February 2023 e-Newsletter |
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Lower Gwynedd Township Upcoming Meetings & Events: |
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Who else is ready for Spring? The Parks & Recreation Department has tickets for the 2023 Flower Show.
The show has moved back to the Pennsylvania Convention Center, March 4-12, 2023.
Tickets are currently on sale, adult tickets $41 each, we accept cash, checks and credit cards* (*service fee will be applied). Tickets sales are only Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. at the Lower Gwynedd Township Building.
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PECO will be upgrading and installing new equipment to enhance the local natural gas infrastructure in your neighborhood. This includes installing new underground pipe, which is more durable, enhances safety and improves service reliability. Work is expected to begin Monday, February 13, 2023, in the area of Plymouth Road between Gypsy Hill Road and Evans Road. Work will be conducted Monday through Friday from 7am-3pm. This project is expected to be completed in March of 2023. The work will be performed by Riggs Distler, a qualified PECO contractor. PECO customers will be receiving a detailed letter from the utility company regarding this project and other information related to the project, including contact information.
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There have been some exciting changes to the Tax Collector Office!
Visit the new website to download a copy of your Real Estate Tax Bill (the original will still be mailed), pay your tax bill, access important links and information, or contact the Tax Collector.
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Friends,
Do you know of a place that tells the story of Lower Gwynedd's history? The Historic Advisory Committee wants to know!
One of HAC's priorities in 2023 is to begin placing historical markers around the township. You know the ones: dark blue with yellow type on a metal keystone-shaped sign along the road!
Markers can highlight any person, place, event, organization, or innovation that had a significant impact on its times. Common examples include a historic building (standing or destroyed) or neighborhood; a place associated with a famous local celebrity; places of cultural importance to groups within the community; a landscape that tells a story or natural feature of the physical geography with a human element; the home of an organization with deep roots in the community; a place "where all the kids used to go"; ruins of an old structure; et al.
We are open to ideas! Please include the name, the suggested marker location, and what you believe to be its historical significance (e.g. why should people 100 years from now know about this significant contribution to local history) and submit it to Lower Gwynedd Township at contactus@lowergwynedd.org by March 15th.
Matt Metcalf, HAC Chair
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Create a Bird Friendly Yard
Sure, it’s great to look out your window during the cold winter months and watch birds in your yard if you have feeders out for them. Or maybe you already have a bird friendly yard full of natural food for them – shrubs like spicebush and winterberry holly, or you left perennials like purple coneflowers and goldenrod standing, so the birds can feed on the seeds all winter. But did you realize there are reasons besides just providing some winter entertainment for having a bird-friendly yard? Birds are an important part of a healthy ecosystem, and a great source of natural pest control come the warmer weather – one nest of baby chickadees can consume over 6,000 caterpillars in one season!
So, while things are quiet outside, start planning ahead for the warmer months when you can plant more native plants to attract native birds to your yard. And plan to attend our upcoming free presentation Your Winter Backyard Birds, presented by LGT Bird Town. Learn about the birds of Lower Gwynedd and the best ways to attract them to your yard! In this one-hour presentation, the LGT EAC will provide ideas for creating habitat and setting up bird feeders. We'll also talk about identification of birds and how to participate in the upcoming Great Backyard Bird Count (Feb 17-21). The presentation will take place at the Township Building, on Friday, February 10th at 7pm. No RSVP is required for this free presentation.
Mark your calendar for these other upcoming EAC events:
Friday, February 17th 8:30am – Bird Walk @ Gwynedd Preserve, 640 Swedesford Rd. 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, March 11th 9-11am – Battery 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.
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Boards & Committee Updates |
The BOS held their regular meeting on Wednesday, January 25th, 2023. They discussed the issue of cell phone coverage in the Township, which was a concern raised by a resident present at the meeting. Staff will continue to work on this item. The BOS authorized the formal review and advertisement of two proposed ordinances. The first ordinance is to amend the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance (SALDO) by adding language pertaining to tree preservation. The second ordinance is to amend the Zoning Ordinance to increase the access width of flag lots. Both ordinances can be reviewed by clicking here. The BOS also approved an easement pertaining to public access of the fitness court located on the Spring House Innovation Park (SHIP) campus. In addition, the BOS approved a series of easements as required for the installation of pedestrian improvements along McKean Road. These improvements will be installed by the current owners of SHIP and include radar speed signs, painted pedestrian crosswalks, associated signage and flashing safety beacons (only at the YMCA crosswalk). In other business, the BOS appointed Brenda Doll to the vacant position on the Environmental Advisory Council (EAC) and Linda Kennedy to the Wissahickon Library Board. Approval was granted by the BOS for improvements to the Ingersoll baseball fields, and the purchase of green disk receptacles for the collection of techno trash as part of the EAC's battery recycling program. The BOS discussed in length a proposed special events ordinance that was listed on the agenda. The proposed ordinance sets parameters and regulations for large group events held within the Township. The BOS voted to table the authorization to advertise the ordinance. The BOS also approved a deed of dedication along Sumneytown Pike in conjunction with the Spring House Intersection Improvement project, authorized a submission of a Green-Light-Go grant for signal improvements at Trewellyn Avenue and Penllyn Pike/Old Penllyn Pike, and they approved the request for the annual E-cycle and Shredding Event, which will be held on Saturday, April 1st, 2023, from 8-12 at the parking lot of the Township Building. Their next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, February 8th, 2023, at 7pm.
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The EAC met on Wednesday, January 11th, 2023, at 7pm. They reviewed their accomplishments from 2022 and set forth initiatives for 2023. These include expanding the tree giveaway, continue battery recycling collection events, add green disk receptacles at the battery recycling events where people can discard "techno trash", host bird walks and ramp cleanups, develop a composting program, and install another pollinator garden. In addition, they discussed opportunities to implement green infrastructure requirements into the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance and seek opportunities to discuss these ideas with the Planning Commission. Staff will be fixing the drainage issue with the pollinator garden located at Penllyn Woods. The EAC will hold their next meeting on Tuesday, February 7th, 2023, at 7pm.
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The Zoning Hearing Board met on January 12th, 2023. The ZHB will not meet in February as there are no pending applications.
1430 Rose Lane: A-Residential District; Applicant seeks a variance to permit a deer fence 18 inches higher than the 6-foot maximum height permitted by code around their single-family residential property. (Approved with conditions)
715 Evans Road: A-Residential District: Applicant seeks a variance to allow certain improvements associated with a single-family residential dwelling use resulting in an impervious surface coverage ratio of 31.82% where the maximum per Township Code is 25%. (Approved)
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The HAC met on January 19, 2023, at 6pm at the Township Building. They reviewed a written request for a historical marker and discussed that process. Chairman, Matt Metcalf, also reported that the HAC is now submitting articles for the e-newsletter and providing updates to be posted on the Township's social media. Last year the HAC had an assessment completed on the Ingersoll House. The inspector, Mr. Kibble, was present at the meeting to review his report. He inspected structural conditions, systems, roofing, heating, plumbing, the surrounding grounds and the barn. Mr. Kibble reported that the Ingersoll House is a simple building built on a well and spring cellar. It appears that the house was set up for a dairy operation and the spring cellar was used to keep the milk cool. The house is in repairable condition but will need some work. He identified a list of improvements that would be needed. Following Mr. Kibble’s report, the committee discussed various options moving forward. The committee agreed to have a realtor come out and offer their input on the property. There was also a discussion regarding possible funding for the necessary repairs. The HAC will meet on Thursday, February 16th, 2023, at 6pm.
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The PC met on Wednesday, January 18th, 2023, at 7pm and re-organized. Craig Melograno was selected as Chairman.
(#22-08LL) 541 Station Road Lot Line Adjustment (Ward/Ivory): A minor lot line adjustment involving two residential parcels located in the A-Residential Zoning District. The property has a physical location of 541 Plymouth Road. The plan proposes to convey approximately .17 acres from Lot #1 (Ivory) to Lot #2 (Ward). The plan is for conveyance of land only through a lot line adjustment. There is no construction proposed. This plan was presented to the PC at their January meeting. The applicant agreed to comply to any items listed in the engineer's review letter. The PC recommended the plan for approval to the BOS. Status: Pending BOS Approval.
(#22-07LD) 1345 Sumneytown Pike Building Addition (Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School): -The Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School is seeking approval of a proposed land development application for a 17,000 square-foot building addition to the existing high school, concrete walkways, and a new paved parking area. The addition is for more classrooms and meeting space as well as a new kitchen and maintenance facilities. The PC discussed sprinklers within the building, site circulation, frontage improvements including widening, curb, sidewalk, and street trees, and the relocation of the softball field. They also discussed developing a master site plan, impact to the neighbors during construction and after, parking, and possible energy initiatives such as LED lighting and car chargers. Township consultants and staff plan to meet with representatives from the school on site to go over a few of their concerns. Status: Remains under review by PC.
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The PRB met on January 17th, 2023, and re-organized. Kathy Morris will serve as Chair of the PRB for 2023. The PRB continued to discuss an afterschool homework program. They are in an information gathering period at this time. Key stakeholder meetings are being scheduled for input into the master plans for Ingersoll Park, Oxford Park, and Pen-Ambler Park. The Parks and Recreation Department is gearing up for summer camp. Hiring for summer help has begun and applications will be accepted until March 24, 2023 (see notice at the beginning of this newsletter). In addition, there are opportunities to participate in clinics for tennis and pickleball this spring. Click here for more information or see the infographic below. As noted above, tickets are available for purchase to the Philadelphia Flower Show. The PRB are scheduled to meet on Tuesday, February 21st, 2023, at 6pm. Please check the website for an agenda.
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The Township's Public Works Department is responsible for plowing and salting of roads in Lower Gwynedd. Whenever roads are snow covered or icy, or the forecast calls for inclement weather, please move your vehicles out of the street and onto private driveways so that plowing and salting operations can be done safely and efficiently. Remember that during a snow emergency all vehicles must be removed from the roadways.
The Township plows all Township roads as soon as possible. The Township crews make at least two passes on each road and plow from curb to curb. There are over 40 miles of roadway for municipal crews to plow and each operator plows a set route. To avoid having your driveway plowed in with snow, wait until after the trucks pass to clear your driveway and/or shovel snow to the right side of the driveway, facing the road. This will help to reduce the amount of snow pushed back into your driveway during plowing. Do not throw snow from a sidewalk or driveway into the roadway.
If mailboxes have been inadvertently plowed in, the Township cannot go back and dig them out, as we cannot take the employees off the snow removal equipment to do that. It is very important that the roads be kept clear of snow and ice. State and county crew plow their own roads.
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Ordinance Reminder- Dog Leash Law
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Lower Gwynedd Township Police is part of the Neighbors program for Ring. The site is not monitored 24/7 by the Police Department. We will do our best to notify the community of safety issues, events, and other hazards through Neighbors.
In a few months, the Police department will switch to a website called Crime Watch (www.crimewatchpa.com). The Police Department will have a dedicated site. On the site, we will have online forms for the residents to fill out, such as alarm registration, vacation checks, camera registry, etc. We will also be able to post traffic alerts and community events, which will automatically be sent to our social media site(s).
The Community Response Unit and the Detective Division will be looking to provide a Presentation on Scam(s) to the Township residents. Date TBD.
The Community Response Unit has started planning for its first Touch-A-Truck event. This is a family-friendly outdoor event designed to allow children to explore and interact with vehicles of all shapes and sizes. The event will be held on May 20th, 2023, from 11 am-2 pm at 1201 Sumneytown Pike (Old Siemens property). There will be a sensory-friendly hour 11 am-12pm for Adults/Children with special needs. If you would like to volunteer for this event, don't hesitate to contact Officer William Henry at whenry@lowergwynedd.org. We are always looking for community input. If you have any suggestions or want to volunteer at one of our events, don't hesitate to contact us at lgpdcru@lowergwynedd.org.
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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 March issue! |
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