Meeting for Hartman's Property Plans Postponed

Due to an over-capacity crowd and safety concerns, the Plainfield Township Zoning Hearing Board was forced to postpone its meeting Tuesday night to discuss the future of the Hartman's Family Restaurant property at 5920 Sullivan Trail.

The meeting -- on plans to turn Hartman's into a facility to serve the mentally disabled -- will now be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 20. The location will also be moved to the , where the capacity is 500.

The crowd was not happy with the township's apparent lack of planning, leading solicitor James Zulic to say, "We will not allow a gang mentality to take over this meeting."

Several residents were willing to step outside to bring the head count below the maximum of 62, but Chairman Glenwood Rismiller made the final decision to reconvene the meeting.

Proposed for the site is an "extended acute care facility," which would house individuals who suffer from some type of mental disability, according to a report in The Express-Times.

NHS, a Philadelphia-based human services organization, went before the township's Planning Commission in May to discuss its plans.

Christine Hunsberger, director of adult services at NHS Human Services, said the 24-hour staffed, inpatient treatment center would serve patients suffering from anxiety, depression and bipolar disease for an average period of four to six months.

Local residents, however, weren't shy about voicing their concerns, which focused largely on safety.

The Zoning Hearing Board was expected to vote on allowing relief of a 50-foot minimum setback requirement.

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