The community is divided over the possibility of using a Civil War-era orphanage building for migrant housing.

Reports of housing up to 1,000 migrants in a Civil War-era orphanage have sparked outrage in a Pennsylvania community.

The building in Scotland, owned by an LLC based in Lakewood, New Jersey, is being sought after by a disaster response organization from Indiana, USA Up Star, to provide shelter for refugee families.

Daniel Bachman, Greene Township zoning officer, stated in an August letter to USA Up Star staff that the summer camp's most recent use falls under the R-1 code, which allows only low-density residential use, and higher-density shelters are not permitted.

Bachman wrote that the company could appeal his ruling.

USA Up Star, a service-disabled veteran-owned business established in 2009, offers top-notch disaster, responder, and warfighter support during various operations.

According to a letter obtained by Planet Chronicle Digital, the organization last contacted Bachman to inform them that they are collaborating with the federal government on the issue and require additional zoning details from Greene Township.

In a Friday interview, Sen. Doug Mastriano, R-Gettysburg, who is the 2022 GOP nominee for governor and represents the area, expressed extreme concern about the state of the partially decrepit Scotland property.

The retired Army colonel stated that a recent opaque wooden fence was erected around the building. He clarified that some critics are confusing the building's most recent use as a summer camp with the notion that migrant minors are currently being housed there.

Officials can still halt the endeavor to house migrants even if it eventually succeeds, according to Mastriano.

Nearby Letterkenny Army Depot outside Shippensburg, which is a tactical weapons and missile repair site with national security sensitivity, could be used as an avenue to bureaucratically block migrant resettlement due to its proximity to Scotland.

The community would be disrupted if the number of migrants and staff exceeded the current population of 1,300 people in the Scotland village, according to Mastriano.

Greene Township Supervisor Shawn Corwell directed Planet Chronicle Digital to published correspondence and other information on the matter available on the township website.

Greene Township was commended by Mastriano and state Rep. Kauffman for its "strict adherence" to its zoning regulations.

The commonwealth of Pennsylvania does not have any jurisdiction on the matter, but lawmakers became engaged as soon as they heard rumors of potential reuse.

"Our families reside in this township, where we have been working with Congressman John Joyce to share information with him as he strives to represent Franklin County and prevent federal funding from being allocated for this specific purpose."

The unaccompanied-minor migrant housing in the complex would "irreparably change" the township, according to Kauffman.

Joyce, a Republican, proposed an amendment to the annual Department of Health and Human Services appropriations bill authored by Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Ala., which aims to prevent the ORR from using funds to support unaccompanied alien children's housing at privately owned or operated facilities.

The HHS Administration for Children and Families stated that they cannot provide clarification or comment on the presence of a contract with the Indiana firm until Tuesday.

Commissioners Dean Horst, John Flannery, and Robert Ziobrowski stated that many residents have expressed concerns about the issue.

The population of Franklin County has been steadily increasing since its establishment in 1784, making it the 13th fastest growing county in the Commonwealth. However, this growth has resulted in a housing shortage, with affordable workforce housing and quality rental options being in high demand.

"Adding thousands of new residents at once would strain the housing market further."

The commissioners expressed concern about the reuse's impact on utilities and county services, but noted that neither Pennsylvania nor Franklin County have authority over the issue.

Mastriano stated that he believes the entire controversy stems from the "open border" with Mexico.

He stated that the rezoning sought is "HC," which stands for highway commercial zone. He added that this is not the first time Pennsylvanians have been put in such a position, referring to past Biden administration migrant flights that landed at Allentown and Avoca.