Manor Township Deliberates Over Hard Dance Festival

by Jonathan Weaver

Stipulations of a new Manor Township ordinance will be reviewed by township supervisors after approval of a controversial event.

Last night, supervisors approved an event request for in Falcon Park August 12-13 that falls under the township’s new “large group ordinance.” A maximum of 600 people are reportedly expected at the event along Route 66.

Under the township’s Large Group Ordinance, which was signed in June, any gatherings of at least 100 people geared toward public amusement must first be permitted, and based on the number of people expected, organizers had to also submit a non-refundable $250 check.

The rave, officially known as the “Fantasyland Festival,” is to have dozens of artists and DJs, camping on-site, dancing and pyrotechnics.

With that much entertainment, a few residents last night were concerned with noise – a detail Supervisor Chair Paul Rearick addressed.

“We have no noise ordinance in the township; however, police officers will tell you if it’s unreasonable noise, it becomes a disorderly conduct situation under the crimes code,” Rearick said. “The whole weekend, police will be out. We’re well-aware this was coming up. We already made the schedule up (that) we will have officers on-duty not 24/7, but through the evening, late-evening and early-morning hours.

“We understand the concern – we’re going to try to do what we can.”

No use of sound equipment is permitted after 11PM.

Township police are able to terminate the event if they determine the event threatens the health, safety or welfare of the public.

Supervisor Don Palmer added that even though Manor Township does not have a written ordinance, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection requires noise be kept below 96 decibels – less than that of a power lawn mower, jackhammer or a jet flyover according to online university comparisons.

Residents who have concerns that evening are urged to call 9-1-1 emergency.

Palmer’s concern intensified after reading three people died and nine were hospitalized after a weekend rave festival last weekend in the state of California, and he suggested supervisors re-open the ordinance.

Even though supervisors approved the request, the decision was somewhat-controversial, since last year supervisors and police were caught off-guard.

It was in fact at October 2015’s public meeting that Police Chief Michael Karabin requested supervisors consider such a permitting process to ensure resident and officer safety.

“We were unaware of (the event),” Chief Karabin said at the October meeting. “We had people from California (state) all the way to New York. There was an incident involving an OD (overdose) out there, and our officer had to respond with an ambulance crew.

“According to (the on-duty police officer), there were a couple thousand people during the three-day event,” Karabin continued. “To be caught off-guard with that many people and those type of people, I think they need to be permitted and OK’d by the (board of supervisors) before they go ahead with any type of function like that again.”

The officer on-duty at the incident confirmed being “blindsided.”

“I never seen so many people out there in my life,” the Manor Township officer spoke in October.

Ford City Police also assisted Manor Township at that incident last year.

“With that many, that type of people out there, there’s nothing three or four officers are going to be able to do. You’re going to need an army out there,” Chief Karabin said last year.

At the time, Rearick and then-Supervisor Pat Fabian agreed an ordinance “had to be done.”

Supervisor Palmer motioned for the event approval next weekend and it was subsequently unanimously approved, conditional of Corporal Eric Petrosky and Township Foreman Bob Southworth evaluating the park set-up – even though online reviews state the event is selling tickets quickly.

“Short of the 60-day requirement, I don’t see anything that we can deny that application on,” Palmer said. “But, we definitely need to be on top of it.”

In section 4 of the ordinance guidelines, it states that written applications must be made 60 days prior to the first day of the event if the gathering is to involve more than 250 people.

Violators of the ordinance are subject to a summary court conviction and $1,000 fine that could result in jail time if not paid within 30 days.

Calls to the festival organizers, Hardstyle Family & East Coast Hard Dance, were not immediately returned.

Supervisors also have discussed re-opening the ordinance in the past.

Manor Township Police were on-duty for more than 380 hours in July, requiring Pennsylvania State Police troopers to only respond to 10 incidents.