May 2023 e-Newsletter

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Lower Gwynedd Township Upcoming Meetings & Events:

May 4

Human Relations Commission Meeting-7pm

May 6

MONTCO Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event-Harleysville

May 8

HRC-Speaker Series 7:00pm (Virtual)

May 9

Elected Auditors Meeting-5pm

May 9

Board of Supervisors Meeting-7pm

May 10

Environmental Advisory Council Meeting-7pm

May 11

Zoning Hearing Board-6pm

May 13

Leaf & Yard Waste Collection-6am

May 13

EAC Battery Recycling-9am-11am

May 14

Mother's Day

May 15

Parks & Recreation Board Meeting-6pm

May 16

Primary Election Day

May 16

Free Medicare Seminar-6:30-8:30pm (Penllyn Woods)

May 17

Planning Commission Meeting-7pm

May 18

Historical Advisory Committee-6pm

May 19

EAC Bird Walk-8:30am Penllyn Woods

May 20

CRU-Touch a Truck Event-11am-2pm (1201 Sumneytown Pike)

May 20

MONTCO Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event-Temple Ambler Campus

May 23

Board of Supervisors Meeting-7pm

May 29

Memorial Day-Offices Closed

June 1

Pride Flag Raising Event- Veterans Park-6pm

General News

Mimi Gleason-Sworn in as Township Manager


It's official, the term "interim" has been removed from Mimi Gleason's title. The BOS unanimously voted to appoint Mimi Gleason as Township Manager at their meeting on April 25th, 2023. She was officially sworn in the following morning. Mimi has been serving as Interim Township Manager since July of 2022. Congratulations Mimi Gleason, Township Manager!

Road Work Ahead


Swedesford Road to be Closed

May 3-May 10:

PennDot announced that Swedesford Road will be closed and detoured approaching U.S. 202 (Dekalb Pk) for roadway construction as part of the ongoing widening project. The road closure and detour will take place Wednesday, May 3, through Wednesday, May 10. Swedesford Road will be closed 24/7 approaching U.S. 202 (Dekalb Pike) from Britt Road. Swedesford Road motorists will be directed to use Sumneytown Pike and U.S. 202. Local access will be maintained for residents on Swedesford Road.

Spring House Intersection Improvement Project to begin:

Roadway improvements at the intersection of Sumneytown Pike/Norristown Road are set to begin this month. The roadway construction generally consists of widening on Norristown Road and Sumneytown Pike to provide additional through lanes in the eastbound and westbound directions, traffic signal improvements, sidewalk and trail modifications on the north side of Norristown Road and both sides of Sumneytown Pike, and ADA ramp upgrades. The majority of the proposed work is within PennDOT, Montgomery County, or Lower Gwynedd Township right-of-way. While this will not be a complete closure, lane restrictions will apply.

Trash Collection Contract Extended


The Lower Gwynedd Board of Supervisors voted to extend the current trash collection and recycling contract with Republic Services. The contract, that was set to expire on October 31st, 2023, provides for a one-time two-year extension option. The BOS voted to exercise this option as bid pricing is anticipated to increase by approximately 50% for collection services this year. The extension will include the same increases that exist within the current contract of 3% per year. Extending the contract will keep costs down and eliminate a disruption in service for township residents.


Reminder: Republic Services will operate under a holiday schedule the week of Memorial Day. Trash collection that week will take place on Tuesday, May 30th and Friday, June 2nd.

Township Wide Street Sweeping-May 1st-May 5th


Please be aware that township-wide street sweeping is scheduled to take place, Monday, May 1st through Friday, May 5th, 2023.

Spring Curbside Leaf and Yard Waste Collection- Saturday May 13th


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, May 13, 2023


Montgomery County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Events


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. The June collection is at the Temple University Ambler Campus.


National Walk, Bike and Roll

Strap on your helmet and lace up your shoes. National Bike & Roll to School Day is May 3, 2023!


There will be a temporary bike lane set up along Knight Road and Houston Road starting from 6:45am to 4:00 pm. Use caution during this time



Lower Gwynedd Township's Human Relations Committee Presents Coalition 4 Justice Special Speaker Series-May 8th at 7pm


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 7:00pm to 9:00pm EST.

 

Join Coalition4Justice for their May speaker: Lower Gwynedd Township's Human Relations Commission (HRC) invites you to join the Coalition4Justice May speaker series featuring HRC member Jimmy Chong and Action News Co-Anchor, Nydia Han. The topic of their discussion is "Anti-Asian Hate: Then and Now". Please click the title link for more information.

Primary Election Day-Tuesday May 16, 2023


Reminder-Primary Election Day is May 16th. Please be sure to check with voter services to confirm the appropriate location for you to cast your vote. Polls open at 7am and close at 8pm.

Save the Date:


Save the date for these upcoming events:

  • June 1st- Pride Flag Raising-Veterans Park 6pm
  • June 10th-Flowers Still Grow Fest-Penllyn Park 12pm-5pm
  • June 17th-Juneteenth Celebration-Bethlehem Baptist Church 2pm-4pm

Welcome Roquette

Lower Gwynedd Township Supervisors were on hand for the grand opening of Roquette's new pharmaceutical innovation center at SHIP. Roquette is a global leader in plant-based ingredients and a leading provider of pharmaceutical and nutraceutical excipients. The new center will be an advanced training and collaboration hub for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical manufacturers around the world. With a focus on optimizing patient experience with next-generation oral dosage forms, the US facility complements the cutting-edge research activities of Roquette’s existing pharma innovation centers in France and Singapore. Welcome to Lower Gwynedd!


Plant Native!

Why Native Plants Matter - Restoring native plant habitat is vital to preserving biodiversity. By creating a native plant garden, each patch of habitat becomes part of a collective effort to nurture and sustain the living landscape for birds and other animals. (source: National Audubon Society). To read more details about why this matters so much click here


In the next few months, while things are growing and residents are planting in their yards we are going to focus our green tips on native plants that you can incorporate into your home gardens, particularly those that can replace non-native invasive species that have been very common landscape plants that many residents likely have in their garden beds around their homes. These non-natives provide very little, if any, benefit to the native fauna of our area, and frequently escape into the wild areas, become invasive and out-competing natives for resources they need to survive and create the biodiversity we need.

Plant This: 

Golden ragwort (Packera aurea)


Not these:

Japanese pachysandra (pachysandra terminalis) or Periwinkle (vinca minor)

Mark your calendar for these other upcoming EAC events:

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, May 19th 8:30am Bird Walk @ Penllyn Woods. 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.


Volunteers Needed

 

The Flowers Still Grow Foundation will be holding their annual Flowers Still Grow Fest on Saturday, June 10, 2023 at Penllyn Park from Noon-5:00 p.m. This fest brings the communities of Penllyn, Ambler, North Hills, Cresmont, Norristown and surrounding areas together. The event organizers are looking for volunteers to help through the course of the day to make this an amazing, cultured, fun learning experience for children of all ages. Anyone looking to volunteer their time, businesses looking to make donations please contact Renee Steward at 215-669-3839. 

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!

Committee Updates

Boards & Committee Updates

Board of Supervisors (BOS)

The BOS held their first regular meeting of the month on Tuesday, April 11, 2023. Representatives from Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School gave a presentation for a proposed land development that will add 20,000 square feet to the existing high school. The addition will include a new kitchen, counseling offices, and storage space. The BOS requested consideration be given to providing easements for future sidewalk/trail connections and to add more trees. The applicants agreed to take this request back to their board for discussion. In other business, the BOS discussed offering tax credits to volunteer firefighters who live in Lower Gwynedd Township. The BOS was supportive of the idea and charged staff with the task of working out the details. The BOS passed a proclamation designating Friday, April 28th as Arbor Day. The Township was recently designated an official Tree City. The BOS also authorized the Township to sign an opioid settlement agreement, execute a contract with Sewer Specialty Services to clean and televise sanitary sewer lines, and accept a proposal to add audio/visual enhancements to the small meeting room.


At the second meeting of the BOS on April 25th, the Township Engineer gave a presentation on cluster zoning and potential amendments to the zoning ordinance. The BOS agreed that cluster zoning will be addressed through the Comprehensive Plan update, and they agreed to wait until that process is complete before contemplating any changes. The Township Traffic Engineer gave an update on the recommendation of the Traffic Impact Advisory Committee regarding an increase in the traffic impact fee. A public hearing was held to consider an ordinance amending the Lower Gwynedd zoning code by removing the definition of campaign signs and the permit requirement related to such signs. The BOS voted to approve the ordinance amendment. Danielle Duckett, Board Chair, reminded everyone that the general policy of the BOS is that no signs are permitted on Township property. In other business the BOS unanimously approved the appointment of Mimi Gleason as Township Manager and simultaneously approved her employment contract. The BOS also awarded the road program bids- James D. Morrisey Inc. was awarded the contract for milling and paving, and Asphalt Maintenance Solutions was awarded the contract for the ultra-thin bonded wearing course. The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 9th, 2023, at 7pm.

Historical Advisory Committee (HAC)


After open public meetings and committee review and discussion, the HAC offered three recommendations to the BOS this month.

 

1. Develop a preservation and conservation easement template for citizens. Easements are placed in a deed and give a property owner the option to distribute some of their property rights to a third party to oversee. This gives residents options in the event they want to protect aspects of their historic home or open space on a property.

 

2. Create a historic markers program. The state has one currently (the navy and yellow metal signs along the road!). But it only allows signs for places, people, and events with state historic significance- and the state program is currently paused. The local version would allow the township to recognize places with meaning to our communities that have local significance and erect appropriate signage.

 

3. Offer interpretive signage at the Gwynedd Public School building site. As reported last month, the Parks & Recreation Board is pursuing grant opportunities that could result in redevelopment of the property at Wister and Old Penllyn Pike adjacent to Ingersoll Park in Penllyn. The HAC affirmed that the property was historical. While the building maintains its historic form and several character-defining features, given the number of interior alterations and the expedited timeline for review, HAC could not come to a research-based conclusion about the building's significance or the feasibility of restoration. HAC recommended the Board create interpretive signage, incorporate the large stone that reads "Gwynedd Public School 1888" into the site, and take architectural/preservation photographs of the building to enable future study if changes are to be made at the site.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Matt Metcalf

HAC Chair

Zoning Hearing Board (ZHB)

The Zoning Hearing Board met in April and heard the following applications. The ZHB will meet on May 11th, 2023, and hear the applications listed below.


April Hearings- April 13, 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. (Approved)


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. (Approved)


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. (Approved)


May Hearings- May 11, 2023:

1202 Kingsley Court: A-1 Residential District: Applicant seeks a variance to allow a new covered porch within the rear yard setback of a single-family dwelling.


1137 McKean Road: A-1 Residential District: Applicant seeks a variance to allow a swimming pool less than 25 ft. from the rear property line and a variance to allow impervious coverage to exceed 25%.


1512 Cedar Hill Road: A-1 Residential District: Applicant seeks a variance to allow a minimum side yard setback less than 45 ft at a single-family dwelling.




Planning Commission Meeting (PC)

The PC met on April 19th, 2023, to discuss a proposed zoning ordinance amendment pertaining to campaign signs. The ordinance amendment would remove the definition of and permit requirements for campaign signs. The PC was supportive of the proposed ordinance and recommended it be approved by the BOS. The PC also received an overview on the proposed update to the traffic impact fee. The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 17th, 2023, at 7pm.


Please check the website for the most current agenda.

Departmental Round-Up

Finance Department


New Finance Director- Melinda Haldeman


Melinda Haldeman joined the Lower Gwynedd team as our new Finance Director on April 3, 2023. Melinda is a CPA with 12 years of experience in public accounting before moving to the private sector specializing in the construction and development industry. Her extensive knowledge and financial expertise are sure to make her a true asset to the Township. Melinda is originally from Hershy, PA and moved to this area after graduating from college. Melinda is a proud mother to her daughter, Cerise, who is in her first year at NYU. Welcome Melinda!

CRU-Police Department


National Walk, Bike and Roll

Strap on your helmet and lace up your shoes. National Bike & Roll to School Day is May 3, 2023!


Wissahickon School District-Bike & Roll to School Day invites participants to celebrate the joy of active commuting while building a sense of community and school spirit. Whether addressing the need to make routes to school safer for active trips or encouraging children and teens to be more active, these events can be powerful tools to inspire lasting change. Of course, they are also fun!

There will be a temporary bike lane set up along Knight Road and Houston Road starting from 6:45am to 4:00 pm. Use caution during this time.


RING Doorbells


Lower Gwynedd Township Police are 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.


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.

 Lower Gwynedd Township

1130 North Bethlehem Pike

Spring House, PA 19477

Phone: (215) 646-5302

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