer station, including wood, metal, and construction debris, and construct a 12,000-square-foot structure on a 9.63-acre parcel of land behind 151 Brown St. in a heavy industrial district.
According to Robert Stella, a member of the LLC, all unloading of the waste, as well as its consolidation and separation, will take place inside the facility.
Hours of operation will likely be from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., six days a week.
151 Second Street LLC is under contract with Pagnotti Enterprises to purchase the land.
Stella explained how the waste transfer station will operate: garbage trucks will enter the building and be weighed on a scale. Waste will then be dumped into the facility and separated.
Trucks will be charged by the ton.
Materials accepted will include wood, plastic, and other materials typical in home demolition and construction. Any materials brought in must be removed by the end of the business day, and nothing can be left in the station overnight.
Stella also said there will be sensors that scan for any material containing asbestos, and a hazmat team to dispose of it.
Before it can begin operating, the facility will need permits from DEP and EPA, and will have to go through land development, during which the subdivision and land consolidation will be approved.
Businesses that surround the property are of similar uses, like a concrete plant, a chemical plant, and a truck terminal.
Stella said Yatesville Borough is aware of and in support of the project, and that he promised to give one dollar to the borough for every ton brought in, and an additional 25 cents per ton to be put into a fund for road maintenance of Brown Street.
Additionally, emergency services in Jenkins Township were also made aware of the project.
Both John Terrana and Rob Stella were involved in an application for a solid waste transfer station in Avoca, which was previously denied by the zoning board.
A Luzerne County Judge upheld that decision in October 2025.
Pittston Township statement
Pittston Township, later in the week, released a statement opposing the waste transfer station.
“Pittston Township was not notified of the proposal or the zoning hearing proceedings and did not become aware that the special exception had been granted until the following day, after reading about the approval in a local newspaper article,” the township wrote in an official statement that was posted to its Facebook page Thursday.
While Pittston Township handles its own zoning and code enforcement, Luzerne County handles those for Yatesville, along with a number of other municipalities.
Because of the potential impacts of the facility, like truck traffic, environmental concerns, quality of life issues, and effects on surrounding residential areas, Pittston Township said neighboring municipalities should have been made aware of the zoning hearing so residents could comment on the project.
The Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, Act 247, states that notice of a zoning hearing must be published in a newspaper of general circulation in two consecutive weeks, with the first publication not more than 30 days prior to the date of the hearing and the second publication not less than seven 7 days prior to the date of the hearing.
According to the public notice of the zoning hearing released by Luzerne County, the notice was published twice in the local newspaper on Wednesday, May 20, and again on Wednesday, May 27.
Additionally, the notice was posted to the property itself.
“The township will remain in close contact with state and local leaders to monitor developments and determine what additional actions can be taken regarding the proposed solid waste transfer station,” the post concluded.
