*Zoning Hearing Board & Parks & Recreation Board will not meet in August. |
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Lower Gwynedd Township Upcoming Meetings & Events: |
August 11
August 18
August 24
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Penllyn Park To Be Closed Beginning Mid-August through October
The Parks & Recreation Board (PRB) will be upgrading the court surfaces at Penllyn Park this year. The bid for resurfacing was awarded to Top-A-Court LLC. This project is anticipated to begin in August of 2021, which means the park will be temporarily closed from the middle to late August until October. Please check the website for project updates.
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Fall Fest- September 26th
12-4pm Wissahickon H.S.
Join us for music, food trucks, amusements and more at the Lower Gwynedd Township Fall Fest! This event will be held on Sunday, September 26th, 2021 from 12pm until 4pm at the Wissahickon High School Stadium. We look forward to bringing our residents back together to celebrate the community as one!
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Green Tip of the Month, from your EAC:
Unplug phantom electricity hogs: Electronics and appliances such as stereos, coffee makers, electric toothbrushes and phone chargers draw power even when turned off. These "always on" devices consume 23% of U.S. home power (says the Natural Resources Defense Council). Unplug what you aren't using, especially when you are on vacation and not in your house for an extended time. For computer equipment, use a power strip with an on-off switch. (Source: AARP newsletter, 6/21)
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Parks & Recreation Citizen Survey!
The Parks & Recreation Board would like to hear from you! Your opinion matters and your feedback is extremely helpful when making decisions that impact recreational amenities and programming for our residents. Complete the survey today! P&R Survey
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EAC Composting Presentation
The Lower Gwynedd Township Environmental Advisory Council (EAC) will host a composting presentation for community members on Thursday, August 19th, 2021 at 7pm. The presentation will be given by Colleen Falicki of Back to Earth Composting. Please join us at the Township building located at 1130 N. Bethlehem Pike, Spring House.
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EAC Statement on Bird Mortality Event |
Lower Gwynedd Township is one of 33 Bird Towns across the state of Pennsylvania. As such, we felt it was pertinent to comment on the bird disease that has appeared in Pennsylvania and other states in the mid-Atlantic.
As of July 8, the Pennsylvania Game Commission states that of the 1,525 reports they’ve received (via their online portal) of sick or dead birds, an estimated 25-30% are likely associated with the current event.
Affected birds present with eye swelling and/or discharge, along with neurological signs. While many pathogens have been ruled out, the cause of the illness is unknown. It mainly affects fledgling birds but it is also unknown whether or not it is contagious between birds.
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology states that although the disease seems to be waning, they recommend following the guidelines of state authorities. In our case, that includes taking down feeders temporarily, cleaning them thoroughly with a 10% bleach solution, and reporting any sick or dead birds using the form that that Game Commission has created, you can find that here.
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Have you seen the new pollinator garden at Penllyn Woods? The EAC installed it last fall, and this spring and summer it has been growing, blooming, and teeming with pollinators. You can even check out the pollinators in action in this video: Pollinator Video
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Pollinator Garden
Why are pollinators important? Without them many fruits and vegetables would not be able to grow, so our whole food chain would eventually collapse. Planting pollinator friendly plants, especially native ones, ensures that these bees, butterflies, bugs, wasps, and other insects have the nectar and pollen they eat to survive, so that we in turn will survive. Penn State Extension provides great information about planting your own pollinator friendly garden here.
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Boards & Committee Updates |
At the July meeting, the mid-term budget update was provided. The Township continues to maintain a strong financial position. The BOS awarded the traffic signal maintenance contract and the contract to replace the mast arm at the Bethlehem Pike/Penllyn Pike traffic signal to Armour and Sons Electric, Inc. In addition, they authorized the purchase of a new fuel management system, and a partial contribution to the North Penn Volunteer Fire Company as part of their matching funds for the grant the fire company received for improvements to the fire station. The BOS thanked all the fire companies and reminded everyone that our fire companies are completely volunteer. They encouraged the community to support the volunteer fire companies by making a donation. The BOS also discussed the layout of the tennis, basketball, and pickleball courts at Penllyn Park. Concerns over noise generated from pickleball courts and the proper location were the main issues before the board. The BOS agreed to gather more information on acoustic fencing and to revisit the agenda item at their meeting in August. The resurfacing will continue as planned in that park, the striping of the surface will be determined at the next meeting.
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At its July meeting, the EAC reorganized their subcommittees into areas of responsibility including land stewardship, water stewardship, resource conservation, and communications and outreach. The EAC continues to monitor important local and regional environmental issues including PFOS contamination, unusual bird deaths, and Spotted Lanternfly spread. They are also considering cleanup/beautification projects, inventorying open space, tree giveaways, and identifying stream crossings along roadways. A community recycling presentation is being planned for later this year and a composting presentation will be held on August 19th at 7pm at the Township building.
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The ZHB will not meet in August. There are no hearings scheduled at this time.
July Hearings- July 8, 2021:
1032 N. Bethlehem Pike (Spring House Tavern): D-Business District; Applicant seeks a variance for a front yard setback requirement to permit the addition of a roof to an existing outdoor dining area/deck. Approved.
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The following projects are currently under review by the PC at this time. The PC meets the third Wednesday of every month as needed. The PC did not meet in the month of July. Therefore, there have been no changes to the items listed below. Please check the website for the most current agenda.
(#20-04) 301 Norristown Road Land Development (Gwynedd Estates-Acts): Multi-Family residential development that includes the addition of a new skilled nursing wing at the NE corner of the site and a reconfiguration of existing parking area while also adding new parking and subsurface stormwater management facilities.
Status: There has been no new activity with this application. It remains under review.
(#21-01) 820 N. Bethlehem Pike (Goddard School) Land Development: Non-residential redevelopment of this property that will include the removal of the existing Pike Diner, construction of a new daycare center and the repurposing of an existing building into a professional office along with the associated site improvements.
Status: This plan was presented to PC at the June meeting. Discussion regarding access, parking, and traffic took place. Revisions required, will possibly be back before the PC on August 18th if revisions are completed. Remains under review.
(#21-02) John’s Lane Subdivision: 6-lot single-family residential subdivision and land development.
Status: This plan was presented to PC at the June meeting. Discussions regarding frontage improvements, stormwater management, tree removal, and waiver requests took place. Revisions required, may be back before the PC on August 18th, if revisions are completed. PC requested applicant report back with an arborist report, historic impact study, and trail information. Staff to provide information on curbing waivers for private roads. Remains under review.
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The PRB wrapped up their summer concert series in July. They would like to thank everyone who attended the concerts. The court resurfacing project in Penllyn Park will begin this month. The courts will be closed beginning in mid to late August through October. Lower Gwynedd Township is reaching out to the community requesting feedback for the Parks & Recreation Department.
Click the link below to access the survey.
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The Township Administrative Offices are now open. Public is still encouraged to handle Township business electronically when possible.
The Wissahickon School District approved the continuation of the property tax rebate program that will see a discount of up to $195.00 for certain homeowners and renters. To qualify for a discount applicants must have:
- a household income of no more than $35,000.00 annually, and be 65 years of age or older
- or be a widow and widower aged 50 years of age or older
- or be permanently disabled and 18 years of age or older.
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The Public Works Department recently paved the Cedar Hill Road Trail. This trail was a natural trail through the wooded area around the perimeter of the Estates at Cedar Hill that had started to deteriorate over time. The trail was re-established and paved. The Township Road Program will be completed by the first week in August and staff continues to work on clearing out overgrown basins within the Township.
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The Police Department would like to remind residents of ongoing SCAMS. Please be aware that there has been an increase in unemployment scams where individuals are filing for unemployment benefits using someone else’s name and information. The uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in this type of criminal activity. In many cases, the victim is unaware that their information has been compromised. Employees who receive correspondence related to unemployment compensation, who never filed for unemployment compensation, should file a report with their local police department and the PA Department of Labor & Industry. Employees who receive a check for unemployment compensation, who have never applied for unemployment compensation, should return the check to the PA Department of Labor & Industry. Employers who receive an inquiry regarding unemployment compensation for a current employee should likewise report the incident to the PA Department of Labor & Industry. Further information on recognizing and reporting unemployment compensation fraud, including an online reporting system for fraud, can be found at www.uc.pa.gov/Fraud.
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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 September issue! |
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