Lower Gwynedd Township Upcoming Meetings & Events:
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Curbside leaf and yard waste collection will be provided by Republic Services this spring on the dates listed below. Residents should put their leaves in bio-degradable bags and place them curbside by 6am on the day of the collection.
- Saturday, April 8, 2023
- Saturday, May 13, 2023
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The Montgomery County Recycling Commission will be holding household hazardous waste collections this year. The schedule is linked below along with the acceptable items. Pre-registration is required.
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The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Montgomery County is excited to be revitalizing the Lower Gwynedd Business Association. We invite you to an informational meeting to learn how the local business community can collaborate and support each other to thrive in Lower Gwynedd. In addition, you’ll receive township updates that could impact your business, including:
- Projects in the pipeline for transportation improvements and development
- Planned events from the Police Departments Community Response Unit
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Montgomery County needs input from you! Please take a few minutes to visit the plan's website, fill out the survey, and leave feedback on what your priorities are for the future of Montgomery County.
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The Lower Gwynedd Human Relations Commission invites you to join the Diversity Equity and Inclusion conversation!
Lower Gwynedd resident, Dr. Bernadine E. Ahonkhai, is a long-time community advocate and activist for justice and equity and founder of Coalition for Racial Equity and Social Justice. Coalition4Justice was founded to provide a safe space for individuals to come together and engage in authentic dialogue about racial equity and social justice that leads to understanding and empathy despite our differences. Consequently, the Coalition provides education and training for adults and youth as a catalyst for raising awareness about inequity and injustice in our society. The programs have positively impacted many people across Pennsylvania and beyond.
COALITION4JUSTICE SPECIAL SPEAKER SERIES
A Speaker Series is held monthly on the second (2nd) Monday of the month. The sessions are held virtually via zoom from 7:30pm to 9:00pm EST.
Join Coalition4Justice for their April speaker:
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Wissahickon Valley Historical Society |
Announcing our April Speaker:
Mark Ashton on Monday, April 10, at 7 PM at the 1895 School about Architect Thomas Walter, who designed the U.S. Capitol Dome!
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The Lower Gwynedd Board of Supervisors awarded the bid for construction of the Spring House Intersection Improvement Project to James D. Morrissey Inc. at their meeting on March 22, 2023. The roadway improvement project is being funded through a Multi-Modal Transportation Fund Grant and will include upgrades to the intersection of Sumneytown Pike/Norristown Road (SR 2052). The roadway construction generally consists of widening on Norristown Road (SR 2052) and Sumneytown Pike to provide additional through lanes in the eastbound and westbound directions, traffic signal improvements, concrete sidewalk and trail modifications on the north side of SR 2052 and both sides of Sumneytown Pike, and ADA ramp upgrades for all affected ramps within the limits of work. The majority of the proposed work is within PennDOT, Montgomery County, or Lower Gwynedd Township right-of-way. Phase 1, which included the widening of the culvert on Sumneytown Pike, is complete. Phase 2 will begin in April 2023.
Please understand that Lower Gwynedd Township, Contractor, and the project team, in accordance with PennDOT and Montgomery County requirements, will make every effort to minimize inconvenience to the community and traveling public while the proposed improvements are constructed. However, we do ask for your patience and understanding when traveling in the project area. Project status updates will be provided on the Lower Gwynedd Township website throughout construction. You can check out the new "construction corner" page of the website for updates on this and other projects in the Township.
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Beacon Capital, owners of the Spring House Innovation Park (SHIP), have completed the required permitting to install pedestrian improvements along McKean Road. Construction will take place over the next two months. The improvements include painted crosswalks, trail connections from the crosswalk, pavement markings, signage, and radar speed display signs in the area of Stone House Road and McKean Road. Improvements will also be installed on McKean Road at the Ambler Area YMCA. These improvements include a painted crosswalk, pedestrian refuge island located in the existing gore area, sidewalk spur connecting crosswalk with the existing trail at the YMCA driveway, overhead flashing beacons when push button is activated by a pedestrian, pavement markings, signage, radar speed display sign, and the removal of the existing pedestrian crossing near the PA 309 overpass. Updates to this project can be found on the new "construction corner" page of the of the Township website. Temporary closures of the sidewalk will occur during the construction of the improvements.
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The Lower Gwynedd Township Board of Supervisors (BOS) is pleased to announce that the Township has been awarded grant funding for two different projects! Awards were announced in late March by the Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA) for the Local Share Grant Program and the Multimodal Transportation Fund. Lower Gwynedd was awarded a Local Share Grant in the amount of $786,000.00 for the Old Bethlehem Pike Bridge/Culvert Replacement Project. This project includes the replacement of the existing single-span stone masonry bridge with a pre-cast concrete bridge. Lower Gwynedd also partnered with Gwynedd Friends Meeting for a project to install a bus shelter and associated walking path to the bus stop at the intersection of Dekalb Pike and Sumneytown Pike. This project was awarded $147,882.00 through the Multimodal Transportation Fund. The BOS would like to thank Senator Maria Collett and Representative Liz Hanbidge for their support in securing this funding. |
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Keep our Environment Clean and Safe – PART 2
Have you noticed all the litter along the side of our roadways? It should go without saying that you should never throw trash out the window of your car, but there are other things you can do to help. Especially on windy trash days, make sure that the lids to your trash cans are secure so nothing can blow out. Take a look around your yard as well and secure patio furniture covers, flowerpots, and other items that could blow away and litter nearby areas. All of our local parks have receptacles to deposit trash, so be sure to use them, or take your waste home and deposit in your own trash cans. Even better, reduce, reuse and recycle so that you create less waste to begin with!
The LGT Parks & Rec Department conducts trail clean-up events throughout the year, so keep an eye out for those dates as well.
Mark your calendar for these other upcoming EAC events:
Sunday, April 2, 9-11:30am – Storm Drain Marking Volunteer Event – sign up now!
Saturday, May 13th 9-11am – Battery & Techno recycling collection @ LG Township Building. Please check the webpage for details on what batteries are collected and how certain ones need to be prepared before dropping them off. And NEW Techno-recycling! We are now recycling CD/DVDs, VHS, audio and computer tapes and cases for all of these items.
Friday, April 21st 8:30am – Bird Walk @ Oxford Park. Please email lgteac+birdtown@gmail.com to be added to the email list in case of a cancellation and for reminders about upcoming walks, scheduled for the third Friday of each month at a local LGT park.
Saturday, April 29th, 10am-4pm – Ambler Earthfest – come say hi to us at this great event at the Ambler Boro Hall parking lot, featuring live music, food, retail vendors, electric vehicles, kids activities, educational exhibits and more!
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Lower Gwynedd Township is Officially a Tree City! |
Lower Gwynedd Township was notified that they have officially received Tree City USA status! Residents can be proud to live in a place that makes the planting and care of trees a priority! |
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Lower Gwynedd Township is seeking a volunteer to serve on the UCC Joint Board of Appeals. The purpose of this board is to hear and decide appeals of order, decisions or determinations made by a building official or code official relating to the application and interpretation of municipal building codes encompassed by the UCC. A member of an appeals board must have the necessary training and experience in order to serve. This includes licensure as an architect or engineer, experience in the construction industry, and training or experience as an inspector or plan reviewer. If you're interested in applying, please complete the volunteer application form and submit today! |
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Boards & Committee Updates |
The BOS held their first regular meeting of the month on Wednesday, March 8th. They had a discussion about addressing safety issues on the roads surrounding the Wissahickon School District Campus. The police department is working directly with the school district on this issue. The BOS also had a public discussion regarding historical markers and making them a priority in Penllyn. The Historic Advisory Committee is working on this program and will make a recommendation to the BOS in the coming months. Two public hearings were held at this meeting relating to ordinance amendments. The BOS approved the proposed amendment to the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance that regulates tree preservation, maintenance, and replacement. They also approved the proposed amendment to the Zoning Ordinance that modified the regulation pertaining to flag lots. Following the public hearings, the BOS granted preliminary/final approval to the 1501 Cedar Hill Road Minor Subdivision Plan.
At the second meeting of the BOS on March 22nd, the Township Engineer gave a presentation on the Brookside Avenue Flood Study. The BOS discussed the recommendations included in the report to help mitigate flooding in this area of the Township. In other business, the BOS awarded the bid for construction of the Spring House Intersection Improvement to James D. Morrissey Inc. in the amount of $2.4M. They also voted to extend the existing trash and recycling contract with Republic Services. Services will remain the same, as will the 3% yearly rate increase for an additional two years. The new contract expiration date will be October 31, 2025. The BOS will revert back to their normal Tuesday meeting schedule beginning in April. The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 11th, 2023, at 7pm.
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Two important issues dominated discussion at this month's Historical Advisory Committee.
First, the Committee is in the process of developing guidelines for a Historical Marker program. Our draft version borrowed language from the state's marker program (currently on hiatus) and consultants' reports that looked at best practices around the country. Our goal is to find a process that ensures appropriate documentation of a historic place while making sure that the program is accessible for a variety of eras and themes (people, organizations, places, events, innovations, landscapes, etc.) There will be a second hearing on the proposed process next month.
We also had an initial discussion about the Gwynedd School (also sometimes called the "McCormick House") at Wister and Old Penllyn Pike adjacent to Ingersoll Park in Penllyn. The HAC toured the property in late fall and found it substantially altered, though some elements of architectural/historical character remain (see image of school sign).
The Board of Supervisors requested HAC review the property for historical significance and bring forward any recommendations or concerns as the Township is engaged in strategic planning for Ingersoll Park which may impact how the property is used. Additional research is being done and we welcome contributions from members of the public who may have insight into the history of the school or ideas for adaptive reuse.
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The Zoning Hearing Board did not meet in March. The hearings were rescheduled for April 13th, 2023.
1325 Sumneytown Pike: A-Residential District; Applicant seeks a variance to permit a height in excess of the 45-foot, 2.5-story height limitation otherwise permitted on a student life center and chapel as proposed through the St. Charles Borromeo Seminary.
493 Brights Lane: B-Residential District: Applicant seeks a variance to allow a rear yard less than 65-feet in depth from a new roofed deck on an existing single-family dwelling.
1601 School House Lane: A-Residential District: Applicant seeks a variance to allow the addition to/expansion of a single-family dwelling beyond the 25% permitted; and to allow expansion of a non-conforming deck which further intrudes upon the required rear yard setback.
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The PC did not meet in March. The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 19th, 2023, at 7pm.
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The PRB met on March 21st, 2023. They reviewed site plans for Ingersoll Park, Pen-Ambler Park, and Oxford Park. They offered input as to the future planning of these parks. This is part of the master plan project that is being funded through a grant from the Department of Community and Economic Development. Summer camp is scheduled to take place this year and registration is open. In addition, there are a number of programs and activities coming up including the Easter Egg Hunt, tennis and pickleball clinics, science explorers camp, trail clean-up, and the summer concert series. The PRB will meet again on Tuesday, April 18th, 2023, at 6pm. Please check the website for an agenda.
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New Assistant Public Works Director- Santino Carlomagno
Santino Carlomagno started working in Lower Gwynedd on February 6,2023 as our new Assistant Public Works Director. Prior to working in Lower Gwynedd, he spent 14 years in Norristown Public Works. Santino was born and raised in Norristown and still lives there now. He has been married to his wife Alexis Carlomagno for 17 years and they have a son and 2 daughters. Welcome Santino!
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Lower Gwynedd Township
1130 North Bethlehem Pike
Spring House, PA 19477
Phone: (215) 646-5302
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Keep an eye out for our May issue! |
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