Cumberland Township officials are preparing to amend the municipality’s zoning ordinance to include gambling facilities as a permitted use in the zone where Gettysburg businessman David LeVan wants to operate a casino.
Manager Flo Ford said Cumberland Township’s zoning ordinance does not currently provide for gambling. She said township supervisors are considering the amendment to address that use – as required by state law.
The public will get an opportunity to comment on the proposed amendment at a public hearing to be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 7. Supervisors could choose to make a decision after the hearing.
Supervisors also intend to adopt an ordinance which would allow them to tax some amusement devices – but not the slots machines in LeVan’s proposed casino, as has been assumed by some.
“It has nothing to do with the casino,” Ford said.
In fact, the draft of the law specifically exempts gambling devices from being taxed. State law prohibits municipalities from taxing slots machines, though Cumberland Township would be entitled to potentially millions of dollars in revenue if LeVan is awarded a gaming license.
LeVan and business partner Joseph Lashinger want to convert the Eisenhower Hotel and Conference Center on Emmitsburg Road into a resort casino with 600 slots machines and 50 table games.
Ford said the timing of the ordinance is purely coincidental and that it was proposed by some supervisors before LeVan announced his plans in the fall.
“It actually came from the discussion of the budget,” she said, adding that it was considered as a way to raise revenue for the township.
If the law is adopted, the owners of mechanical amusement devices – such as jukeboxes and some vending machines – would be taxed $100 per year. Other municipalities, like Gettysburg Borough, have similar laws on the books.
The decision on the mechanical-device ordinance could be made as early as the township’s Feb. 23 meeting. Supervisors voted to advertise the ordinance at a meeting last week.
As for the zoning amendment, Ford said, supervisors are reacting to LeVan’s proposal. She said LeVan met with supervisors several weeks ago and asked them to allow gambling facilities in the MX zone – where the Eisenhower Hotel is located.
Because state law requires municipalities to allow all uses in some way, Cumberland Township’s zoning ordinance is designed to leave that decision to supervisors when a specific use is not already mentioned, Ford said.
Gaming, she said, is not included at this point.
“We don’t know every use that’ll ever come through our door,” she said. “(But) you have to allow all uses.”
IF YOU GO
What: Cumberland Township public hearing on plans to amend the township’s zoning ordinance to include gambling facilities as a permitted use in the MX zone
When: 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 2
Where: Cumberland Township municipal building
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