October 2023 e-Newsletter

Visit Our Website

Lower Gwynedd Township Upcoming Meetings & Events:

General News

Parks & Recreation Board Member Recognized

The Board of Supervisors (BOS) recognized Leola Hubbard for her service to Lower Gwynedd Township at their meeting on September 12th, 2023. Leola Hubbard served for 14 years on the Parks & Recreation Board (PRB). BOS Chair Danielle Duckett read a heartfelt letter thanking Leola for her contribution to Lower Gwynedd and presented her with a proclamation. Leola resigned from the PRB in order to pursue other volunteer work and we wish her all the best in the future!

Fall Fest Thank You

On behalf of the Lower Gwynedd Township Fall Fest Committee, we would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to everyone who played a part in making Fall Fest a complete success. Although the weather didn't cooperate, everyone came together and pulled it off! We wanted to thank everyone who came out to Fall Fest, the planning committee, vendors and food trucks, the volunteers who helped unload and pack-up, all the sponsors, emergency services, and staff. We would also like to thank the Wissahickon School District for allowing us to use the school and the amazing custodial staff, we could not have done this without your help and support.

We are looking forward to Fall Fest 2024.

Republic Services Fall Leaf & Yard Waste Collection

Republic Services will provide curbside leaf and yard waste collection on Saturday, October 14th and Saturday, October 28th, 2023. All leaf and yard waste must be put in biodegradable bags and placed curbside by 6am on the day of pick-up. There is a limit of 8 bags per pick-up.

Pen-Ambler Park Parking Lot Closed- Temporarily

Please be advised that the parking lot at Pen-Ambler Park will be closed from Monday October 2nd until Friday, October 13th for paving.

Montco Household Hazardous Waste Collection-October 22

Lower Merion Transfer Station

1300 Woodbine Ave.,

Penn Valley

The county will host a household hazardous waste collection event on SUNDAY, October 22nd at the Lower Merion Transfer Station, 1300 Woodbine Ave., Penn Valley, PA. This event is by appointment only. To pre-register click here.

EAC 2nd Annual Tree Giveaway

When: Saturday, October 14th- 8am-12pm scheduled pick-up times

Location: Lower Gwynedd Township building, 1130 N. Bethlehem Pike, Spring House

Please visit the township website for further information- At this time all 300 trees are reserved. There are details lower in this newsletter on a wait list option. For those signed up to receive a tree, please be sure you have an adequately sized vehicle for pick-up.

Comprehensive Plan- Share Your Vision for Lower Gwynedd!

Lower Gwynedd Township is in the process of drafting a new comprehensive plan, and we want to hear from you! The plan will provide a vision for the future of the township and a framework for the management of development in the township over the next 20 years. Your opinion is important to help us understand the issues that are most important to you both in your neighborhood and at the township-wide scale.

If you live, work, shop, or otherwise spend time in Lower Gwynedd, we invite you to complete the community survey, and let us know your thoughts!

Please share this survey with your friends and neighbors:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LGwynCompPlan

Park Master Plans

The master plans for Ingersoll, Pen-Ambler, and Oxford parks were on display at the Township building over the past two weeks and at Fall Fest. We recieved a number of comments and suggestions. The feedback provided will be reviewed and the plans will be revised if necessary. The PRB and BOS will then review the revised plans. The plans are meant to be a guide for future park improvements. You can view the plans that were on display here.

EAC Green Tip of the Month

Fall is a great time to prep a garden bed for spring planting to attract pollinators to your yard. We will be working on a demonstration area to show one method of doing this using the sheet mulching method, to reduce some of your lawn grass and turn it into a magnet for bees, butterflies, moths and other pollinators. Grass lawns don’t support native fauna, but native flora sure do! Keep an eye out in future newsletters for where in the township this demo will be taking place. You can also contact a local non-profit, Journeywork, and sign up for their Pollinator Palooza, where they can assist you with a pollinator garden project for your own property.

October 22-28 is National Lead Prevention Poisoning Week

Take some time this month to educate yourself about the various ways you and your family can be exposed to lead, leading to poisoning, including paint in old homes, contaminated soil, drinking water and more. Please visit our webpage for more details on these and other threats from lead.

Saturday, October 14th – Native Tree Giveaway - All 300 trees have been claimed during our pre-registration, but we do have a wait list. If you didn’t get a chance to sign up for a tree this year please sign up for the waitlist here, so we have an idea of how many people would have liked a tree, and which species they would prefer. This will help us plan for next year’s giveaway.

Wednesday, October 18^th 8:30am – Bird Walk @ Gwynedd Preserve. Please email lgteac+birdtown@gmail.com to be added to the email list in case of a cancellation and for reminders about upcoming walks.

Departmental Round-Up:

Building & Zoning

Zoning Hearing Board (ZHB)

The Zoning Hearing Board met on September 14th. They will meet on October 12th, 2023, to hear the applications listed below.

September Hearings- September 14th, 2023

1 Alexis Drive: CD-1 Cluster Development Residential District: Applicant seeks a variance to permit a rear yard setback less than required for a new roofed deck at an existing single-family dwelling. (Approved with conditions)

October Hearings- October 12th, 2023

1070 Peterman Lane: A-Residential District: Applicant seeks a variance to permit a shed within a side yard setback.

Land Development & Subdivision:

Under Review:

#23-03 LD- Gwynedd Mercy University Francis Maguire Innovation Center- Land development application to construct a 70,000 square foot two-story nursing center and associated improvements on their campus located at 1325 Sumneytown Pike. To be discussed at PC meeting on October 18, 2023. Under review.
#23-04 LD- Spring House Innovation Park (SHIP) Building 14 Parking Lot Expansion & Electric Substation- Land development application to construct a 1,942 square foot electrical substation and add a parking lot at Building 14 on their campus located at 727 Norristown Road. Recommended for approval to BOS; Pending BOS approval. Will be discussed at BOS meeting on October 10, 2023.
#23-07 LL- 1304 Gypsy Hill Road Lot Line Adjustment- Lot line adjustment of two residential properties in AA Residential Zoning District. Land conveyance only with no proposed construction improvements. Plans propose to convey approximately 0.78 acres from lot 2 to lot 1. Recommended for approval at PC meeting on September 20, 2023. Pending BOS approval.

Police Department-CRU

Crimewatch

The Lower Gwynedd Township Police Department and Chief Paul Kenny would like to announce the launch of a new website. The new website was developed in partnership with Crimewatch Technologies and is part of the Crimewatch Network. The online tool gives the general public a direct access to crime and public safety-related information happening in their community. The new website provides opportunities to:

Sign up for free account and receive email alerts regarding crimes and emergency broadcast
Register Camera and Alarms Systems
Sign up for community programs such as Do Not Solicit List, Car Safety Seat Inspection
Get connected with resources and services Local residents are encouraged to visit www.lowergwyneddpolice.org and/or download CRIMEWATCH Mobile from the Apple App Store or Android APP Store-See above flyer.

Upcoming Events:

October 10^th and 17^th – Share Our America/Building Bridges with Police and Students Event @ Wissahickon High School

October TBD- Lower Gwynedd Elementary Home and School Association for the School trunk or treat event. CRU will be handing out Halloween Safety material.

October 28th- Do Better 4 Steve Fearless 5K (Wissahickon High School)

October 28th- Cider with Cops @Giant Foods from 1 pm to 3 pm – Cider and conversations on Halloween Safety. Partnered with Giant Food (1121 N Bethlehem Pike, Spring House, PA 19477)

October 28th - Ambler Area YMCA Halloween Event @Ambler YMCA from 2 pm to 4pm- CRU will be handing out Halloween Safety material.

October 28th – National Drug Take Back 10am to 2pn @ Lower Gwynedd Township Police station

November 4th- Coming Soon!!! Fill a Cop Car @ Giant Foods - This event will benefit the Mattie N. Dixon Food Cupboard.

Lower Gwynedd Township

1130 North Bethlehem Pike

Spring House, PA 19477

Phone: (215) 646-5302

Next Issue

Keep an eye out for our November issue!