[00:00:01]
ONLY A COUPLE MINUTES TOO.SO, UH, I'M GONNA CALL TO ORDER THE, UH,
[CALL TO ORDER]
THE, UH, UH, NOVEMBER 15TH, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.THIS YEAR, NOVEMBER 15TH, UM, UH, MEETING OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORY COUNCIL FOR UPPER PROVINCE TOWNSHIP, AND, UH, IVY, I'M GONNA TELL YOU, UH, JUST SO YOU KNOW, UM, WE'VE GOT A HARD STOP AT SEVEN O'CLOCK.
WELL, NO, WE GOT ANOTHER MEETING AFTER THAT,
SO, UH, THAT'S WHY I'M GONNA START A COUPLE MINUTES EARLY.
SO WE'LL GIVE YOU PLENTY HOPE AS MUCH TIME AS YOU CAN DO TO FILL UP.
AND THEN, UH, WE'LL GET STARTED.
SO EVERYBODY'S MET IVY, AND WE'VE ALREADY DONE THAT.
AND, UM, LET'S, UM, FOR A MOVING TOPIC.
I HAVE ONE COME THERE SOMEWHERE.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY HIDE THEM.
SO, UM, WE'LL, I'M TURN IT OVER TO YOU.
I CAN GET STARTED WITH, I GUESS WHAT, JUST A LITTLE BACKGROUND.
WE ARE ACTUALLY NOW TWO YEARS INTO THIS, ALMOST TWO YEARS INTO THIS, UH, WE'RE STILL STRUGGLING WITH, UH, FINDING A, UM, A PROGRAM OR A, UH, A, UH, SOMETHING THAT WE CAN PUT SOME TEETH BEHIND AND GET BEHIND IT.
AND REALLY, I MEAN, WE HAVE A LOT OF IDEAS, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE NOT REALLY MOVING IN A, A GREAT DIRECTION.
SO THE THING WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO, UH, START WITH IS MAYBE A PLASTIC BAG, UH, BAND OR PROPOSED PLASTIC BAG BAND TO OUR NEW, UH, ELECTED, UH, TOWNSHIP SUPERVISOR DOWN THERE.
AND SHE KNOWS ABOUT IT, SO THAT'S GOOD.
SHE'S GONNA CARRY THE MESSAGE FOR US.
[2. Guest Speaker]
WE CERTAINLY WOULD LIKE TO HEAR WHAT YOU'VE DONE AND YOUR SUCCESS.LIKE TIM SAYS, WHAT YOUR SUCCESSES HAVE BEEN, WHAT YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO, UH, TO, TO GET THROUGH YOUR TOWNSHIP AND GET IT ON THE BOARD.
SO PLEASE TELL US WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, YOU KNOW.
WELL, IT'S A PLEASURE TO MEET ALL OF YOU.
UH, WE DO NOT HAVE A PLASTIC BAG.
YOU KNOW, AS YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING HAS TO GO THROUGH TOWNSHIP SUPERVISORS.
AND RIGHT NOW, UH, FOR THE LAST YEAR, THERE'S BEEN ISSUES WITH, UH, UNDERSTANDING CLIMATE CHANGE.
SO, PLASTIC FAN HAS BEEN ONE THING WE HAVEN'T HAD SUCCESS WITH.
AS OF YET, UH, WE'RE ALSO HAVING TROUBLE WITH SOLAR AND WITH ELECTRIC VEHICLES.
SO WHEN YOU'RE SAYING TROUBLE, WELL, WE, IT'S JUST NOT BEING RECEPTIVE.
UH, ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO WE DID A, WE WERE FUNDED THROUGH DEP TO DO A CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, WHICH IS ON OUR WEBSITE, IF ANYBODY WANTS TO SEE.
I THINK THEY STILL HAVE ANOTHER GEAR OF FUNDING FOR DOING THAT.
SO THE, OUR NEW LIST FOR NEXT YEAR, IT'S SOMETHING WE'VE DISCUSSED THAT WE'D LIKE TO DO, BUT WE HAVE NOT MOVED FORWARD WITH IT.
WELL, SO YOU PROBABLY WOULD LOOK TO SEE IF DEP IS STILL GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO IT NEXT YEAR.
THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO DO IT FOR THREE YEARS.
UH, THEY TOOK CERTAIN MUNICIPALITIES AND, UH, GAVE US SUPPORT FOR THAT.
AND WE DEVELOPED THIS WONDERFUL PLAN.
WE HAD MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION ZONING, EAC, OPEN SPACE, UH, WE TOGETHER AND AS A, FOR 2025 AND 2050 TO BECOME, YOU KNOW, A HUNDRED PERCENT ENERGY EFFICIENT.
WE STARTED WITH PUTTING SOME SOLAR PANELS ON OUR NEW POLICE STATION.
AND THAT HAPPENED DURING COVID, WHICH WAS NOT A GREAT TIME TO START AN INITIATIVE LIKE THIS.
THIS IS WHY WE STILL HAD THE BACKING, UH, OF OUR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND THE SUPERVISORS OF THAT TIME.
YEAH, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY YOU NEED TO HAVE BACKING OF YOUR BOARD, WHICH WE'VE HAD FOR A LONG TIME.
AND BACKING OF YOUR TOWNSHIP MANAGER, WHICH WE ALWAYS HAD WITH TIM AND WITH THE CURRENT TOWNSHIP MANAGER.
BUT WE WERE MOVING AHEAD VERY NICELY IN THAT DIRECTION, UH, WHERE WE HAD SOME ITEMS THAT WERE MUNICIPAL ITEMS TO, YOU KNOW, REACH OUR GOALS, CHANGING OUR VEHICLES, PUTTING SOLAR PANELS ON ALL THE BUILDINGS AND DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT.
LIKE, UH, CHANGING PUBLIC WORKS, VEHICLES TO ELECTRIC, THAT KIND OF THING.
[00:05:01]
SO, AND YOU'RE SAYING YOU GOT PUSHBACK WITH IT? OH, YEAH.WHEN WE TOOK THE PLAN, WHEN WE GOT OUR NEW BOARD IN JANUARY, AND WE TOOK THE PLAN FORWARD FOR APPROVAL, WE WEREN'T EXPECTING TO GET PUSHBACK.
SO THAT PLAN STILL HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED, UNFORTUNATELY, BUT WE'VE USED IT FOR GRANT FUNDING NONETHELESS.
SO A LOT OF THESE PLANS, IF THEY'RE NOT APPROVED, YOU CAN STILL USE THEM FOR GRANT FUNDING, WHICH I ALSO WRITE THE GRANTS FOR THE TOWNSHIP.
HOW DOES THAT WORK, YOU SAY? SO IF YOU, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A PROGRAM THAT'S IN EFFECT, HOW DO YOU GET GRANT FUNDING? WELL, SO FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS, WE DO GET A LOT OF GRANT FUNDING THROUGH, UH, DCNR.
THROUGH DCED, DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
AND WHEN YOU, FOR INSTANCE, DCNR FUNDS, MOST OF OUR ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS, WHEN YOU DO THAT, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THREE PLANS IN PLACE THAT YOU PUT AS PART OF YOUR GRANT TO SHOW THAT YOU'RE MOVING FORWARD AND YOU HAVE PLANS.
SO THAT ENERGY TRANSITION PLAN IS A REALLY GOOD PLAN TO USE IF YOU ARE LOOKING.
FOR INSTANCE, WE PUT IN AN APPLICATION FOR, UH, UPGRADING THE SWIM CLUB.
AND IN THAT APPLICATION WE WANTED TO, I WANTED TO PUT IN PUTTING SOLAR PANELS ON THE BATHHOUSE BECAUSE I SAW THAT AS, UH, GOOD SUSTAINABILITY FEATURE FOR THAT FACILITY.
BUT I WAS TOLD THAT WASN'T ACCEPTABLE.
THE SOLAR, THE SOLAR PANEL, THE SOLAR, BUT WE WERE STILL ABLE, IF WE WOULD'VE PUT SOLAR ON THE BUILDING, WE COULD HAVE INCLUDED THAT ENERGY TRANSITION PLAN.
THAT WOULD'VE BEEN REALLY NICE.
THERE'S ALSO LOTS OF MONEY OUT THERE RIGHT NOW FOR EV VEHICLES AND FOR EV CHARGERS.
I MEAN, THE MONEY IS JUST, THERE'S SO MUCH MONEY OUT THERE.
WE FINALLY DID GET OUR BOARD TO AGREE TO GET ONE EV POLICE VEHICLE.
JUST CURIOUS, WHAT WAS YOUR OPPOSITION TO IT? WELL, I DON'T KNOW WHERE ALL YOU GUYS STAND, SO I DON'T KNOW.
IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT SO MUCH POLITIC JUST WHAT THEY JUST, THEY'RE JUST AGAINST.
WELL, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO GET INTO THAT, BUT WAS IT JUST, THEY'RE JUST AGAINST IT? CAUSE OF POLITICAL IDEOLOGY? WAS IT THE CITIZENS PUSHING AGAINST THE SUPERVISOR SUPERVISORS? IT, IT WAS NOT THE CITIZENS, IT WAS THE SUPERVISORS.
SO, BUT, BUT, BUT THE MAJORITY OF THE SUPERVISORS ARE, WELL, THE MAJORITY IS THERE UNTIL DECEMBER.
SO THEY PUSHED THROUGH THIS ONE EV VEHICLE.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE LOST THE, THE DAMAGES LOST THE MAJORITY.
SO THIS WILL PROBABLY BE OUR ONLY EV VEHICLE GOING FORWARD FOR A WHILE UNTIL, YOU KNOW, THINGS HOLD DOWN.
BUT, BUT THE PUSHBACK HAS ALREADY EXISTED OR IT'S, THE PUSHBACK EXISTED, BUT I THINK IT WAS BEING USED FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES AND IT'S BEEN USED FOR THE LAST YEAR.
SO, FOR INSTANCE, THE SOLAR PANELS ON THE POLICE STATION, UH, IN A POLICE STATION, YOU ALWAYS BUILD A CARPORT FOR YOUR POLICE VEHICLES.
SO WE BUILT A NEW POLICE STATION.
IT WAS A $9 MILLION POLICE STATION.
YOU PUT A CARPORT ON THERE, AND THE POLICE CHIEF SAID, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE SOME SOLAR PANELS ON TOP OF THIS.
SO WE PUT $175,000 WORTH OF SOLAR PANELS ON THE TOP.
IT WAS A $300,000, YOU KNOW, PROJECT ALTOGETHER.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE OF COVID, UH, PICO WASN'T MOVING FORWARD LIKE THEY HAD, AND THE PANELS DIDN'T REALLY, THEY WEREN'T WORKING ORIGINALLY.
SO THAT WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF THEIR MAIN PUSHBACK IN THEIR, SO THEY WEREN'T TIED INTO THE GRID, IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? THEY WEREN'T TIED INTO THE GRID.
THEY WEREN'T WORKING WELL, THEY'RE WORKING NOW AND THEY'RE WORKING GREAT.
SO THEY'RE SAVING A LOT OF MONEY EVERY MONTH ON THOSE.
BUT THAT WAS KIND OF A DIFFERENT AVENUE WE WERE GOING IN.
MOST OF THE TIME OUR EAC UH, FOCUSES ON THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.
SO, BUT YOU GOT THE GRANTS FOR THAT TO, TO DO IT AND GET THE CREDITS FOR WE DID GET, WE GOT A MILLION DOLLAR GRANT FOR DCED FOR THE POLICE STATION.
SO, BUT IT WASN'T JUST HINGING ON THE SOLAR PANELS.
THAT WAS JUST, BUT OTHER PROJECTS LIKE THIS, UH, SWIM CLUB YEAH.
[00:10:01]
A LONG WAY IN SHOWING WE HAD A SUSTAINABILITY, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE, SO YOU, YOU BASICALLY HAD A LEADERSHIP PROBLEM IN IF YOU'RE SHOWING IT AT A SWIM CLUB.AND THAT'S WHAT I THINK WAY BACK WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT LOOKING AT, UH, CONVERTING VEHICLES AND ALL THAT.
IT IS, BUT IT'S TO SET THE EXAMPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY.
AND THAT'S HOW WE WOULD HOPE TO ADVISE OUR SUPERVISORS.
SO IT'S JUST LIKE WE PROPOSED TO PUT SIX EV CHARGERS IN OUR ACTIVE PARKS, AND WHAT A GREAT PLACE FOR EV CHARGERS.
SO THEY'RE NOT FAST CHARGERS, BUT, YOU KNOW, TWO HOUR CHARGES.
YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT GETTING YOU FULLY CHARGED, BUT IT IT'S GETTING YOU SOMEWHERE.
AND, YOU KNOW, DOESN'T THE SUBSIDY ALSO PAY FOR THE ELECTRIC FOR A WHILE TOO? YEAH.
AND AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE FOUND A COMPANY WHO WAS WILLING TO GIVE US THE EV CHARGERS FOR FREE.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THOSE WHO USED IT IN THE COMMUNITY WOULD JUST PAY, YOU KNOW, YOU JUST GO ON YOUR APP OR WHATEVER AND PAY.
BUT, SO BASICALLY I WAS TOLD, WELL, IVY, I'VE BEEN HEARING YOU TALK ABOUT OPEN SPACE PRESERVATION FOR YEARS, AND NOW YOU WANT TO PUT A GAS STATION IN A PARK.
SO YOU MEAN THE EV CHARGER BEING THE GAS STATION? CORRECT.
SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF PUSHBACK ON THIS, BUT THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF PEOPLE REALLY INTERESTED IN MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS.
AND WE WERE BEING VERY PROGRESSIVE.
NOW, NOT SO MUCH, BUT MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP HAS DONE A FANTASTIC JOB.
HE'S THE ASSISTANT MANAGEMENT MANAGER THERE.
HE HAS BEEN INCREDIBLY SUCCESSFUL IN PUTTING ALL KINDS OF EV INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE.
SALES IS ONE OF THE, YEAH, I MEAN, IT, IT JUST, UM, I THINK PROBABLY THE BIGGEST POINT THAT YOU'RE BRINGING UP TO ALL OF US IS, IS HOW TO GO ABOUT GETTING THE BASIC WHEELS MOVING FOR FUNDING THESE PROJECTS AND GOING THROUGH WITHOUT HAVING TO REINVENT THE WHEEL, IF YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING.
SO YOU PROBABLY KNOW THIS, BUT, UH, MUNICIPALITIES ARE ABLE TO GET A 30% TAX CREDIT ON EV VEHICLES, WHEREAS, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TAX EXEMPT.
BUT THE GOVERNMENT HAS JUST DECIDED THAT YOU CAN GET THAT 30% TAX CREDIT EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE TAX EXEMPT.
I TALK ABOUT GRANTS ALL THE TIME, JUST 'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT I DO,
BUT THE TAX CREDIT COMES IN THE FORM OF WHAT? MONEY.
THEY GIVE YOU, IT'S A REIMBURSEMENT GRANT.
IT'LL OPEN IN DECEMBER IF YOU'RE INTERESTED.
BUT, UM, THEY WILL GIVE YOU $7,500 TAX CREDIT.
AND THEN THERE'S, YOU KNOW, $7,500 THAT COME OUT OF A DIFFERENT PROGRAM.
YOU CAN GET $15,000 REIMBURSEMENT ON AN EV VEHICLE RIGHT NOW IF YOU GET FUNDED.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO GET FUNDED FOR.
BUT THERE'S A PROGRAM THAT ADDS TO IT.
SO THAT'S HOW WE GET THE ONE VEHICLE.
AND IT'S THE SAME FOR CHARGERS.
SO IT'S AN INTERESTING, AND YOU'RE A PAID EMPLOYEE OF THE TOWNSHIP? WHEN YOU SAY WRITE THE, ALL THE GRANTS? WELL, I'M A PAID EMPLOYEE PART-TIME FOR GRANT WRITING.
BUT ALL MY EAC AND OPEN SPACE VOLUNTEER IS VOLUNTEER.
WELL, WELL THAT'S GREAT THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO WRITE THE GRANTS AND IT, THAT'S IT, YOU KNOW, GOES HAND IN HAND.
SO I'M THE CHAIRMAN OF THE OPEN SPACE AND LAND PRESERVATION COMMITTEE.
THAT'S MY PASSION IS OPEN SPACE AND ENVIRONMENTAL.
THE GRANT STUFF WAS JUST THE FUN PART TO MAKE A LITTLE MONEY.
HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT OUR PARKHOUSE? HAVE SOMEBODY FILL YOU IN SOME TOWN? TALK ABOUT OPEN.
WHAT, WHAT'S YOUR BIG INDUSTRY OR BIG EMPLOYMENT CENTER UP IN MARTON? I'M NOT SURE WHERE IT WAS.
IS THERE A BIG EMPLOYMENT? IT'S JUST A BUNCH OF COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
IS THERE A TURNPIKE EXIT THERE? OR IT'S LIKE GOES THROUGH YEAH, SIX 11 RUNS THROUGH, BUT THE TURNPIKE ENTRANCE IS ABOUT FIVE AND A HALF MILES.
[00:15:02]
NORTH OR SOUTH? SOUTH.SO YOU'RE STILL KIND OF RURAL? NO, NO.
THEY DON'T HAVE REALLY MUCH IN THE WAY OF OFFICE PARKS LIKE WE DO.
IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A BEDROOM COMMUNITY, UM, FOR WILLOW GROVE OR, UH, NORTH PHILLY, THAT SORT OF THING.
UM, THEY ARE RIGHT OFF THE TURNPIKE, MOSTLY SUBURBAN.
THEY HAVE SOME RETAIL RIGHT ALONG SIX 11 THAT I THINK WAS, IT SORT OF STARTED COMING BACK RIGHT.
IN THE EARLY 20 FIFTEENS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THEY HAD A BIG PLAN AND THEY BROUGHT IN SOME OF THE BIG BOX STUFF.
I PROBABLY HAVEN'T BEEN BY THAT WAY IN RIGHT.
SO I'M NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT SURE.
I WAS GONNA SAY THE BASE PART OF WARRINGTON, BUT IT'S NOT IN TOWN IN
LIKE, I'M TRYING TO, 'CAUSE I KNOW IF YOU BLINK, YOU'RE IN THE NEXT TOWN WHEN YOU DROP SIX 11.
BUT COUNTY LINE ROAD RIGHT THERE.
WELL, TELL ME, IVY, WE KIND OF GOT YOU OFF ON THAT.
'CAUSE WHAT I'D LIKE TO HEAR YOU TELL US MAYBE SOME SUCCESSES.
THAT YOU HAD SOMETHING THAT WE, WE, AND EVEN LIKE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN WRAP QUICKLY.
WE, WE ALL KNOW THAT THAT'S GONNA BE A ABOUT.
SO LET'S GO FORWARD WITH WHAT WE DO.
WELL, YEAH, LET'S, TELL ME WHAT YOU DO.
WELL, SO BACK IN 2017, UH, WE LEARNED THAT THERE WAS, UH, REPORTS BEING DONE FOR COUNTIES, UH, CALLED RETURN ON KNEE ENVIRONMENT.
HAVE YOU GUYS EVER HEARD OF THE RETURN ON KNEE ENVIRONMENT? IT'S, I HAVE.
IT'S KIND OF, UH, HOW BENEFITS TO THE ENVIRONMENT ACTUALLY HELP WITH YOUR ECONOMY.
SO IN OTHER WORDS, YOU PLANT TREES.
IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE IT'S HELPING WITH YOUR ECONOMY, BUT IT, YOU KNOW, IT DOES.
THERE IS A RETURN ON THE INVESTMENT.
AND WE HAD, UH, THE GENTLEMAN WHO DID THIS RETURN ON THE INVESTMENT REPORT FOR US, HIS NAME WAS JOHN ROGERS.
HE ACTUALLY DID THE FIRST ONE FOR THE DELAWARE VALLEY REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION.
IF, UH, AND IF YOU LOOK INTO THAT KIND OF THING.
AND THEN JOHN ROGERS DID THIS RETURN ON THE ENVIRONMENT REPORT.
I MAKE COPIES OF EVERYTHING, UH, JUST AS A BASIS TO GIVE US A GUIDELINE ON THINGS WE SHOULD FOCUS ON.
SO, AND HOW WE SELL THOSE THINGS TO OUR COMMUNITY.
SO PLANTING TREES IS VERY IMPORTANT.
UH, WORKING ON RIPARIAN BUFFERS, PLANTING MEADOWS, PLANTING, UH, POLLINATOR HABITATS.
THIS IS ALL STUFF WE DO THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S TRAILS.
SOME PEOPLE THINK THAT THAT'S A TERRIBLE THING.
BUT REALLY WE'VE LEARNED THROUGH THESE RETURN ON THE ENVIRONMENT STUDIES THAT IT REALLY UPS THE VALUE OF YOUR PROPERTY.
IF YOU HAVE A, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WERE A 10 MINUTE WALK.
AND THAT'S, UH, DCN R'S OBJECTIVE IS EVERYTHING SHOULD BE A 10 MINUTE WALK FROM EVERYONE'S HOUSE.
SO EVERY COMMUNITY SHOULD START TO BECOME WALKABLE IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
SO I, I'M ONLY LAUGHING BECAUSE JUST, JUST BEEN WORKING ON A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
OUR ISSUE IN, IN THE PROVINCE IS WE HAVE THE SCHULL ON THE SOUTH BORDER.
WE HAVE THE PERKIOMEN ON THE, ON THE EASTERN BORDER.
BOTH OF THOSE HAVE A TRAIL NETWORK.
THE PERKIOMEN GOES FROM THE VERY PINPOINT OF THE TOWNSHIP ALL THE WAY UP TO, UM, GREEN LANE BOROUGH FARTHER UP THAT WAY.
IT FOLLOWS THE PER ALL WAY UP.
THE SCHUYLKILL RIVER TRAIL RUNS ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH THE TOWNSHIP, CUTS OVER TO PHOENIXVILLE AND THEN GOES INTO CHESTER COUNTY, COMES BACK ACROSS IN ROERS, THE BOROUGH OVER JUST RIGHT WEST OF US.
THEY'RE GREAT TRAILS, BUT YOU CAN'T WALK TO 'EM.
SO YOU DON'T HAVE ACCESS HERE FROM THIS BUILDING.
YOU CAN WALK TO THE SCO POOL TRAIL RIGHT NOW.
WE FINALLY CONNECTED THIS BUILDING, THIS PARK TO THAT TRAIL TO NOWHERE.
BUT MOST EVERYTHING IS A TRAIL TO NOWHERE.
AND THAT, THAT'S OUR, THAT'S, WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN TRYING TO CONNECT TO THE TRAILS AND CONNECT.
SO YOU COULD HAVE A LOOP SO YOU COULD GO PERKIOMEN THROUGH THE TOWNSHIP DOWN TO THE CHUCO AND THEN BACK AROUND AND MAKE BIGGER AND BIGGER LOOPS IF YOU WANTED TO.
IT'S, IT'S BEEN A BIT OF A CHALLENGE.
SO, SO SEE, UH, I ASSUME THOSE OTHER TRAILS ARE ON THE CIRCUIT TRAILS NETWORK? I, I THINK THE, I THINK THE, THE SKU IS, UM, I DON'T THINK THE PER PROCUREMENT IS, WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET THEM.
[00:20:01]
THINK IT IS BECAUSE WE ARE NOT ABLE TO GET THE CIRCUIT TRAIL GRANTS TO CONNECT TO THEM.WE'VE BEEN TRYING FOR THOSE GRANTS FOR YEARS.
BUT THEY KEEP SAYING, THIS PORTION ISN'T PART OF THE CIRCUIT TRAIL.
SO YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO CONNECT TO THE CIRCUIT TRAIL.
SO WE WERE SUCCESSFUL TO DO THAT.
UH, WE DID A FEASIBILITY STUDY.
WE HAVE THE 2 0 2 BYPASS THAT RUNS, YOU KNOW, A LONG WARRINGTON TOWNSHIP, THE BORDER OF WARRINGTON TOWNSHIP.
AND THAT'S ON THE CIRCUIT TRAILS NETWORK, WHICH IS THE 800 MILE EVENTUAL 800 MILE.
YOU GUYS DID A REALLY GOOD JOB ON THAT NATURALIZING AND THE TRAILS, AND THAT'S AMAZING.
I, I, I BUILT TWO OF THE BUILDINGS AND FOUNDATIONS FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH.
SO THAT WAS MY MORNING DRIVE THERE.
SO YEAH, WE JUST GOT IN OUR LAST TRAIL SEGMENT FROM THE BRADFORD DAM 2 0 2 TRAIL, WHICH IS A FIVE MILE TRAIL, WHICH GOT US ON THE CIRCUIT TRAIL NETWORK.
SO, UH, WE GOT OUR ORIGINAL FUNDING THROUGH D-V-R-P-C AND THE WILLIAM PENN FOUNDATIONS.
AND WE JUST HAD THAT ONE LITTLE TRAIL, WHICH WAS LIKE 0.8 MILES OFF OF THE 2 0 2 BYPASS.
AND THE WAY WE DID IT WAS AS NEW DEVELOPMENTS CAME IN, THEY HAD TO PUT IN TRAILS.
IT WAS PART OF THE, YOU KNOW, DEVELOPMENT PLAN.
SO WE GOT A LOT OF THE TRAILS THAT WAY.
AND THEN WE CONNECTED SIDEWALKS.
THEN WE HAD THIS MAJOR TRAIL GAP, AND THAT'S HOW WE GOT DCNR TO
SO WE PUT IT TOGETHER THROUGH DIFFERENT FUNDERS, BUT, UH, WHAT I HAVE FOUND IS THEY SPEAK TO EACH OTHER AND IF THEY LIKE YOUR PROJECT AND YOU DON'T GET IT THROUGH ONE FUNDER, THEY HELP YOU THROUGH OTHERS.
SO AT THE SAME TIME, I APPLIED FOR TWO GRANTS.
ONE THROUGH DCNR AT ONE POINT, AND ONE IN DCD.
AND THEN I WAS TOLD, WELL, ONE OF 'EM THAT WILL COME THROUGH FOR YOU.
SO NOW GETTING THAT TRAIL THROUGH OUR, YOU KNOW, TO GO THROUGH OUR OPEN SPACES HAS ALLOWED FOR US TO HAVE A GREENWAY.
SO WE'VE BUILT ON THIS GREENWAY.
HOW, HOW HAVE WE DONE THAT? UH, MOST OF US ARE JUST IN, AS I SAID, THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.
WE LIKE TO PLANT TREES, WE LIKE TO NATURALIZE BASINS.
WE LIKE TO PUT UP ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT BIRD HOUSES.
SO WE HAVE A PROGRAM, UH, WHERE WE BUILD, I WORK A LOT WITH SCOUTS, SCOUTS TRYING TO GET THEIR EAGLE SCOUT PROJECT.
I WOULD SAY THAT IS THE BEST AVENUE TO GET YOUR FREE WORK DONE,
AND WHAT SPECIFICALLY DO THEY DO SPECIFICALLY? I HAVE SO MANY DIFFERENT PROJECTS, LIKE PUTTING UP THE BIRD HOUSES, STUFF LIKE THAT.
MAKING THEM, MAKING THEM, MAKING THEM.
YOU CAN HAVE THIS, THIS IS, WE DECIDE, YOU KNOW, WE GET A SCOUT, WE GIVE THEM A FEW IDEAS.
YOU CAN BUILD SOME BLUEBIRD HOUSES, SOME SCREECH OUT BOXES.
YOU CAN, UH, NATURALIZE A BASIN.
YOU CAN BUILD A POLLINATOR GARDEN.
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO? AND 'CAUSE YOU WANT THE KID TO DO WHAT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN.
AND, AND THEN HOW DO YOU PICK THESE SPACES FOR THEM TO DO THAT? HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN? WE JUST CHOOSE
WE HAVE OPEN SPACES IN THE TOWNSHIP.
SO WHAT WE'VE DONE THROUGH THE OPEN SPACE PROGRAM IS, DO YOU GUYS HAVE A REFERENDUM OR ANY OPEN SPACE MONEY? WE HAVE A 4,000 PER UNIT RESIDENTIAL CHARGE.
THAT'S WHERE MOST, THAT'S WHERE OUR OPEN SPACE MONEY, WHERE OPEN SPACE.
WE DON'T HAVE A TAX OR A SET OF, OR A REFERENDUM.
SO THE WAY WE GOT MOST OF OUR OPEN SPACE WORK DONE WAS TO PUT IN FOR A VOTER APPROVED REFERENDUM.
AND WE FOUND THAT 96% OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO VOTED WANTED WERE OKAY WITH FUNDING.
YOU KNOW, HAVING THIS REFERENDUM PASS, AS LONG AS WE WERE ABLE TO BUY ADDITIONAL OPEN SPACE, USE IT, UH, FOR MAINTENANCE OF EXISTING OPEN SPACE OR IMPROVEMENTS TO PARKS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IF, IF YOU THINK ABOUT THAT.
WHAT, WHAT IS THE TAX? IS IT ON, UH, INCOME OR IS IT ON REAL ESTATE, OR, UH, WELL, IT, I, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
IT WOUND UP BEING $27 A HOUSE THAT THEY PAY EXTRA.
[00:25:01]
THAT'S 27 20 $7 A YEAR.AND THEN WE GOT A $3 MILLION BOND.
THAT WE WERE ABLE TO STRETCH IT OUT THREE TIMES USING FUNDING, USING GRANT FUNDING.
SO I WOULD SAY THE BIGGEST THING WE DID IS WE ACQUIRED A PIECE OF LAND.
AND THIS WAS PROBABLY OUR BIGGEST SUCCESS THAT WE'VE HAD.
AND WHAT IS MOST DEAR TO MY HEART, WE ACQUIRED A 68 ACRE PARCEL OF OPEN SPACE.
AND, UH, IT'S, WE CALLED IT THE MILL CREEK PRESERVE.
SO WE DID THAT THROUGH OUR EAC.
YOU DID THAT THROUGH YOUR EAC? YES.
SO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, YOU GET SOMEBODY WHO WROTE YOUR GRANTS, YOU DID THAT AS AN ADVISORY POSITION TO YOUR SUPERVISORS.
YOU, IT WAS THE ADVISORY COMMITTEES WHO CAME UP WITH THE IDEA, WHO DID THE WORK, WHO PICKED THE PARCEL, RECOMMENDED IT TO THE SUPERVISORS, WHO THEN, YOU KNOW, WE SAID WE WANT TO GO FOR A GRANT.
SO BECAUSE WE GOT THIS REFERENDUM AND WE HAD THIS $3 MILLION, THE THING WE NEEDED TO DO THEN WAS TO HIRE A LAND CONSERVATION, LIKE A NATURAL LANDS OR A HERITAGE CONSERVANCY, SOMEONE WHO COULD HELP US, YOU KNOW, DO IT RIGHT.
'CAUSE SITTING AROUND OUR TABLE, WE PROBABLY HAD LESS THAN YOU GUYS HAVE.
OH, YOU DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH LESS WE HAVE
WELL, I MEAN, MEAN WE'RE JUST A BUNCH OF PEOPLE.
I MEAN, YOU'RE TALKING, YOU'RE TALKING, UM, YOU MIGHT AS WELL BE TALKING GERMAN TO US RIGHT NOW BECAUSE ALL THIS STUFF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, ALL THESE GRANTS YOU'RE WRITING AND ALL THIS STUFF.
BUT WE HAVE, WE DON'T, AT LEAST I DO.
I DON'T, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR EVERYBODY HERE, BUT I'M NOT SURE WE HAVE THOSE CAPABILITIES SITTING IN THIS ROOM.
AND CERTAINLY GOING ON, I I WOULDN'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO PICK A PARCEL OF LAND.
I MEAN, AND THEN YOU, YOU WENT, YOUR SUPERVISOR SAID, I WANNA BUY THIS.
FIRST OF ALL, WE'RE 95% DEVELOPED.
RIGHT? SO YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE MUCH OF A CHANCE TO PURCHASE OPEN SPACE.
WE HAVE, BUT WE HAVE EXISTING TOWNSHIP OWNED PROPERTIES AND WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT TO DO WITH HOW TO DO IT, HOW TO PROPERLY DO IT.
WHO'S LOOKING AT THAT PARK DEPARTMENT.
I'VE BEEN, I THE TOWNSHIP CURRENTLY HAS OVER 300 ACRES OF PRESERVED OPEN SPACES.
SO WE HAVE ANOTHER PROBABLY 400 ACRES.
THAT'S THE RESTRICTION FROM EVER DEVELOPMENT AGAIN.
SO WE'RE SITTING AROUND 700 ACRES OUT OF 17,000.
THAT'S PERMANENTLY PROTECTED OPEN SPACE.
NOW, WHEN YOU SAY PERMANENTLY PROTECTED, HOW IS IT PERMANENTLY PROTECTED? WELL, THE TOWNSHIP OWNS IT, A PORTION OF IT.
THE HOA OWNS IT AND CONTROLS IT, AND IS DEED RESTRICTED FROM FURTHER DEVELOPMENT.
THE COUNTY, IT'S EITHER A PARK OR, UM, IT'S, IT'S OTHER BASED ALONG THE RIVER.
THAT, TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST, IS NOT DEVELOPABLE ANYWAY.
AND SAME THING WITH THE SAME THING WITH THE, WITH THE, UM, WITH THE STATE PROPERTY, WITH THE COMMONWEALTH PROPERTY.
SO THAT'S ALL ALONG THE RIVER.
THERE'S STILL BASINS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
THOSE JUST AREN'T DEVELOPABLE.
UM, THE TWO COUNTY PARKS THAT WE HAVE, I CAN'T SEE THEM.
I MEAN, WE HAVE A WHOLE BUNCH OF ISSUES WITH THE COUNTY SELLING PROPERTY OUT FROM UNDERS.
THAT'S A WHOLE NOTHER MEETING
THERE IS THE, THE TWO COUNTY PARKS ARE PARKS, ACTIVE PARKS.
SO I CAN'T SEE THEM GOING ANYWHERE THE HOA PROPERTY.
UNLESS SOMETHING CHANGES WITH THE STATE LAW, THERE'S NO WAY THAT CAN EVER BE BUILT UPON BECAUSE IT WAS A TRADE OFF.
THE WAY OUR ZONING ORDINANCE WORKS, IT WAS A TRADE OFF FOR DENSITY.
OBVIOUSLY HERE, OPEN SPACE HERE AS OPPOSED TO BIG LOT.
SO HOW MUCH I, I'M, I'M CURIOUS, HOW MUCH DID YOU PAY FOR THE 68 ACRE PARCEL? SO THE 68 ACRE PARCEL WAS, UH, WE GOT A GRANT FOR 1.1 MILLION MM-HMM.
'CAUSE THAT MAKES IT A NATIONAL PARK.
UH, BACK THEN WHEN WE PURCHASED IT IN 2018, BUCKS COUNTY STILL HAD AN OPEN SPACE FUND.
SO WE GOT CLOSE TO $300,000 TO ADD TO THAT ONE POINT MILLION.
AND THEN THE TOWNSHIP ONLY HAD TO PUT OUT ABOUT $700,000 BECAUSE WE COULD ONLY PAY THE VALUE OF THE LAND.
SO THE, UH, YOU CAN'T THE APPRAISAL VALUE MORE THAN THE APPRAISAL VALUE.
[00:30:01]
YEAH.IT'S, WELL, YOU PAY THE APPRAISAL VALUE.
YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN, I GUESS YOU CAN NEGOTIATE LESS THAN THAT, BUT THAT DOESN'T.
AND THAT RARELY EVER HAPPENS THAT SOMEONE GOES, I'LL TAKE LESS.
SO THIS HAPPENED TO BE LAND ADJACENT TO A QUARRY.
BUT WHAT WE DID TO DETERMINE, BUT IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER AS MUCH TO YOU BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE LAND TO PURCHASE.
BUT JUST AS A THOUGHT, WE DID WHAT'S CALLED A PRIORITY PARCEL EVALUATION.
AND WE WORKED WITH UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND'S ENVIRONMENTAL FINANCE COMMITTEE.
WORKED FOR THE EPA, HE'S OUR CHAIRMAN STILL.
AND WHILE HE WAS WORKING FOR THE EPA, HE HAD CONNECTIONS.
SO THOSE CONNECTIONS GO A LONG WAY.
AND THIS PRIORITY PARCEL, WHICH OUR EAC DID THE EVALUATION ALONG WITH UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND.
SO, YOU KNOW, THESE PROJECTS WITH THESE UNIVERSITIES CAN HELP YOU A LOT.
AND, AND WE'VE REACHED OUT TO THEM.
WE'RE HOPING TO USE THEM AS OUR PARTNER FOR THE, UM, CLIMATE ACTION PLAN.
I KNOW TYPICALLY THEY DO PENN STATE, BUT WE'VE REACHED OUT TO THEM TO, TO HOPEFULLY GET SOMEBODY THERE.
THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAM IS VERY, VERY SMALL.
AND SO THE PERSON WE'VE REACHED OUT AND THEY'RE GROWING IT, SO THEY'RE PULLED IN A THOUSAND DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS JUST IN THEIR OWN PROGRAM.
GETTING THEM TO, YOU KNOW, BRANCH OUT AND USE US AND US USE THEM IS BECOMING A, HAS BECOME A LITTLE BIT OF A CHALLENGE.
SO IF YOU GO THROUGH DP MM-HMM.
FOR THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, THEY WILL PAIR YOU WITH THE STUDENT.
AND THAT WE'VE, WE'VE APPROACHED DEP ABOUT IT AND WE'VE APPROACHED YOUR SCIENCE ABOUT IT AND SAID, HEY, WE ALL WANNA BE IN THE SAME ROOM TOGETHER.
BUT THEN THE TIMING DIDN'T WORK OUT FOR LAST YEAR OR THIS YEAR.
AND WHETHER NEXT YEAR WILL HAPPEN, THIS QUESTION WILL.
SO THAT, THAT'S, I MEAN, WE'VE DONE SOME OF THE LEGWORK ON IT.
IT'S JUST A QUESTION OF GETTING IT TO FALL INTO PLACE.
LAST YEAR THE EAC WAS A LITTLE TOO YOUNG, AND THEN THIS YEAR IT JUST DIDN'T WORK OUT FOR SINUS.
AND THIS, I THINK IT WAS A SEPTEMBER DEADLINE AND WE COULDN'T GET IT TO COORDINATE.
SO, SO I MEAN, YOU KNOW, ALL THIS CLIMATE STUFF THAT'S BIG TIME STUFF THAT'S DIFFICULT.
BUT THE EASY STUFF IS, UH, HOW ABOUT NATURALIZING DETENTION MAKES, DO YOU HAVE TO COMPLY WITH MS FOUR
WELL, WE'RE WORKING ON OUR MS FOUR PLAN.
OBVIOUSLY THE WAY THE STATE'S WORKING RIGHT NOW IS THEY KEEP MOVING THE DEADLINE FARTHER BACK BECAUSE THEY KEEP CHANGING THE RULES.
WELL, AND THEY'RE CHANGING THE RULES AGAIN.
I WAS JUST ON THE, UH, WEBINAR TODAY.
THEY'RE PUTTING TOGETHER A NEW STORM WATER MANAGEMENT MANUAL.
WHICH I THOUGHT WAS GONNA BE IN EFFECT SOON.
AND IT'S PROBABLY NOT TILL THE END OF 24 OR 25.
BY THEN, HOPEFULLY I'LL BE RETIRED.
AND WE TALK ABOUT IT, THE PLANNING COMMISSION, YOU KNOW HOW THEY DO THAT.
AND OUR ENGINEERS IS ON TOP OF IT AND THEY'RE WORKING TOWARDS THINGS.
BUT, AND WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT, UM, BASIN CHANGE AND BASIN RECLAMATION AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
'CAUSE RIGHT NOW WE HAVE JUST A BUNCH OF LARGE GRASS FIELDS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO GET RID OF.
SO THAT'S 68 ACRES WAS JUST A, A STRAIGHT OUT PURCHASE.
THAT WAS A STRAIGHT OUT PURCHASE.
AND THEN WHAT DID YOU DO WITH IT? WELL, RIGHT NOW, RIGHT NOW IT'S REAL HEAVY.
SO WE GOT THE ACREAGE, IT WAS BEING FARMED AND BECAUSE OF THE LAND, WATER AND CONSERVATION FUNDING, FARMING HAD TO CEASE AFTER THREE YEARS.
AND THEN, UH, YOU HAD TO STABILIZE THE FARM FIELDS EITHER BY DOING, UH, MAKING MEADOWS OR REFORESTATION.
SO WE HAD BROUGHT ON NATURAL LANDS AS OUR, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR LAND TRUST.
AND WE WERE WORKING WITH THEM AND WE MADE AN ARRANGEMENT THAT THEY WOULD DO A MASTER PLAN FOR US.
'CAUSE WE HAVE THREE PRESERVES THAT WE CALL THEM PRESERVES.
ONE OF 'EM, UH, WAS A BUNCH OF PIECES OF PROPERTY FIRST THROUGH A CLUSTER DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE MAYBE 25 YEARS AGO, WHERE WE GOT A NICE CHUNK OF LAND.
AND THEN THROUGH BUCKS COUNTY OPEN SPACE, WE GOT SOME OTHER PARCELS.
SO FIVE PARCELS TOGETHER, TOTAL 90 ACRES.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE CALL THE WISER PRESERVE.
THAT'S WHERE WE TOOK THE TRAIL OFF OF THE 2 0 2,
[00:35:01]
UH, PARKWAY INTO THE WISER PRESERVE.AND THIS IS SOMETHING YOU CAN THINK ABOUT FOR YOUR OPEN SPACES FOR YOUR PASSIVE.
THEY STILL ARE FARM FIELDS AND WE LIKE TO KEEP THEM FARM FIELDS 'CAUSE IT'S NICE TO, TO HAVE THAT IN THE TOWNSHIP.
AND ALSO IT CUTS DOWN ON MAINTENANCE COSTS.
WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT.
THE FARMER FARM FIELDS, WE LEASE IT TO FARM.
YOU HAVE A LEASE JUST FOR SOMEBODY TO FARM.
SO, BUT MILL CREEK ABLY HAD TO TAKE OUT A FARMING AFTER THREE YEARS, WHICH WE DID LAST YEAR BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE GRANTS YOU GOT BECAUSE OF THE GRANT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WHICH MAKES IT A NATIONAL PARK.
SO THIS MASTER PLAN PUT TOGETHER, WE HAD THEM DO A MASTER PLAN FOR ALL THREE OF OUR PARCELS.
WE HAVE ANOTHER BIG PARCEL THAT WE JUST GOT THROUGH SOMETHING CALLED A RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE, WHICH WAS SOMETHING THAT OUR TOWNSHIP WROTE.
OUR PLANNING COMMISSION WROTE IN IT WHAT IT WAS, IF YOU HAVE A PIECE OF LAND 25 ACRES OR GREATER THAT YOU WANT TO DEVELOP INTO HOUSING, YOU HAVE TO, AND THIS IS SOMETHING EAC AND OPEN SPACE PUSH THROUGH.
YOU HAVE TO PRESERVE AT LEAST 60% OF IT AS OPEN SPACE TURNED BACK TO THE TOWNSHIP.
SO IT'S KIND OF A CLUSTER DEVELOPMENT.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE EVER HAD IN THE TOWNSHIP BEFORE.
USUALLY WE HAD A THREE AC ZONING OR YOU KNOW, WHATEVER KIND OF ACREAGE ZONING FOR HOUSING.
BUT THIS DID THIS CLUSTER DEVELOPMENT.
SO AS PART OF THAT, WE HAVE THREE PROPERTIES THAT WE JUST GOT THAT WE PUT CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ON THROUGH HERITAGE CONSERVANCY.
AND, AND 60% OF IT IS PRESERVED OPEN SPACE.
THAT WAS A VERY INTERESTING, I MEAN, SO, SO THERE'S, WE'RE TALKING 20 YEARS WORTH OF WORK HERE,
SO THERE WERE GUIDELINES TO THE DENSITY THAT THEY YES.
THEY STILL HAD TO GIVE 60% OR 60% HAD TO HAVE THE EASEMENT OF THE ACREAGE.
SO ACTUALLY I HAVE SOMETHING, I CAN'T GET THIS ONE TOO.
AS PART OF THIS, HAVING THIS OPEN SPACE IN A DEVELOPMENT, WHICH WE HAVE IN THREE DEVELOPMENTS NOW.
UH, WE HAD A PROBLEM WITH THAT MILL CREEK PRESERVE.
IT WAS 68 ACRES I WAS TELLING YOU ABOUT THAT WE GOT THROUGH.
THERE'S HOMEOWNERS THAT BORDER BORDER AND UNFORTUNATELY IT'S MY NEIGHBORHOOD
OH, I THINK THEY'RE ALL MADING YOU THEN.
RIGHT? I THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL THING HERE.
I THOUGHT MY NEIGHBORS WOULD LIKE KISS ME AND HUG ME.
THERE COULD HAVE BEEN AN AMAZON WAREHOUSE ON ALL THREE OF THESE.
THERE'S ACTUALLY FOUR MEADOWS BACK THERE.
EASY ACCESS OFF OF LOWER STATE ROAD.
THAT ONE REMIND YOU OF ANYTHING.
I THOUGHT ABOUT IT IMMEDIATELY.
NOW WE HAVE THIS PARKLAND FOR THESE NEIGHBORS FOR SURE.
THIS PRESERVE MILL CREEK PRESERVE.
UH, AND WE DID THIS MASTER PLAN.
BUT YOUR NEIGHBORS WEREN'T HAPPY ABOUT THAT? NO, BECAUSE IN THE MASTER PLAN IT HAS A MODE TRAIL THAT WOULD GO 400 FEET FROM THEIR HOUSE AS PART OF THE MASTER PLAN.
BUT AS WE KNOW, A MASTER PLAN, IT'S JUST THE GUIDELINE.
IT'S NOT A DOCUMENT THAT ANYONE IS.
SO A MODE M-O-W-E-D-F-O-W-E-D.
YOU DON'T LIKE WORD MOUTH? WE'LL MOW IT SOMEWHERE ELSE.
SO THEY'D RATHER ATTRACT THE TRAILER 400 FEET FROM THEIR HOUSE.
PROBABLY 25 PEOPLE USE A MONK.
THIS, NOBODY REALLY EVEN KNOWS ABOUT IT.
IT HAS THE LITTLE
IT'S, UH, WOODLAND, A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, MATURE WOODED AREA.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GONNA BE MEADOWS.
AND, UH, SO WE'RE KIND OF NOT MOVING FORWARD AS FAST AS WE WANT.
SO THE SAME PEOPLE WHO WERE AGAINST THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN ARE AGAINST THIS.
AND, UH, WE WENT THROUGH AN AD HOC COMMITTEE.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND NEVER DOING AD HOC COMMITTEES 'CAUSE IT SLOWED US DOWN.
BUT, BUT ANYWAY, IT'S, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PLACE.
SO WHAT DO WE WANT TO DO NOW? WE WANT TO CONVERT 24 ACRES OF IT TO MEADOWS.
SO MEADOW DEVELOPMENT IS ANOTHER BIG THING WITH OUR EAC.
[00:40:01]
AND, UH, PUT IN A GRANT THROUGH DCNR, GOT THE GRANT AND WE'RE GONNA BE TURNING THOSE 24 ACRES INTO.NOW WHO DOES THAT? DO YOU HIRE A COMPANY THAT COMES IN AND DOES THAT? OR TO DO THE MEADOWS? YES, WE WILL PUT THE PROJECT OUT TO BID.
SO, UH, THE GRANT WAS FOR $285,000, WE FIGURE 24 ACRES, $10,000 AN ACRE TO BRING SOMEONE IN BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO PUT IT OUT TO BIDS.
BUT I BRING PEOPLE IN THAT ARE EXPERTS AND SCHMOOZE 'EM AND SAY, GIMME AN IDEA OF WHAT YOU THINK, HOW THIS SHOULD BE DONE, AND HOW DO YOU SEE THE SEED MIX BEING MOST SUCCESSFUL? THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND IF YOU TALK TO PEOPLE, YOU REALLY ARE ABLE TO GET A LOT OF INPUT THAT HELPS YOU FOLLOW WITH YOUR PROJECTS.
I MEAN, HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN DOING THIS? WELL, I'VE BEEN ON THE EAC FOR 20 YEARS.
SO YOU HAVE A LOT OF, UH, PEOPLE THAT YOU'VE WORKED WITH IN THOSE 20 YEARS.
I MEAN, TIM WILL, IF HE'S STILL THE SAME WAY, HE WILL SUPPORT YEAH.
I MEAN, THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT ACTUALLY HAS A NO-TILL DRILL.
THAT THEY'LL GIVE US TO USE ANYBODY.
GIVE A WHAT? NO, IT'S, IT IS A NO-TILL DRILL TO OH NO-TILL TO PLANT MEADOWS.
THIS IS FUNNY THAT YOU SAY THIS BECAUSE THERE'S A, A GENTLEMAN NAMED JOSH, NOT JOSH, UH, JOHN, WHO WORKS FOR GRAMMY PARK, A PARK THAT'S ON THE BORDER OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY AND WARRINGTON BUCKS COUNTY.
AND HE JUST SENT ME, I JUST MET HIM OUT AT MILL CREEK YESTERDAY.
HE'S THE CARETAKER FOR GROUNDING PARK.
AND HE HAS 10 ACRES THAT HE WANTS TO CONVERT TO MEADOWS.
SO WE MET YESTERDAY AND HE SAID, I CAN GET YOU THIS NO-TILL
AND I NEVER HEARD OF, WE CAN'T GET THAT IN BUCKS COUNTY.
OUR BUCKS COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT DOES NOT HAVE ONE OF THESE.
WHO, WHO OWNS THIS BILL? IS IT THE COUNTY? THE, THE CONSERVATION DISTRICT CONSERVATION.
AND THEY HAD THAT, THAT, UH, PRESENTATION UP HERE IN WORCESTER.
AND I WENT TO IT AND WELL, THAT'S WHERE I GOT THAT.
AND YOU KNOW, THEY HAD THE MIX OF THE DEMONSTRATION PLOT THAT THEY DID OF, YOU KNOW, FROM T SEEDS.
THAT'S WHAT I'M USING IS T SEEDS.
UM, SO FOR YOU GUYS, IF YOU HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH YOUR MS FOUR PROGRAM AND YOU WANT TO GET INTO NATURALIZING BASINS, THAT WAS REALLY THE FIRST THINGS WE DID WHEN WE STARTED AS EAC, IS WE STARTED NATURALIZING THESE BASINS.
SO LET'S SAY YOU HAVE A BASIN SOMEWHERE THAT'S ALL GRASS AND POSSIBLY IT HAS CONCRETE FLOW CHANNELS.
IT'S NOT INFILTRATING INTO THE GROUND.
THAT USED TO BE THE WAY THAT ALL THE BASINS WERE DEVELOPED.
NOW, I THINK WITH NEW DEVELOPMENT, THE DEVELOPERS HAVE TO NATURALIZE BASINS GOING FORWARD.
AT LEAST THAT'S HOW, THAT'S WHERE WE ARE USED FILTERING PLANTS.
SO, SO IT'S A RAIN GARDEN ESSENTIALLY.
IT'S DIFFERENT THAN A RAIN GARDEN.
WE'VE ALSO DONE RAIN GARDENS, WHICH ARE VERY INTERESTING.
THESE ARE SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO LET A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF THE WATER, UH, PERFORATED PER BUT THEN 48 HOURS WITHIN.
AND WHAT'S THE MAINTENANCE OF SOMETHING LIKE THAT? WELL, OUR EAC DOES THE MAINTENANCE.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S AS, IT'S EVEN LESS THAN AN EXISTING BASIN BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE TO MOW IT.
WELL, I UNDERSTAND YOU DON'T HAVE TO MOW, BUT DOES, DOES THE, SOME OF THESE PLANTS GROW, THEY'RE MAYBE A LITTLE WILDER THAN YOU WANT THEM TO.
WELL, SO YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT A GOOD GROUP HERE.
THE, THE ISSUE IS THE ISSUE, AND I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE GOING WITH THIS.
THE ISSUE ISN'T THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA GET VOLUNTEERS.
[00:45:01]
WE, WE HAVE A GREAT PARKS BOARD THAT, THAT CAN GENERATE THINGS LIKE THAT.UM, THE ISSUE IS THAT MOST OF THESE BASINS ARE ON PRIVATE PROPERTY.
THEY'RE HOA THEY'RE, THEY'RE HOA BASINS.
THE TOWNSHIP TAKES VERY FEW BASINS.
AND, AND WE'RE WORKING ON THOSE.
AND THAT'S WHAT I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE GONNA FOCUS ON FOR NEXT YEAR IS HOW DO WE GET THESE BASINS NATURALIZED, AND WHERE DO WE GO WITH 'EM? AND WHO'S GONNA MAINTAIN THEM? AND HOW OFTEN? RIGHT.
WELL, WELL, THAT'S MY QUESTION.
HOW DO THEY GET MAINTAIN? WHO DOESN'T? I MEAN, THE HOAS ARE MAINTAINING THEM NOW BY JUST, BY CUTTING, CUTTING RATS.
THAT'S THE PROBLEM IS, IS THEY CUT THE GRASS, BUT THEY ALSO DON'T TAKE THE SILT OUT THAT RUNS IN THEM.
AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT MAIN, THEY'RE NOT FUNCTIONING WELL, NOT LANDSCAPE.
WE DID BASINS PRETTY MUCH WHAT WE DID.
YOU PLANTED IT UP AND LIKE YOU SAID, IT DOES GROW UP A LITTLE BIT.
YOU JUST MOW AROUND THE EDGE EDGES.
IT KEEPS EVERYTHING KNOCKED DOWN NOW.
AND I DID SEE, I THINK IT WAS LONG, 3 0 9, A COUPLE YEARS AGO, SOME TOWNSHIPS, 'CAUSE THEY HAD A FENCE IN THEIR BASINS.
WERE LETTING GOATS GO TO DO OH YEAH.
THE MAINTENANCE AROUND THE EDGES.
SO IT'S, I KNOW WHEN I WAS LANDSCAPING IT WAS MINIMAL.
YOU JUST DID THE EDGES AND THAT JUST KEPT EVERYTHING KNOCKED DOWN.
NOW WHAT WE DO, WE APPLY GRANT FUNDING THROUGH THE PHS, THE PENNSYLVANIA HORTICULTURE SOCIETY.
UM, ACTUALLY I'M GONNA HAND YOU A GRANT TOMORROW.
UM, THEY GIVE YOU FUNDING THIS YEAR.
IT'S UP TO $6,000 FOR A BASIN PER MASON.
BUT PER BASIN YOU CAN APPLY FOR 6,000.
NOW ARE THESE OWN BASINS OR ANYBODY? OURS ARE TOWNSHIP OWNED BASINS.
SO YOU MAY NOT, BUT IF YOU DECIDE THAT THERE ARE A FEW THAT YOU CAN DO, THIS IS A GREAT PROGRAM.
AND, UH, WE, YOU KNOW, YOU PUT TOGETHER THE GRANT APPLICATION, HOPEFULLY YOU GET IT.
AND THEN WHAT YOU DO IS YOU PLANT ABOUT A HUNDRED TREES.
YOU PLANT 80% TREES, 20% SHRUBS THROUGH THE PROGRAM.
YOU HAVE TO PLANT 80% TREES AND YOU GET UP TO $25 A TREE.
AND THEN YOU JUST GET YOUR GROUP OUT THERE.
AND IN A DAY WE GET THE ENTIRE BASIN PLANTED.
YOU JUST DIG THE HOLES, MAYBE YOU GET A AUGER SURE.
UH, WE HAVE A COMPANY CALLED EARTHBORN THAT'S OUT IN WARRINGTON.
SO THEY HAVE EQUIPMENT, THEY VOLUNTEER A DAY AND THEY DO IT FOR FREE.
AND THEN WE USE THAT AS A MATCH.
YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU PROTECT EVERYTHING FROM THE DEER GRASS.
SO WE PUT TREE GUARDS OR CAGES AROUND EVERYTHING.
MAYBE TWICE IN THE YEAR WE GO OUT AND WE GET KIDS AND WE WEEDED AROUND THE BASES OF THE TREES.
AND THEN OUR PUBLIC WORKS FOR MAYBE THE FIRST THREE YEARS, MOW CAREFULLY BECAUSE THEY KILL A LOT OF STUFF,
BUT THEN AFTER THE THIRD YEAR, AFTER EVERYTHING KIND OF, YOU KNOW, ESTABLISHES, YOU DON'T MOW IT ANYMORE, EXCEPT ALONG THE SIDES.
NOW, IF YOU HAVE A CONCRETE FLOW CHANNEL, YOU MAY HAVE TO REMOVE, LIKE FOR THE ONE WE'RE DOING FOR THIS ROUND, WE'RE GONNA HAVE OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT REMOVE PIECES OF THE CONCRETE FLOW CHANNEL.
SO REALLY WHAT THEY WANT YOU TO DO THROUGH MS FOUR IS GET RID OF YOUR ENTIRE CONCRETE WORK CHANNEL.
AND THAT JUST CAN'T BE DONE FOR EVERY BASIN YEAH.
SO WE FOUND THAT THEY ALLOW OUR CONSERVATION DISTRICT, NOW YOU'RE, BUT THEY ALLOW US JUST TO REMOVE PIECES OF OUR CONCRETE FLOW CHANNEL AND MAYBE PUT FILTER FABRIC AND ROCK SO THAT AS IT FLOWS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT'LL FLOW OUTTA YOUR HEAD WALL PARTIALLY, THEN IT'LL INFILTRATE WHERE YOUR ROCK AND YOUR FILTER IS.
IT GOES A LITTLE MORE DOWN THE, THE CHANNEL AGAIN, YOU HAVE ANOTHER PIECE WHERE IT'S INFILTRATED, BUT WHAT IT'S DOING IS IT'S, IT'S INFILTRATING INSTEAD OF JUST RUNNING OUT.
OTHER THAN THE BASINS, HAS YOUR TOWNSHIP DONE ANY WETLANDS REVITALIZATION? WE ARE DOING A FABULOUS PROJECT RIGHT NOW.
SO THIS IS MY FAVORITE PROJECT, UM, BECAUSE I WAS A WETLANDS BIOLOGIST IN THE PAST LIFE.
AND, UM, WE HAVE A POND IN THE PARK THAT WAS A MANMADE POND THAT WAS NITRO PIPE.
IT JUST, WATER WAS NOT FLOWING IN.
SO WE HIRED A COMPANY CALLED PRINCETON HYDRO.
[00:50:01]
FOR GRANT FUNDINGAND OTHERWISE YOU'RE NOT GONNA, YOU KNOW, YOU GET, YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY FOR IT.
WELL, YOU PAY 50% STILL, BUT YOU GET YOUR, YOU DON'T HAVE PRICE.
YOU WANT TO GO TO MACY'S, YOU WANT TO DO IT DURING A HALF PRICE SALE.
SO EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING IS DONE THAT WAY.
WE'RE TAKING THE POND, THE BIG PIECE OF OPEN WATER RIGHT NOW.
THEY USED FILTRATION BAGS AND I CAN SEND THE PRESENTATION.
I JUST LET THEM DO A PRESENTATION FOR US.
THEY, THEY, UH, PUT CONCRETE BLOCKS AROUND THE STREAM AND THEY PUT PIPING IN SO THAT THE WATER FROM THE STREAM, WHICH WASN'T VERY MUCH EXCEPT DURING RAIN EVENTS WENT OUT AND EVERYTHING WENT INTO THESE FILTRATION BAGS.
UH, THE POND WAS FULL OF INVASIVE SPECIES.
SO WHEN IT WENT INTO THESE FILTRATION BAGS, THE FILTRATION, THEN THE WATER JUST SEEPED THROUGH INTO THE GROUND.
AND THEN THEY JUST ROLLED UP THESE BAGS AND THEY DISPOSED IT.
THEN THEY WENT INTO THE POND AND THEY REGRADED USING THE SEDIMENT THAT WAS ALREADY IN THERE.
AND RIGHT NOW THEY'RE IN THE PROCESS.
WE PUT IN A EMERGENCY SPILLWAY 'CAUSE THERE WAS NO EMERGENCY SPILLWAY.
AND NOW THEY'RE PUTTING LOGS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE POND FOR HABITAT.
AND TODAY WE STARTED A BOARDWALK.
SO WE'RE PUTTING A LITTLE BOARDWALK, THE WHOLE PROJECT.
IS THIS CONTRACTED WITH SOMEBODY OR? YES.
UH, AND WHAT IS THIS? IS THIS IS THIS TOWNSHIP OWNED LAND? IT IS, AND IT'S OUR LIONS PRIDE PARK.
IT'S AN ACTIVE PARK THAT WAS DONE WITH A NATURE IDEA IN MIND.
A FEW OF US SAID WE WANT SOMETHING LIKE, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY'S EVER BEEN TO BRIAR BUSH NATURE CENTER.
IT'S WHERE ALL THE KIDS COME AND THEY PLAY ON LOGS AND THEY, YOU KNOW, JUMP OVER STRINGS.
THE REASON I BRING IT UP IS BECAUSE
MY NEIGHBOR IS SEI, IT'S A COMPANY THAT'S, UM, ON A LARGE CORPORATE CAMPUS AND THEY PUT UP QUITE A FEW BUILDINGS.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THEY HAVE DONE, AND THEY'VE DONE IT REALLY WELL, EVERYBODY SHOULD GO LOOK AT IT.
THEY, UH, DID A WETLAND REVITALIZATION PROJECT, OR THE NORTH CAMPUS.
IT'S A SOUTH CAMPUS, SOUTH SIDE OF THEIR BUILDING, SOUTH GOING TOWARDS EGYPT ROAD.
AND THEY, I MEAN, IT'S JUST UNBELIEVABLE.
IT'S ALL NATURALIZED WITH ALL OBVIOUSLY PLANTS THAT, THAT ARE, THAT ARE DOMESTIC.
AND I'VE WATCHED IT, IS IT THREE YEARS NOW? IT'S BEEN OPERATING? OH, I THINK LONGER THAN THAT.
BUT, BUT IT'S, IT'S NOW AT THAT POINT WHERE THINGS ARE JUST HAPPENING.
IT'S, AND I GET TO WALK BACK THERE BECAUSE IT'S NEXT TO MY HOUSE.
IT JUST MAKES ME THINK ABOUT, THERE'S OTHER AREAS IN OUR TOWN BOARD THAT, THAT COULD POSSIBLY HAPPEN.
SO, UH, THAT'S A GREAT THING TO DO.
IT'S EXPENSIVE, BUT IF YOU HAVE TO MITIGATE THE
SO ONE START, AND WE DID THIS.
WHERE DID, WHERE DID YOUR FUNDING COME FOR THAT? A GRANT? YEAH.
THROUGH GCMR. THEY'RE, THEY'RE GREAT.
SO THE TOP THE TOWN, UH, MUNICIPALITY TOWNSHIP DIDN'T HAVE TO PUT ANY MONEY INTO IT.
IT'S ALWAYS 50% OF HOW MUCH IS THAT? 50%.
UH, THIS PROJECT COMPLETE IS ABOUT 700,000 BUCKS.
AND IT'S GOT A BOARDWALK AND WE PUT A TRAIL IN.
OH, WE GOT A LOT FOR OUR MONEY THERE.
NOW ONE THING THAT I DID THAT I THOUGHT WAS A FANTASTIC COURSE,
IT'S OUR OPEN SPACE AND LAND PRESERVATION MEETING.
YOUR OPEN SPACE IS A DIFFERENT COMMITTEE.
WE, BUT A DIFFERENT COMMITTEE BECAUSE WE GOT THE OPEN SPACE REFERENDUM.
I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO COMBINE OUR COMMITTEES NOW.
AND THAT'S OKAY AT THIS POINT.
BUT I STARTED A, UH, LECTURE SERIES, WHICH WAS VERY COOL.
AND YOU CAN, I DON'T KNOW WHO GIVE ME EVERYTHING AND I'M GONNA MAKE COPIES FOR, I'M JUST KIDDING.
SO THE LECTURE SERIES, I JUST CONTACTED A LOT OF PEOPLE AND ASKED IF THEY
SO I HAD AUTO BOND SOCIETY COME IN.
UH, I HAD, UM, PENN STATE EXTENSION COME IN.
DID THE, WOULD THE PUBLIC SHOW UP FOR THESE? WE DID
[00:55:01]
'EM ZOOM AND IN PERSON.DID THEY, DID THE PUBLIC PARTICIPATE? YES.
OKAY, SO YOU ADVERTISED IT AND PEOPLE KNEW ABOUT IT.
ADVERTISED 'EM ON THE TOWNSHIP WEBSITE.
WE HAVE AN ELINK, UH, IT'S CALLED ELINK, WHICH I BROUGHT YOU A COUPLE OF THEM.
UH, YOU, YOU, YOU, UH, UM, I THINK YOU HEARD JEFF SAY THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR OPEN SPACE IS BECOMING RADICALLY NON, NON-EXISTENT THAT QUICKLY AT THIS TIME.
THE OPPORTUNITY FOR NEW OPEN SPACE.
UM, WHAT, WHAT, HOW MUCH OPEN SPACE DO YOU STILL HAVE IN JULY? WE HAVE A THOUSAND ACRES TOTAL OF OPEN SPACE.
MOST OF WHICH, WELL, WE HAVE 1400 ACRES, BUT 400, ALMOST 400 OF IT'S COUNTY OWNED.
BUT, UM, WE JUST GOT DONE PUTTING A COVENANT OVER OPEN SPACE.
SO THAT WAS SOMETHING THE OPEN SPACE COMMITTEE DID WHERE, UH, WE KNEW WE NEEDED SOME PROTECTIONS.
BECAUSE LET'S SAY YOU HAVE OPEN SPACE THAT YOUR TOWNSHIP AND YOU WANT TO PUT A SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT AND YOU SAY, WELL, WE'VE GOT THIS PIECE OF OPEN SPACE.
LET'S TURN OUR OPEN SPACE INTO A SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT.
AND THAT HAPPENED IN MORNINGTON, IT ALSO HAPPENED WITH OUR MUNICIPAL BUILDING AND OUR FIRE STATION.
AND SO WE SAID THIS, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T HAVE ALL OF OUR OPEN SPACE BEING EATEN UP IN THIS WAY.
WE WANT TO PICK AND CHOOSE WHICH PIECES WERE WILLING TO HAVE DEVELOPED LIKE THAT.
AND THE OTHER ONES WE'RE GONNA PUT A DECLARATION OF A COVENANT OVER WHICH WE JUST FINISHED DOING.
AND UNDER AN EASEMENT WAS A LEVEL ONE CALLED BY HERITAGE CONSERVANCY.
A LEVEL TWO WAS, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE ALLOWED TO DO THINGS ON TRAILS.
PASSIVE RECREATION, THE ACTIVE PARKS.
WE LEFT WITHOUT A COVENANT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY MIGHT WANT TO BUILD BALL FIELD OR A
WE HAVE A ZONING DISTRICT THAT LIMITS WHAT YOU CAN DO.
SO ANY OPEN SPACE TOWNSHIP, COUNTY, OR STATE OWNED IS UNDER OPEN SPACE CONSERVATION DISTRICT ZONING.
IT LIMITS WHAT YOU CAN DO, UM, IN A PERCENTAGE.
THE BIGGEST ISSUE WE HAVE, AND THIS GOES BACK TO THE PARKHOUSE DISCUSSION, IS ONE OF THEM HAS AN OVERLAY WHICH LAWS FOR INSTITUTIONAL, WHICH BASICALLY TAKES THE OPEN SPACE CONSERVATION OUT OF THE PICTURE AT THIS POINT.
SO, UM, WE, WE NEED TO WRAP UP AND OKAY.
SO WRAPPING UP, I'LL JUST GIVE YOU THIS STUFF.
JUST ONE QUICK, ALL THE VOLUNTEERS.
HOW DO YOU, WHAT'S THE CAMPAIGN TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN? WELL, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE YOUR VOLUNTEERS RIGHT NOW.
WE DECIDED WE DIDN'T WANT PAPER ANYMORE.
SO WE MADE THIS LIST OF QR CODES FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION.
BUT AS FAR AS, UH, YOU KNOW, CONTACTING THE SCOUTS OR, OR GETTING THE CITIZENS OUT PLANET TREES.
I MEAN, IS THAT SOMETHING YOU DO? YEAH.
YOU JUST, I CONTACTED THE HIGH SCHOOL, THE LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL AND THAT'S AND SCOUT GROUPS.
BUT YOU ARE SORT OF THE POINT PERSON.
WE, THAT'S A LOT OF WORK DO WITH VOLUNTEERS.
AND AGAIN, WE ONLY HAVE ABOUT FOUR MINUTES AWAY.
HAVE TO START MEETING IT'S SITE POINT.
WE BUILT A POLL, WE BUILT THE BEE HOUSE.
INSIDE THESE, YOU'LL SEE WE WRITE ARTICLES ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.
YOU KNOW, LEAVE THE LEADS, BUILD POLLINATOR.
THERE'S A THING IF YOU WANT TO DO POLLINATOR, I'M GONNA GET THIS ALL SCANNED IN AND, AND DISTRIBUTED TO EVERYBODY.
SHOULD WE COME AND HIKE IN WARRENTON? I'M SORRY, WHAT TRAIL SHOULD WE COME AND HIKE IN WARRENTON? WELL, WELL, PARKLAND STUMP ROAD.
YOU'VE, YOU KNOW WHAT, YOU'VE GOT MY CONTACT INFORMATION.
YOU CAN FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME ANYTIME IF YOU WANT.
WANT TO GO THROUGH AND I CAN TAKE YOU PLACES.
WE HAVE THE KIDS BUILD OUR, YOU KNOW, BURN HOUSES.
THE OTHER STUFF WE HAVE TO GET TO, WELL, I'M GONNA HAVE JOE GO THROUGH YES.
THIS AND MARK UP AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO.
AND THEN, SO BY JANUARY, I THINK THAT'S A, THAT'S A GOOD START.
HAVE THEM TELL US WHAT, IF IT MAKES SENSE OR NOT.
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THAT.AND THEN WHAT I WANT EVERYBODY TO PUT ON THEIR RADAR FOR, WELL, WE'RE MEETING IN JANUARY.
THAT WOULD BE JANUARY, MARCH, APRIL, MAY, WOULD BE OUR THIRD MEETING OF THE MONTH.
I WANTED, WE, FOR ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT WAS AN HOA MEETING AND HAVING AN HOA MEETING WHERE WE HAVE THE HOAS OUT TO TALK AND TO TALK ABOUT NATURALIZED BASINS.
TALK ABOUT A LOT OF THESE THINGS THAT THEY CAN DO.
I THINK WE'RE IN A LITTLE BETTER POSITION TO WHERE IF WE CAN PLAN THAT FOR MAY AND, AND LET'S ALL VOTE ON IT IN JANUARY TO, TO AIM FOR DOING THAT IN MAY.
TO SORT OF KICK OFF THE SUMMER WITH, HERE'S WHERE YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN GET RAIN BARREL INFORMATION.
HERE'S WHERE YOU CAN GET THIS INFORMATION.
THAT INFORMATION WE'RE DOMINATED BY HOAS IN THE TOWNSHIP, WHICH ISN'T A BAD THING.
PUT THE COMMUNICATION LEVEL AND FINDING OUT WHO'S ON THE HOA IS ALWAYS A LITTLE BIT OF A CHALLENGE.
BUT IF YOU GIVE US A COUPLE MONTHS, I THINK WE CAN, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD STEP FORWARD FOR NEXT SPRING.
IF YOU'RE ALL COMFORTABLE WITH THAT, WE'LL GET THOSE WHEELS IN MOTION.
THAT AND THIS ORDINANCE, WE WANNA LOOK AT THE GRASS ORDINANCE, THE GRASS CUTTING ORDINANCE THAT CAME UP WITH THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
I KNOW THAT THAT'S ANOTHER ISSUE.
CAN YOU, YOU SAW THAT ONE I SEE.
CAN YOU BRING ALL OF THAT INFORMATION TO THE JANUARY MEETING? SURE.
AND BE PREPARED TO TALK ABOUT IT.
SO YOU HAVE TO
WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE A SEVEN O'CLOCK, AND KEN, WE'LL ROPE YOU IN.
GO INTO OUR, ONCE YOU'RE OFFICIALLY, IT'S ALL RIGHT.
ONCE YOU'RE OFFICIALLY APPOINTED, WE'LL GET YOU DOING SOMETHING.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING UP.
GO TO OUR WEBSITE, YOU'LL SEE THAT HAS ADVISORIES AND WE HAVE LINKS TO ALL OF THIS STUFF.