[00:00:05]
[CALL TO ORDER]
EVERYONE.WELCOME TO THE PROVINCE TOWNSHIP BOARD OF SUPERVISORS REGULAR MEETING, UM, FOR SEPTEMBER 16TH.
LET'S ALL STAND FOR THE P OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC, WHICH ONE NATION UNDER GOD IN LIBERTY, JUSTICE.
[MOTION TO APPROVE BOARD AGENDA]
NEXT, FIRST ON THE AGENDAS AND APPROVE THE BOARD AGENDA.I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
UM, SEPTEMBER 16TH, 2024, OUR BOARD SUPERVISORS MEETING AGENDA.
[SPECIAL PRESENTATION]
WE HAVE TWO SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS TONIGHT.THE FIRST ONES FROM NOAH, ER FROM THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY, BOTH VOLUNTARY ABOUT THE HOPE CARD PROGRAM FOR DEATH ABUSE SURVIVORS.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DO NOT KNOW ME, ALTHOUGH I KNOW A NUMBER OF YOU, UM, AND I AM SO HONORED TO BE HERE THIS EVENING.
UH, I AM THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY ARY.
UH, AND IT, IF WE CAN GO TO THE, THE NEXT SLIDE.
I THINK WE HAVE A, A SLIDESHOW THERE.
THERE'S, THERE'S SOME OF MY STAFF.
UM, MY OFFICE IS, UH, HAS 27 STAFF MEMBERS, UH, FOUR IN WILLOW GROVE OFFICE, 23 IN THE NORRISTOWN OFFICE.
AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT A ARY IS, THAT'S OKAY.
IT'S, UH, WHERE YOU FILE LEGAL PAPERS WITH THE COUNTY.
SO IF YOU'RE GETTING DIVORCED, YOU FILE YOUR DIVORCE DECREE IN, IN OUR OFFICE.
UM, IF A NEIGHBOR'S BEING EVICTED FROM THEIR HOME, THEY COULD APPEAL THEIR EVICTION THROUGH THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY COURT OF COMMON PLEA THROUGH MY OFFICE.
AND IF YOU'RE BEING SUED OR SUING SOMEBODY, UM, ALL OF THAT COMES THROUGH.
ALL THOSE LEGAL PAPERS HAVE TO BE FILED BY THE ARI'S OFFICE.
BUT I WANTED TO SPEAK TO ALL OF YOU TONIGHT ABOUT ONE SPECIFIC KIND OF FILING THAT WE TAKE IN.
IT'S OUR PROTECTION FROM ABUSE DEPARTMENT, PFA PETITIONS.
SO YOU SEE UP ON THE SCREEN NOW THAT WE DO PROCESS THE CIVIL LEGAL VIOLENCE, NOT THE CRIMINAL MATTERS.
UM, AND IN THE ATORY PFA DEPARTMENT PROTECTION FROM ABUSE DEPARTMENT, UH, WE SEE 30 TO 50 PETITIONS FILED WEEKLY.
THAT'S 30 TO 50 PEOPLE IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY THAT ARE SUFFERING FROM DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
AND I WILL SAY THAT THERE IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WHERE WOMEN ABUSE MEN.
THERE IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SAME SEX PARTNER RELATIONSHIPS.
THE VAST MAJORITY OF WHAT WE SEE IS WOMEN BEING ABUSED BY MEN.
UH, WE DO SEE, UH, WOMEN COMING IN WITH FRESH BRUISES ON THEIR FACE, ON THEIR ARMS. THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE SEEKING THE COURT'S PROTECTION.
IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT THAT AS THE FIRST STEP INTO THE COURTHOUSE, WE TREAT THEM WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT.
AND AS YOU SEE UP THERE, WE HAVE THREE TYPES OF PROTECTION FROM ABUSE, UH, ORDERS OR PROTECTIVE ORDERS, PROTECTIVE PROTECTION FROM ABUSE, WHICH IS YOUR TYPICAL PFA.
THESE ARE CALLED RESTRAINING ORDERS.
IN OTHER, UH, STATES, THEY'RE CALLED RESTRAINING ORDERS IN CALIFORNIA.
SO MOST OF THE MOVIES, THEY'RE CALLED RESTRAINING ORDERS, AND THAT'S WHY MOST PEOPLE KNOW 'EM THAT WAY.
BUT IN A NUMBER OF STATES, THEY'RE CALLED PROTECTION FROM ABUSE.
WE HAVE PROTECTION FROM INTIMIDATION, WHICH, UH, CAN COVER MINORS AND PROTECTION FROM SEXUAL VIOLENCE.
SO, UH, I KNOW AGAIN, SOME OF YOU PERSONALLY, AND I, I CAN SAY THAT I'M PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT ALL OF YOU WAKE UP THINKING THAT SAME THING THAT I DO EVERY MORNING.
AS PUBLIC OFFICIALS, HOW DO YOU HELP THOSE WHO HELP NEED HELP THE MOST? RIGHT.
AND I AM TRYING AS PROPRIETARY TO FIGURE OUT WAYS TO MAKE THIS PROCESS JUST A LITTLE BIT EASIER.
IT'S NEVER GONNA BE EASY ON THAT WOMAN WHO COMES IN WITH HER CHILDREN IN TOW TO THE COURTHOUSE.
THEY GO TO COURT ADMINISTRATION, THEY GO TO THE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO ENTER IN THE INFORMATION FROM THE PACKET.
THEY FILL OUT A 15 PAGE PACKET.
THEY THEN GO TO COURT IN FRONT OF A JUDGE.
IT'S INTIMIDATING AND DAUNTING.
THEY COME BACK TO MY OFFICE TO FILE THAT INFORMATION FROM THE TEMPORARY PFA, AND THEN THEY GO TO THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT TO HAVE THAT PFA SERVED TO HAVE A FINAL PFA HEARING WITHIN 10 DAYS.
IT'S NOT EASY, BUT IF WE CAN MAKE IT JUST A LITTLE BIT EASIER AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, THAT'S WHAT I'M HOPING TO DO.
SO, TWO INITIATIVES THAT WE STARTED THIS YEAR.
NUMBER ONE, THE HOPE CARD PROGRAM.
SO A PFA ORDER LOOKS LIKE THIS.
IT'S A NUMBER OF PAGES LONG, RIGHT? AND I CAN TELL YOU, AS A FORMER DISTRICT ATTORNEY HERE IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY, TYPICALLY WHEN SOMEONE IS AN ABUSE SURVIVOR, THEY DON'T CARRY THIS ON THEIR PERSON.
THEY HAD IT IN A LOCKBOX, THEY PUT IT IN THEIR GLOVE COMPARTMENT MAYBE.
AND SO WHAT WE CAME UP WITH WAS HOPE CARDS WE'RE CALLING HO CARDS.
ON ONE SIDE IS THE PERTINENT INFORMATION FROM THE PFA ORDER, NOT ALL THE INFORMATION, WE COULDN'T PUT EVERYTHING BUT HAS THE PLAINTIFF, THE DEFENDANT, AND IT HAS THE PFA NUMBER, WHICH YOUR CHIEF WILL SAY IS
[00:05:01]
PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT THING BECAUSE THAT'S THE NUMBER THAT HIS OFFICERS ARE LOOKING UP, UH, AND FINDING THAT P FFA AND ALL THE INFORMATION ACCESSIBLE TO THEM.SO WE WERE WORKING WITH KEVIN STEELE, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY.
UH, WE DID PRESENT TO THE POLICE CHIEFS, BUT WE JUST WANTED TO COME AROUND TO ALL THE DIFFERENT MUNICIPALITIES AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY WAS ON THE SAME PAGE AS TO WHAT THIS IS.
SO A HOPE CARD SOUNDS LIKE A REALLY POSITIVE THING, AND IT IS, BUT YOU CAN'T JUST GET A HOPE CARD.
UH, YOU HAVE TO GET A PFA ORDER.
AND THEN I WILL SEND THE, THE ORDER TO THAT SURVIVOR, AS WELL AS THE HOPE CARD IN A LETTER EXPLAINING WHAT IT IS.
AND OUR HOPE IS THAT IF THAT SURVIVOR IS WALKING THROUGH UPPER PROVIDENCE, MAYBE, UH, OVER AT THE PANERA WHILE, UH, GRABBING A MOVIE OVER HERE, AND HER, UH, UM, ABUSER IS WALKING BEHIND HER, WITHIN A FEW FEET, SHE SEES AN OFFICER, SHE CAN GO RIGHT UP TO THAT OFFICER AND SAY, OFFICER, I HAVE A HOPE CARD.
AND MAYBE YOU COULD SHORT CIRCUIT THE PROCESS JUST A LITTLE BIT.
HELPS HOPEFULLY YOUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND IT GIVES THAT SURVIVOR A LEVEL OF COMFORT.
ON THE BACK IS RESOURCES, VICTIM SERVICES CENTER OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, UH, THE WOMEN'S CENTER OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, LAUREL HOUSE.
SO AGAIN, HOPEFULLY GIVING THEM A LITTLE BIT MORE COMFORT.
THIS IS A FIRST OF ITS KIND PROGRAM HERE IN PENNSYLVANIA.
NO OTHER COUNTY IS DOING THIS.
IT'S BEING DONE IN WASHINGTON STATE.
IT'S BEING DONE ON NATIVE AMERICAN TERRITORY OUT WEST.
BUT THIS IS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND HERE, AND I'M VERY, VERY PROUD OF THAT.
IF WE CAN GO JUST TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
THE SECOND INITIATIVE THAT WE, UH, HAVE LAUNCHED THIS YEAR, I DESCRIBED A COUPLE MINUTES AGO, THE PROCESS.
YOU HAVE TO GO TO COURT ADMINISTRATION FIRST TO FILL OUT THIS PACKET AND THEN TO MY OFFICE TO PROCESS THAT INFORMATION.
WELL, FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER IN OUR HISTORY HERE IN THE COUNTY, AND WE'RE THE SECOND COUNTY IN PENNSYLVANIA TO DO, TO DO THIS, THE SURVIVOR CAN FILL OUT THAT INITIAL PACKET, WHICH CAN BE REALLY CUMBERSOME AND REALLY LONG AND TAKE A WHILE.
THEY CAN DO IT ELECTRONICALLY AT ANYWHERE WHERE THERE'S AN INTERNET CONNECTION AND IT WILL POPULATE, IT WILL GO TO COURT ADMINISTRATION AND BE WAITING THERE FOR THEM.
WE ARE SEEING THAT THIS IS CUTTING DOWN ON 30 MINUTES, AN HOUR, HOUR AND A HALF, TWO HOURS THAT THESE SURVIVORS HAVE TO BE IN THE COURTHOUSE.
SOME SURVIVORS COME IN AT EIGHT 30 IN THE MORNING AND THEY'RE THERE TILL FOUR 30 IN THE AFTERNOON.
IF YOU CAN SHAVE OFF ANY AMOUNT OF TIME AND LOWER THOSE HURDLES, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
SO WE'RE REALLY, REALLY PROUD OF THE ELECTRONIC PACKET.
WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THE PFA HOPE CARD INITIATIVE.
UM, AND I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
SO ARE THE POLICE TRAINED AND AWARE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY? SO THERE'S A PROGRAM TO MAKE THEM AWARE.
SOMEONE WALKS UP TO THEM AND SHOWS 'EM THIS CARD.
SO WE PRESENT, I PRESENTED TO THE, UH, AND I WAS GRATEFUL TO KEVIN STEELE, THE POLICE CHIEF'S LUNCHEON, UH, ABOUT NINE MONTHS TIME AGO.
I BELIEVE IT WAS RIGHT WHEN IT WAS ABOUT TO LAUNCH.
UM, AND I'M GOING AROUND NOW BECAUSE, UH, I'M NOT THE CHIEF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER OF THE COUNTY.
SO, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT REACHING OUT DIRECTLY TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS.
THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS I'M HERE, UM, TO TALK TO YOU AND, AND HOPEFULLY, UH, MAKE SURE THAT WE GET A SECOND TOUCH WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SO THEY KNOW WHAT THIS IS.
THEY CAN CERTAINLY REACH OUT TO ME.
I'M TOTALLY AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, BUT THIS WAS THE WAY THAT WE THOUGHT WE CAN GO AND GET THAT SECOND TOUCH CHIEF.
IS THIS SOMETHING THAT, THAT, UH, HELPS US OUT? THANKS.
THIS IS A GREAT PROGRAM AND YOU DID A REALLY VERY GOOD JOB, UM, EXPLAINING TO THE CHIEFS AT THE, THE LUNCHEON.
AND TYPICALLY WHEN WE HAVE SPEAKERS AT THE LUNCHEON, IF THERE'S PERTINENT INFORMATION THAT NEEDS TO COME BACK, THEN EACH CHIEF WILL TAKE IT BACK TO THEIR OWN AGENCY AND DISSEMINATE THE INFORMATION.
SO WE'VE BEEN AWARE OF THIS, WE REQUEST SOME TIME, BUT IT'S ALWAYS NICE TO HEAR, YOU KNOW, A REFRESHER HERE.
I THINK
DEFINITELY HAVE A LOOK IT UP,
SO THIS IS ALL IN PLACE RIGHT NOW, THIS PROGRAM? IT IS, IT IS.
EVERY, EVERY TIME WE SEND OUT A-P-F-A-A FINAL PFA WITH EVERY ONE OF THOSE ORDERS, THEY'RE GETTING A HOPE CARD.
UM, AND THE ELECTRONIC PFA, WE'RE SEEING ABOUT 10 TO 15% OF PEOPLE USING IT.
AND THAT WE WANT TO GET THAT NUMBER UP.
BUT TO ME, IF ONE OUT OF 10 WOMEN THAT ARE BEING ABUSED HAVE AN EASIER WAY TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE COURT, THAT'S A HUGE WIN.
SO WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF THAT, BUT WE'RE GONNA GET THOSE NUMBERS UP.
ALRIGHT, THE NEXT PRESENTATION IS BY NATURAL LANDS TRUST REGARDING THE POSSIBLE NOVEMBER, 2025 OPEN SPACE REFERENDUM.
JUST A BACKGROUND, ADAM CHAIR IS, WE ASKED, UH, KATE RAMEN, I THINK.
COULD YOU INTRODUCE YOUR COUNTERPART? UH, YES.
JACK STEPFORD, UH, FROM THE NATURAL
THEY HAVE CONSULTED OTHER TOWNS ON OPEN SPACE
[00:10:01]
REFERENDUM, AND, UM, THOUGHT IT WOULD BE GOOD TO PROVIDE SNAPSHOT OF IF WE WERE INTERESTED DOING THAT, WHAT YOU WOULD, UH, BE GOOD.UM, WE HAVE, UH, A PROPOSAL BEFORE THE TOWNSHIP THAT WE'RE, WOULD LIKE TO GO OVER.
I'M A CONSERVATION PROJECT MANAGER AT NATURAL LANDS.
I'VE WORKED THERE FOR A LITTLE MORE THAN SIX YEARS, AND I'M A LICENSED PLANNER WITH ABOUT 18 YEARS OF MUNICIPAL PLANNING EXPERIENCE.
I'M THE SENIOR DIRECTOR OF LAND PROTECTION FOR NATURAL LANDS.
I'VE BEEN WITH NATURAL LANDS FOR 35 YEARS.
I STARTED AS A PRESERVE MANAGER, UM, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF STEWARDSHIP, AND FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS I'VE BEEN DOING LAND TRANSACTIONS.
SO, UH, IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH NATURAL LANDS, WE ARE A LAND TRUST BASED IN SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA.
UM, WE OWN AND CARE FOR MORE THAN 23,000 ACRES OF LAND, UH, IN 43 PRESERVES.
WE ALSO HOLD MORE THAN 450 CONSERVATION EASEMENTS, AND WE WORK WITH MIN MUNICIPALITIES AND THEN STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TOO, FLIP LAND, WHAT WE CALL PROTECTING LAND.
UM, AND WE ARE UNIQUE IN TERMS OF THE AMOUNT OF LAND WE OWN AND HOLD THAT WE HAVE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
UM, AND WE ALSO HAVE A CONSULTING WING.
SO WE WORK WITH MUNICIPALITIES ON ISSUES LIKE THIS, RAISING FUNDING FOR OPEN SPACE.
WE ALSO DO PARK MASTER PLANNING, CONSERVATION FOCUSED ZONING UPDATES, AND MUNICIPAL REFERENDUM WORK.
AND AS KATE MENTIONED, UM, WE, WE ARE FAIRLY UNIQUE IN THE NUMBER OF ACRES THAT WE OWN AND MANAGE OVER OUR 43 PRESERVES.
OUR, OUR TERRITORY RUNS FROM THE SOUTH JERSEY, THE GLADES WILDLIFE REFUGE, UM, HILDA SEA FARMS IN DELAWARE COUNTY, SHAW, CRAIG AND, AND GWYN ARE IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY, STROUD AND CHESTER COUNTY BEAR CREEK PRESERVE UP IN THE POCONOS, AND CLEARLY A COUPLE DOZEN OTHERS SCATTERED AROUND THERE.
NEXT PLEASE, UM, FOR THE UPPER PROVIDENCE REFERENDUM PROPOSAL.
UM, THE ONE THING THAT YOU SHOULD KNOW IS THAT YOU'RE ACTUALLY ALLOWED TO DO THIS.
AND THERE ARE THREE PIECES OF EN ENABLING LEGISLATION THAT, THAT LETS YOU DO A REFERENDUM.
UH, THE FIRST WAS IN, IN 1968, UM, WHICH IS SOMEWHAT AMAZING THAT THAT WAS THE LEGISLATION THAT SAYS THAT A TOWNSHIP IS ALLOWED TO EVEN JUST OWN LAND.
UM, THE, THE NEXT, UM, LEGISLATION WAS, OH, SORRY, MR. THE NEXT WAS, UH, IN 1996.
AND THAT'S THE IMPORTANT LEGISLATION THAT LETS YOU RAISE TAXES, UH, TO, TO PURCHASE OPEN SPACE INTEREST.
UH, BUT YOU CAN ONLY RAISE YOUR TAXES IF YOU HAVE A, IF YOU'VE PASSED A REFERENDUM.
UM, AND THEN LASTLY, IN, IN 2013, UM, THE TOWNSHIP IS ALLOWED TO USE SOME OF THE REFERENDUM FUNDS, UH, FOR, TO MAINTAIN THE LANDS, UH, THAT YOU, THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO, TO BUY.
UM, SO, SO THERE'S THREE TASKS IN OUR PROPOSAL, UH, TO HELP WITH THE REFERENDUM, UM, BALLOT LANGUAGE CONSERVATION OPPORTUNITIES AND, AND PUBLIC OUTREACH WITH, UM, SOME POST POST REFERENDUM STUFF THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE IN MIND AS YOU'RE GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS.
UH, SO IN WORKING WITH THE TOWNSHIP, NEXT SLIDE, UM, THERE'S SOME, THE, THE ENABLING LEGISLATION HAS SOME VERY SPECIFIC LANGUAGE, UM, FOR, FOR PUTTING ON THE BALLOT.
YOU KNOW, BASICALLY, DO YOU FAVOR THE IMPOSITION OF ATTACKS, UM, BY UPPER PROVIDENCE TOWNSHIP TO BE USED FOR PRESERVATION OF OPEN SPACE.
UM, BUT BEYOND THAT, UH, YOU'RE ALLOWED TO CUSTOMIZE THAT LANGUAGE.
UM, IN NORTH IN, UM, HONEY BROOK TOWNSHIP, CHESTER COUNTY, FOR INSTANCE, THEY'RE AN AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY.
UH, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL FARMLAND, ALMOST THE ENTIRE TOWNSHIP, BEAUTIFUL WIDE OPEN FIELDS.
UH, THEY WERE QUITE CLEAR THAT, THAT THE REFERENDUM WAS GONNA BE SPECIFICALLY FOR PRESERVING FARMLAND, UM, WHICH IS SOMEWHAT BALANCED BY NORTH COVENTRY TOWNSHIP IN CHESTER COUNTY, UM, WHICH HAS ALMOST NO FARMLAND, BUT THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, LARGE TRACKS OF WOODLANDS.
UM, SOME OF THE CLEANEST WATER IN SOUTHEAST OF PENNSYLVANIA COMES FROM THAT TOWNSHIP AND, AND FLOWS DOWN DOWN OUR RIVERS AND STREAMS. AND THEY WERE CLEARED THAT, YOU KNOW, IT WAS WILDLIFE HABITAT, LARGE TRACKS OF WOODLANDS, UH, THAT THEY WANTED TO PRESERVE.
SO FOR THE CONSERVATION OPPORTUNITIES MAP NEXT SLIDE.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT IS OF BENEFIT IS TO, IS TO SHARE WITH RESIDENTS THAT THERE IS INDEED LANDS WORTHY OF CONSERVATION.
UH, SO WE TEND TO PUT A, A MAP TOGETHER THAT SHOWS THE CONSERVED PARCELS, UH, AND, AND THE PARCELS THAT MAY BE AVAILABLE FOR CONSERVATION BEYOND THAT, THOSE ARE USUALLY OVER 10 ACRES, BUT IT CAN VARY DEPENDING ON WHAT OPPORTUNITIES YOU HAVE.
UH, SO THE NEXT STEP IS PUBLIC OUTREACH.
[00:15:01]
UH, WORK WITH THE TOWNSHIP TO HOST A PUBLIC MEETING.AND THE FOCUS OF THAT MEETING IS TO CONVEY THE FACTS ABOUT THE BALLOT QUESTION.
WE WANT TO PREPARE PEOPLE, UM, FOR WHAT THEY CAN EXPECT TO SEE ON, ON THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER AND ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS THAT THEY MAY HAVE.
UM, SOMETIMES WE ALSO BRING IN EXPERTS TO SPEAK TO THE CRITERIA TO THE, TO THE LANGUAGE.
SO, AS JACK WAS SAYING, IN HONEY BROOK, THEY HAD A VERY AG FOCUS IN, IN OTHER, IN OTHER MUNICIPALITIES.
FOR INSTANCE, THIS PUBLIC MEETING IS, UH, THE MUNICIPALITY THAT THEY CALL THE, THE BIRTHPLACE OF FLY FISHING.
SO THEY WERE VERY, VERY CONCERNED ABOUT FLY, FLY FISHING AND WATER QUALITY IN THIS COMMUNITY.
SO TROUT UNLIMITED CAME AND SPOKE TO SOME OF THE LANDS THAT WOULD BE MOST IMPORTANT TO PROTECT, TO MAKE SURE THAT WATER QUALITY AND THAT COLD TEMPERATURE IN THE WATER IS MAINTAINED.
UM, IN SOME PLACES WE HAVE, UM, COUNTY STAFF MEMBERS TALK ABOUT, UH, WHAT, WHAT WE CALL THE RETURN ON ENVIRONMENT STUDIES.
THAT'S USUALLY A STUDY THAT ANALYZES THE FISCAL IMPACT OF OPEN SPACE.
SO, A CRITICAL DATE TO KEEP IN MIND IS WHEN THE ORDINANCE LANGUAGE NEEDS TO BE SENT TO THE COUNTY.
SO IT GOES TO THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS AT LEAST 13 WEEKS BEFORE THE ELECTION.
SO, UH, IN, IN YOUR CASE, THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE THE WEEK OF JULY 20, UH, 25TH, 2025.
WE ALSO RECOMMEND THAT THE ANY TOWNSHIP NEWSLETTERS THAT ARE SENT OUT IN THE FALL HAVE SIMILAR INFORMATION.
UM, BEFORE THE PUBLIC MEETING, WE GENERALLY PREPARE A FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS LIST, AND THEN THAT SAME INFORMATION BE SENT OUT ONE MORE TIME TO PREPARE VOTERS FOR, FOR WHAT THEY'RE GONNA SEE ON THE BALLOT AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE AWARE.
UM, SO THE NEXT, UH, SLIDE IS ABOUT POST-ELECTION TASKS.
SO WE CAN DO AS MUCH OR AS LITTLE OF THE FOLLOWING TASKS AS YOU'D LIKE.
SOME MUNICIPALITIES RELI VERY HEAVILY ON US FOR THESE NEXT STEPS.
OTHER MUNICIPALITIES SAY WE'VE, WE'VE GOT IT, AND EITHER WAY IS FINE WITH US.
UM, SO OUR PROPOSAL JUST INCLUDES LANDOWNER, OUTREACH LETTERS, AND THEN A SPECIAL, UM, LANDOWNER MEETING.
SO POST-ELECTION, WHAT THE MUNICIPALITY HAS TO BE PREPARED TO DO IS, UM, CONTACT LANDOWNERS.
UM, YOU, THE GOVERNING BODY IS GONNA HAVE TO PASS AN ORDINANCE TO ENACT THE PROPOSED FINANCING IF THERE IS PROPOSED FINANCING.
SO SOME MUNICIPALITIES WORK WITH BOND COUNCIL TO SECURE A BOND, AND THEY USE THE REVENUE FROM THE INCREASED TAX TO PAY DOWN THE BOND.
OTHER MUNICIPALITIES DON'T DO THAT.
THEY JUST WAIT FOR THE FUNDING FROM THE OPEN SPACE TAX TO ACCRUE, AND, BUT THEY CANNOT BUY ANYTHING UNTIL ENOUGH OF THAT REVENUE HAS ACCRUED.
UM, SO THEY'RE ALSO GONNA, THE TOWNSHIP IS ALSO GONNA HAVE TO ESTABLISH AN OPEN SPACE REVIEW BOARD THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE TOWNSHIP AND THE OPEN SPACE REVIEW BOARD ARE GONNA HAVE TO DEVELOP OPEN SPACE CRITERIA.
UH, WE HAVE A MEETING THAT WE SOMETIMES HELP WITH, IT'S CALLED THE PLACES OF THE HEART MEETING, WHERE WE USE THE MAP THAT WE DEVELOPED, UM, THAT SHOWS THE CONSERVATION OPPORTUNITIES, AND WE GAUGE HOW THE PUBLIC FEELS ABOUT SOME OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO SEE WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO THEM.
AND THAT INFORMS THE CRITERIA.
UM, AND THEN THE OPEN SPACE REVIEW BOARD NEEDS TO BE PREPARED TO MAKE SUGGESTIONS TO YOU ALL TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ABOUT WHAT LAND SHOULD BE PROTECTED BASED ON THAT CRITERIA.
UM, SOME MUNICIPALITIES, UH, WORK WITH US TO DO A SORT OF OPEN SPACE REVIEW BOARD ORIENTATION, IF THAT'S SOMETHING THEY'D LIKE, SO THAT THOSE FOLKS ARE PREPARED.
SO THE LANDOWNER, CAN WE GO BACK ONE, OH, I'M OUTTA ORDER
SO THIS IS WHAT THE CRITERIA MEETING LOOKS LIKE.
UH, SOME OF THESE MEETINGS HAVE BEEN HELD, SO YOU'LL SEE ON THE RIGHT AN EVENING OF WATER AND BEER.
THAT MEETING MUNICIPALITY DECIDED TO HAVE THEIR, UM, PLACES OF THE HEART MEETING AT A BREWERY.
UM, BUT THIS HAS BEEN HELD IN FIRE.
YOU KNOW, THE, UH, LAURA FREDERICK HAD THEIRS IN THE FIRE HALL.
UM, AND SO IT'S, IT'S UP TO THE MUNICIPALITY HOW THEY WANT TO DO THAT.
AND THEN LASTLY, LANDOWNER OUTREACH EVENT.
NATURAL LANDS WILL ONLY WORK WITH WILLING LANDOWNERS.
SO IF IF SOMEONE'S NOT INTERESTED IN SPEAKING TO US, THAT'S FINE.
UM, SO WE ONLY WORK WITH FOLKS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN HEARING ABOUT CONSERVATION.
UM, WE WILL LET LANDOWNERS KNOW IF THEIR PROPERTY IS A PRESERVATION PRIORITY, ENGAGE THEIR INTEREST IN CONSERVATION IF THEIR INTERESTED WILL SEEK A ONE-ON-ONE MEETING.
UM, AND I WANTED TO QUICKLY GO OVER CONSERVATION EASEMENTS.
SO IN TALKING TO THE TOWNSHIP, WE KNOW THAT SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN IS POTENTIAL EASEMENTS FOR CONSERVATION, NOT JUST, UM, FARMLAND.
SO I WANTED TO GO OVER THE PROCESS, UH, QUICKLY.
SO, AN EASEMENT IS A LEGAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN A LANDOWNER AND A LAND TRUST OR GOVERNMENT AGENCY.
SOME MUNICIPALITIES HOLD EASEMENTS THAT PERMANENTLY LIMITS THE USE OF THE LAND.
SO, UM, THE CONSERVATION EASEMENT LIMITS THESE CERTAIN USES TO ADVANCE SPECIFIC CONSERVATION PURPOSES.
[00:20:01]
TAKES BETWEEN NINE AND 20 MONTHS.UM, WE, WE TYPICALLY DEVELOP A PROPOSAL WITH THE LANDOWNER AND A DRAFT CONSERVATION PLAN AND A SUMMARY OF RESTRICTIONS.
YOU'RE GONNA SEE AN EXAMPLE OF A DRAFT CONSERVATION PLAN IN A MINUTE.
UM, AND THEN WE GIVE THOSE TWO DOCUMENTS, THE DRAFT CONSERVATION PLAN, AND THE SUMMARY OF RESTRICTIONS TO AN APPRAISER AND ORDER AN APPRAISAL.
THEN WE COME BACK TO THE LANDOWNER AND WE WORK WITH THEM TO DETERMINE IF THEY WANNA MOVE FORWARD.
AT THAT POINT, THEY MIGHT SAY, UM, THEY'RE GONNA WAIT FOR A LITTLE BIT OR DISCUSS IT WITH THEIR FAMILIES, THEN THAT'S FINE.
IF THEY WANNA MOVE FORWARD, WE APPLY FOR GRANTS AND COMPLETE THE DUE DILIGENCE WORK.
AND THEN AFTER CLOSING, THE LAND TRUST HAS, UH, A, A PERPETUAL OBLIGATION TO MONITOR THE EASEMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE EASEMENT DOCUMENT IS BEING, UH, IMPLEMENTED CORRECTLY AND THERE'S NO VIOLATIONS OF THAT EASEMENT.
UM, SO THESE ARE THE PROTECTION AREAS THAT COMPRISE THE, UM, DRAFT CONSERVATION PLAN.
SO THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
UH, YOU'LL SEE THERE'S USUALLY, THERE'S A HIGHEST PROTECTION AREA, WHICH IS WHERE THE MOST CRITICAL CONSERVATION FEATURES ARE.
THE STANDARD PROTECTION AREA, WHICH CAN INCLUDE FARM FIELDS, OPEN LANDS, UH, CAMPS TYPICALLY KEEP THEIR PROGRAMMING AREAS IN THE STANDARD PROTECTION AREA.
AND THEN THERE'LL BE A MINIMAL PROTECTION AREA, WHICH IS THE BUILDING ENVELOPE.
ANY STRUCTURES THAT ARE PERMITTED THAT EXISTS NOW ARE PERMITTED IN THE FUTURE ARE IN THAT BUILDING ENVELOPE IN THE MPA, THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF SOME OF THE LIMITATIONS AND PERMITTED USES IN EACH OF THE AREAS.
SO, HIGHEST PROTECTION AREA, THERE'S LIMITED PERMITTED USES.
STANDARD PROTECTION AREA INCLUDES SUSTAINABLE AG AND FORESTRY, AND SOME SMALL IMPROVEMENTS RUN IN SHEDS AND FARMLANDS.
AND THEN, UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
THE MPA IS WHERE YOUR BUILDINGS, YOUR BARNS, YOUR MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS ARE.
SO THAT WAS JUST A QUICK OVERVIEW OF EASEMENTS AND THE EASEMENT PROCESS AND THAT THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE FOR YOU THIS EVENING.
WE'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR INVITING US TO SUBMIT OUR PROPOSAL.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UM, WE TALKED TO EARLIER ABOUT TAXES, EITHER BEING ABLE TO LE YOU A MILLAGE, A PROPERTY TAX, OR, UH, USE A PORTION OF EIT.
NOW IF YOU USE THE EIT, CAN WE, CAN THE EIT GO ABOVE THE THRESHOLD OF 1%? YES.
AND ACTUALLY THE, FOR THE OPEN SPACE REFERENDUM IS THE ONLY WAY THAT YOU CAN GO ABOVE THE 1%.
AND OR, AND CAN IT BE A MIX OF THE TWO? AND IT CAN BE A MIX OF THE TWO? YEP.
AND WHAT ABOUT PURCHASING DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS FOLKS? AND THAT'S THE CONSERVATION EASEMENT.
THAT'S, SO YOU CAN, YOU CAN BUY LAND OUTRIGHT, YOU CAN PURCHASE THE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS OR PURCHASE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS.
UM, WE, WE RECOMMEND CONSERVATION EASEMENTS BECAUSE BASICALLY YOU ARE ESSENTIALLY HIRING US TO MONITOR AND MAKE SURE THAT, THAT THE RESTRICTIONS ARE IN PLACE.
AND WE MONITOR EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR 450 EASEMENTS EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
NOW, THIS, THIS MAKES IT SEEM LIKE THIS IS ALL DRIVEN BY THE TOWNSHIP.
CAN A GROUP OF CITIZENS BY PETITION ALSO DO THIS ON THE BALLOT? OR DOES IT, DOES THE GOVERNMENT ENTITY HAVE TO DO IT? WELL, THE, THE CITIZEN PETITION YOU TO PUT IT ON THE BALLOT, BUT, BUT AS FAR, BUT YOU HAVE TO BE THE ONE.
YOU KNOW, BUT FROM, FROM, YOU KNOW, FROM A SUPERVISOR STANDPOINT, YOU KNOW, IF, IF THE CITIZENS ASK YOU TO, RIGHT? YEAH.
THAT'S ALL WE NEED IS THE ORDER OF THE PROCESS THAT YOU KIND OF UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH OPPORTUNITY THERE IS BEFORE YOU WOULD PUT THE TAX ON THE PEOPLE.
IN OTHER WORDS, I KNOW WE'RE WORKING ON A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
I KEEP HEARING THIS NUMBER, THERE'S ONLY 5% LESS TO DEVELOP, BUT WHAT I DON'T KNOW IS THE OPPORTUNITY HERE.
RIGHT? I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY FORMS THERE ARE.
SO, SO HOW, HOW, HOW DO YOU EVEN KNOW HOW MUCH WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THAT? AND ONE OF THEIR FIRST STEPS IS TO IS TO HAVE A SHOW, A MAP OF, OF THE AVAILABLE, NOT OF THE NON-DEVELOPER PROPERTIES IN THE TOWNSHIP.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S SORT OF THEIR FIRST STEP, IS TO IDENTIFY WHAT, WHAT IS AVAILABLE AND WHAT IS LEFT TO PURCHASE OR THAT IS NOT DEVELOPED STRUCTURE STRUCTURES WITHIN THE FLOOD PLAIN.
AND, AND, AND POTENTIALLY SOME OF THE STRUCTURES IN THE FLOOD PLAIN WE'VE TALKED ABOUT.
IT'D BE NICE TO KNOW THE OPPORTUNITY AND HOW MUCH WE NEED IN ORDER TO EVEN BEFORE YOU GO AND THAT'S COLLECTING MORE TAX.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE COMP PLAN NEXT MONTH.
IT'S JUST, IT'S SORT OF MUDDLED TOGETHER WITH EVERY OTHER LAND USE.
BUT I'LL TRY TO SEPARATE THAT OUT FOR YOU.
AND I AM PROVIDING THEM WITH MY GIS DATABASE IF WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS SO THAT THEY CAN START FROM THERE.
AND SO THEY HAVE A LOT OF THAT DATA ALREADY, BUT WE CALL THAT THE OPPORTUNITY MAP.
WHAT WAS THAT CALLED? CONSERVATION OPPORTUNITIES MATTER.
[00:25:01]
WHAT WE'RE GOING TO COME UP WITH JEFF.THAT'S WHAT THEY WILL COME UP WITH.
AND THEN YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE OUT OF THAT, THAT'S OPPORTUNITY.
HOW MANY OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE EVEN WILLING TO PLAY THIS GAME? BECAUSE THAT MIGHT BE A SMALL PERCENT, I DON'T KNOW.
AND YOU'RE RIGHT, WE, WE, WE DON'T KNOW.
UM, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS FOR, FOR LANDOWNER OUTREACH.
UM, WE CAN DO LANDOWNER OUTREACH.
WHILE YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT THE REFERENDUM, UM, WE'VE DONE IT, WELL, WE'VE DONE IT PRE REFERENDUM AND POST REFERENDUM.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, AND COUPLED WITH THE, YOU KNOW, WITH THE CONSERVATION OPPORTUNITIES.
SO YOU MIGHT, YOU MIGHT BE WAITING FOR A LANDOWNER TO CHANGE, SAY, TO APPROACH THE NEXT LANDOWNER WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN CONSERVATION.
BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING IN PLACE, THEN YOU'VE GOTTA SCRAMBLE TO KIND OF PULL THAT TOGETHER.
SO YOU WANNA BE PREPARED SO THAT IF, IF A CONSERVATION OPPORTUNITY YOU WANNA TAKE ADVANTAGE OF COMES UP, YOU CAN ACT ON IT.
UM, I THINK THE SCALE, UM, TO, TO, TO YOUR QUESTION, THE SCALE OF HOW MANY OPPORTUNITIES THERE ARE, THAT'S WHERE THE CONSERVATION OPPORTUNITY MAP COMES INTO PLAY.
AND THEN IF THE MONEY IS COLLECTED AND NOT USED, WHAT DO YOU DO WITH IT? IF IT'S COLLECTED AND NOT USED? YEAH, SO SAY THIS REFERENDUM WOULD HAPPEN TO GO THROUGH THE TAXES,
AND SO THAT WAS A, A LONG GAME ESSENTIALLY.
UM, SO YOU MIGHT NOT, YOU MIGHT NOT BUY ANYTHING FOR A FEW YEARS AND THAT'S OKAY.
YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE ENOUGH IN THE FIRST YEAR ANYWAY.
ANY, ANY, YEAH, I WOULDN'T TAKE THE TAX BACK AT SOME POINT.
CAN THAT, CAN THOSE MONIES BE USED FOR OTHER THINGS? I GUESS I'M LOOKING AT
THE MONEY'S ONLY SPECIFIC FOR THIS.
IS THERE A SUNSET ON THE REFERENDUM? YOU CAN, YOU CAN SUNSET IF YOU WANT TO.
MONEY CAN'T BE USED FOR OTHER THINGS, RIGHT? I DON'T KNOW WHAT, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW.
I'VE NEVER HEARD OF THE SITUATION WHERE THERE WAS MONEY SITTING THAT THEN NO USE WAS FOUND FOR IT.
NO, BUT YOU'VE ANSWERED PART MY QUESTION.
YOU CAN'T USE IT FOR OTHER THINGS, RIGHT? IT'S FOR THIS AND THIS ONLY, RIGHT? 'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE REFERENDUM, RIGHT? YEAH.
HOW DO YOU END IT? I GUESS? I, IT'S, THERE'S A MINIMUM, THERE'S A MINIMUM PERIOD THAT FOR THE TAX HAS TO BE COLLECTED AS I RECALL.
AND THEN, THEN I THINK THAT IT EXPIRES AND THERE'S ALSO A PROCESS FOR REPEALING IT.
AND THAT'S ANOTHER REFERENDUM, RIGHT.
BUT IT DOES SUNSET AT SOME POINT.
I WOULD THAT, I THINK THAT IT DOES PUT, YOU CAN PUT A SUNSET IN THE LEGISLATION.
IS IT NORMAL TO GO WITH SUNSET? MOST, MOST HAVEN'T.
UM, IT'S ACTUALLY FAIRLY RARE TO HAVE IT SUNSET BECAUSE, AND, AND I'M UNAWARE OF ANY TOWN SO FAR THAT HAS NOT USED THROUGH THEIR FUNDS.
I HAVE, WE HAVE ONE TOWN THAT'S CONSIDERING REPEALING BECAUSE OF THEIR SUCCESS.
THEY'VE PRESERVED ALL THE BIG PROPERTIES THAT THEY WANTED TO PRESERVE EXCEPT FOR ONE.
AND THEY HAVE SOME FUNDS FOR THAT.
AND THEY'RE LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN, WE DON'T NEED TO DO THIS ANYMORE.
ESSENTIALLY, WE'VE MET OUR GOALS.
SO I THINK THAT MIGHT BE A, A THING TO CONSIDER, BUT I, I DON'T THINK REPEALING IT IS DIFFICULT.
IT'S A SIMILAR PROCESS TO, TO THIS JUST TO HAVE ANOTHER BALANCE.
IT GOES ON ANOTHER REFERENDUM.
I WONDER WITH ONLY 5% OF THE TOWNSHIP, WE WOULD HAVE AN END DATE.
'CAUSE IT'S NOT LIKE THERE'S SO MANY OPEN TRACKS.
I MEAN, DEVELOPMENT EASEMENT, I THINK I'D LIKE TO PURCHASE SO THAT WE DON'T CONTINUE DEVELOPING TRAIL EASEMENTS CAN ALSO BE PURCHASED AND THEN A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE CAN BE USED FOR MAINTENANCE ON LAND THAT HAS BEEN PURCHASED.
HOW ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE THAT? LET'S JUST SAY IT'S ALREADY HAS A BUILDING ON IT, BUT WE WANT IT TO GO BACK TO NATURAL STATE.
COULD YOU PURCHASE IT? AND THEN THAT'S WHAT I WAS REFERRING TO, THE STRUCTURES WITHIN FLOODPLAINS, UH, KIND OF WHAT, WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE FEMA BUYOUTS NOW DOWN IN MONTCLAIR.
UH, RIGHT NOW, AS YOU KNOW, IT'S TAKEN US THREE YEARS, UH, FOR FEMA TO CLOSE ON SOME OF THIS.
IF YOU HAVE SOME MONEY AVAILABLE, WE HAD ANOTHER IDA OR SOMETHING, YOU'D BE ABLE TO ACT MORE QUICKLY, MORE QUICKLY THAN TWO AND A HALF YEARS.
AND THIS WOULD BE OPEN SPACE PROPERTIES THAT YOU'D ESSENTIALLY RETURN IT BACK TO THIS REGULAR FLOOD IN CASE WE DON'T, WE DON'T OWN IT.
WE WOULDN'T EVEN, IT WOULDN'T EVEN BE A CONSERVATION UNIT BECAUSE WE DON'T AND YOU'RE ALLOWED TO OWN IT.
SO IT'S PERSPECTIVE, 5% SOUNDS REALLY LOW.
[00:30:01]
AND OBVIOUSLY WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT ONE LARGE PIECE, BUT IT'S STILL SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF LAND AREA.AND THAT'S JUST MY ROUGH MEMORY.
I MEAN, I COULD BE OFF A LITTLE BIT AND THAT'S NOT INEXPENSIVE LAND, RIGHT? WE'RE, WE'RE NOT CHEAP HERE.
[PUBLIC COMMENT]
NEXT UP IS PUBLIC COMMENT AND EVERYONE PROBABLY KNOWS THE DRILL.YOU COME UP, GIVE YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME, YOUR ADDRESS, AND THREE MINUTES TIMER.
ANYONE THE PUBLIC COMMENT? I ALREADY AGENDA.
THIS IS, UH, SOMETHING THAT I PRESENTED AT THE, UM, AUGUST 7TH PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING.
AND, UH, I PRESENTED SOMETHING TO YOU GUYS ON MAY 20TH, WHICH OF COURSE WAS BEFORE THE, UH, ZONING CHANGE.
AND, UH, NOW WE HAVE THE ZONING.
SO, UH, BILL FELTON, 1 33 OLD STATE ROAD.
UM, LIKE I SAID, I, I PRESENTED THIS TO THE, UH, AUGUST 7TH PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING, WHICH WAS FOLLOWING THE, UH, PARK HOUSE APPLICATION FOR THEIR DEVELOPMENT PLAN ON AUGUST 1ST.
AND, UM, WHAT I'M, WHAT I'M SHOWING HERE ON THIS PLAN IS WHAT THEY'VE SUBMITTED WITH THEIR APPLICATION, AND THEY'RE SHOWING THE, UH, DESIGNATED OPEN SPACE, WHICH IS REQUIRED UNDER THE ZONING CHANGE AGREEMENT THAT, THAT WE HAVE, THAT YOU HAVE WITH THEM.
AND, UH, THEY'RE SHOWING ME IN THE PINK THE, UH, THE PARCELS TO BE PRESERVED AS OPEN SPACE.
AND WHAT I'D LIKE TO ADVOCATE FOR IS, UM, THE, THE PIECE ALONG SECOND AVENUE AND OLD STATE ROAD AND, UH, ONE 13 TO BE THE PRESERVED SPACE.
AND, UH, THE REASON IS, UM, PRIMARILY THE REASON IS THE, UH, CONNECTIVITY, UH, THE CONNECTIVITY TO THE, UH, UPPER CHUCO VALLEY PARK ALONG THE RIVER.
AND, UH, THE OTHER COUNTY LANDS DOWN ALONG ONE 13.
AND THEN ALSO, UH, YOU KNOW, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT CONSERVING LAND HERE JUST THIS EVENING.
AND, UH, I KNOW THE DRAFT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS CALLING FOR, UH, SOUTHERN THE, THE LANDS FROM OLD STATE ROAD HEADING WEST TOWARDS THE, UM, INO CREEK TO BE CONSERVED.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF, IF WE HAVE HAVE SOME EXISTING OPEN SPACE, WE HAVE SOME POTENTIAL FUTURE CONSERVED LANDS.
LET'S HAVE THE CONNECTIVITY, LET'S CREATE A GREENWAY FROM THE UPPER CHUCO VALLEY PARK, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THIS PORTION OF THE TOWNSHIP TO DOMINGO CREEK.
UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS OF THE CONNECTIVITY IS INCREASING THE BIODIVERSITY.
YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE THIS CONTIGUOUS PIECE OF GREEN LAND ALONG THE RIVER, UM, INCREASE THE BIODIVERSITY WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, MORE, UH, POLLINATORS AND INSECTS, BOTH POLLINATORS AND INSECTS THAT BIRDS WOULD FEED ON, UH, I KIND OF HAVE A VISION THAT IT WOULD BE, UH, UM, NATIVE MEADOW.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE AN EXISTING FARMLAND THAT'S BEEN CULTIVATED FOR 200 PLUS YEARS.
UM, THIS COULD BE, YOU KNOW, CONVERTED BACK TO A NATIVE MEADOW, WHICH WOULD ATTRACT MIGRATING BIRDS AND THE POLLINATORS AND SO FORTH.
UM, THE OTHER REASON I FEEL THAT THIS PORTION SHOULD BE, UH, CONSERVED IS JUST THE AESTHETICS OF THIS PIECE.
YOU KNOW, THIS ONE 13 COMING NORTH ON ONE 13 INTO THE TOWNSHIP ACROSS THE SCHUYLKILL RIVER.
UH, YOU LOOK AT THIS HILLSIDE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE GATEWAY TO THE TOWNSHIP.
AND I THINK IF WE CAN CONSERVE THIS, WE CAN CONSERVE OUR RURAL, UH, HERITAGE OF THE AREA.
YOU KNOW, I I, I EVEN TALKED TO THE BUILDER ABOUT THIS AND I SAID, YOU KNOW, DO YOU REALLY WANT THIS TO BE YOUR PRESENTATION FOR YOUR DEVELOPMENT OF NEW HOMES THAT YOU'RE GONNA PRESENT HERE AS YOU COME INTO THE TOWNSHIP? I THINK THESE OTHER PARCELS GIVE A BETTER OPPORTUNITY TO, YOU KNOW, BURN ALONG THE ROAD AND, YOU KNOW, KEEP SOME OF THAT, UH, NEW HOUSING MORE PRIVATE AND LESS, UH, IN FRONT OF US THERE.
[00:35:11]
ANYONE ELSE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? OKAY.[EXECUTIVE SESSION REPORT]
WAS AN EXECUTIVE SESSION I WAS HELD JUST PRIOR TO TONIGHT'S MEETING, TOPICS DISCUSSED WITH PERSONNEL AND REAL ESTATE.[APPROVAL OF BILL LIST]
ON TO THE APPROVAL OF THE BILL LIST FOR AUGUST 1ST TO AUGUST 31ST, BECAUSE THEN WON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO LIST IF, SO I'LL ASK FOR A MOTION.I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE BILL LIST FOR THE PERIOD AUGUST 1ST THROUGH AUGUST 31ST IN, UH, 2024 IN THE AMOUNT OF $2,169,120 AND 45 CENTS.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED? AND MOTION CARRIES.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
JUST ASK FOR AN APPROVAL, A MOTION FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE BOARD MINUTES FROM AUGUST 19TH.I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE, UH, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISOR REGULAR MEETING MINUTES FROM AUGUST 19TH, 2024.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED THE MOTION CARRIED.
[NEW BUSINESS (ACTION/DISCUSSION ITEMS)]
BUSINESS.RESOLUTION 2024 DASH 28 GRANTING FINAL LAND DEVELOPMENT APPROVAL FOR 1731 SOUTH COLLEGE BROOK.
MY NAME IS CHRISY ON, I'M THE CIVIL ENGINEER FOR THIS PROJECT.
UH, SO THIS PROJECT WAS IN FRONT OF YOU A COUPLE YEARS AGO AS A TENTATIVE SKETCH PLAN.
UH, WE THEN FULLY ENGINEERED IT CAME BACK FOR PRELIMINARY AND NOW WE'RE HERE FOR FINAL PLAN APPROVAL.
UH, THE LAYOUT IS GENERALLY THE SAME AS IT WAS FROM TENTATIVE SKETCH.
THE ONLY CHANGES HAVE REALLY BEEN TO, TO MEET ORDINANCE REQUIREMENTS, UH, AND REVIEW LETTERS.
THIS TIME WE, WE HAVE AN APPROVAL FROM, UH, MONTGOMERY COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT FOR THE MPDS PERMIT.
WE JUST RECEIVED THE PINUP PERMIT LAST WEEK.
UH, AND I BELIEVE I'VE ADDRESSED THE COMMENTS FROM THE TOWNSHIP ENGINEER AS WELL AS THE TRAFFIC ENGINEER.
UH, WE DO HAVE A FEW WAIVERS THAT WE PRESENTED TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION THAT WERE, UH, RECOMMENDED TO YOU.
THAT WAS A VERY BRIEF, BUT I'M HAPPY TO GO INTO ANYTHING FURTHER IF YOU'D LIKE.
CHRIS, ONE THING, I, THE RESOLUTION IS DRAFTED AS GRANTING THROUGH THE THREE WAIVERS, UH, PERPENDICULAR PARKING ALONG THE ACCESS DRIVE.
ONE PARKING ISLAND MAY HAVE A RADIUS OF LESS THAN FIVE FEET AND INTERNAL SIDEWALKS AT FOUR FEET RATHER THAN FIVE FEET.
THERE WAS LISTED AS A FOURTH REQUEST OF THE LETTER, A FIRE SAFETY ISSUE THAT LOOKED LIKE IT REQUIRED INPUT FROM THE FIRE MARSHAL.
AND IT WASN'T REALLY A REQUEST FOR A WAIVER, BUT IT WAS IN THE SECTION OF YOUR REQUEST LETTER WHERE THE WAIVERS WERE.
SO I DIDN'T HAVE IT DRAFTED AS INCLUDING THAT.
AND I WANTED YOU TO BE AWARE OF THAT SO THAT PRIOR TO PERMITS YOU'D BE ABLE TO TALK TO THE FIRE MARSHAL ABOUT THAT.
I, I SEE THAT WE WERE REQUESTED FOR, SO I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE, THE OTHER ONE, WELL, I JUST READ YOU THE THREE THAT ARE LISTED AS GRANTED.
THE FOURTH ONE, WHICH I THINK WAS THE LAST ONE.
SO THE LAST ONE IN MY LETTER WAS THE SIDEWALK WIDTH.
THE FIRST ONE WAS THE SIZE OF THE STORMWATER PIPE.
THE SECOND ONE WAS THE PERPENDICULAR PARKING AND THE THIRD WAS THE LANDSCAPE ISLAND.
SO IS IT, SO I THINK YOU SAID THE, SO WAS IT THE STORMWATER PIPE THAT WASN'T? NO.
AND WE MIGHT HAVE TO MAKE A MINOR REVISION TO THE RESOLUTION ON, I I'LL TALK TO YOU TOMORROW ABOUT THAT.
JEFF, DO YOU RECALL WHAT I'M NO, I I DON'T RECALL.
IT'S IN ONE OF YOUR LETTERS AND THERE WAS THE FOUR, THE THREE THAT I LISTED HERE, PLUS THAT.
AND IT WAS IDENTIFIED AS A FIRE ISSUE.
NO, YOU CAN STILL APPROVE THE RESOLUTION, BUT YOU'LL, WITH AN UNDERSTANDING THAT I MIGHT HAVE TO ADD THE ONE WAIVER FOR THE STORMWATER PIPES THAT I THOUGHT I WAS REQUIRING A FIRE AS A FIRE SAFETY ISSUE.
SO WHEN WE MAKE THE MOTION, WE HAVE TO SAY ADD, UM, ADD IN STORMWATER, YOU'RE GONNA, YOU'RE GONNA MAKE A MOTION IF, IF YOU'RE INCLINED, UH, TO, TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION, UH, WITH AUTHORITY GRANTED TO THIS SOLICITOR TO RESOLVE THE FINAL WAIVER ISSUE.
I IT IS WHETHER IT'S IN OR IT'S OUT, IT'S NOT.
YEAH, I, WELL, IF IT IS THE STORMWATER PIPE, I ASKED JEFF ABOUT THAT AFTER THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING AND, UH, ALL THE STORMWATER EXCEPTION IS JUST FOR PIPING UNDERNEATH THIS PROPERTY.
[00:40:01]
NOT ANYTHING THAT'S GONNA RUN UNDER ROUTE 29, WHICH IS MY CONCERN.ANY INTERNAL CHANGE IN PIPING.
SO I, I WASN'T AWARE OF ANYTHING ELSE.
ALRIGHT, SO A QUESTION, UM, THE SIDEWALK LENGTH OR WIDTH, IS THAT STILL, YOU KNOW, FOUR FEET SO WIDE ENOUGH FOR PEOPLE IN A WHEELCHAIR OR LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, SIZE FOR INTERNAL SIDEWALK LIKE THIS? YES.
GENERALLY WE TRY TO AIM FOR FIVE TO SIX FEET PIN THAT STANDARDS ARE A LITTLE BIT HIGHER FOR SOMETHING THAT MIGHT GET MULTIPLE USE, BUT INTERNAL SIDEWALKS LIKE THIS.
I'LL ASK FOR A MOTION, BUT YOU HAVE TO ADD IN WITH THE AUTHORITY FROM THE SOLICITOR FOR THE STORMWATER PIPE TO THE MOTION.
WHAT IF THE WORDS ARE
DO YOU WANT ME TO MAKE THE MOTION? I'LL, I'LL MAKE THE MOTIONS WITH DOT RESOLUTION 2024 DASH 28 GRANTING FINAL LAND DEVELOPMENT APPROVAL FOR 1731 SOUTH COLLEGEVILLE ROAD WITH AUTHORITY FROM THE SOLICITOR FOR THE STORMWATER PIPE.
ALRIGHT, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
IS, UH, CONSIDERED ADOPTING RESOLUTION 2024 DASH 29 GRANTING TENTATIVE LAND DEVELOPMENT APPROVAL FOR 7 8 1 SOUTH TRACK ROAD SEVEN ONE SUBDIVISION.
MY NAME IS JUSTIN STRAYHORN WITH WB HOMES.
ALONG WITH ME IS CINDY JONES WITH WB HOMES.
I'M A PROJECT MANAGER IN LAND DEVELOPMENT.
UM, JEFF, WOULD YOU MIND GOING TO THE AERIAL FOR ME PLEASE? WE ARE THE EQUITABLE OWNER OF 7 81 SOUTH TRAP ROAD.
THE PARCEL OF GROUND IS JUST UNDER NINE ACRES.
UH, THE BOTTOM RIGHT OF THE PLAN IS SOUTH TRAP ROAD HAS FRONTAGE THERE AND THEN HAS FRONTAGE ON PERSIMMON DRIVE TO THE UPPER LEFT.
UM, THE PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY ZONED R ONE RESIDENTIAL AG, AS IS THE SURROUNDING, UH, NEIGHBORHOODS COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY THE PROVIDENCE RESERVE AND STARFIELD COMMUNITIES.
UM, IT IS ALL THE SAME R ONE RESIDENTIAL AG ZONING.
UM, OUR PROPOSAL, JEFF, GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE WOULD BE TO SUBDIVIDE THE PROPERTY, UH, BY RIGHT TO THE R ONE ZONING, THE ONE ACRE LOTS TO SEVEN LOTS.
IT WOULD BE SIX PROPOSED LOTS, UH, THAT WE WOULD BUILD THE HOMES ON THE PROPOSED CUL-DE-SAC.
AND THEN THE SEVENTH LOT WOULD BE, UH, FRONTAGE ON SOUTH TRAP ROAD TO PRESERVE THE EXISTING, UM, HOUSE AND GARAGE THAT IS ON THE PROPERTY.
UM, THE CURRENTLY THE CUL-DE-SAC IS DESIGNED TO ALL TOWNSHIP STANDARDS.
WE HAVE SIDEWALK ON EITHER SIDE OF THE CUL-DE-SAC.
UH, THE SIDEWALK WOULD CONNECT TO PERSIMMON DRIVE, SORT OF AN INFILL OF THAT EXISTING DEVELOPMENT.
SORT OF JUST FIT IN WITH THE R ONE ZONING THAT IS ALREADY CURRENTLY IN PLACE.
UM, THE PROPERTY WOULD BE SERVED BY PUBLIC SEWER AND WATER STORMWATER MANAGEMENT AT THIS POINT, A SINGLE BASIN TO THE RIGHT OF THE PLAN SERIES OF INLETS AND PIPES FOR THE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT.
UM, IN TERMS OF THE HOMES THAT WE HAD ATTENDED TO BUILD ON THE PROPERTY, TWO TO THREE CAR GARAGES, 3,500 TO 3,900 SQUARE FEET, FOUR BEDROOM.
YOU CAN SEE THE HOMES CURRENTLY BEING BUILT THAT WE WOULD BUILD HERE AT THE MEADOWS AT LONGVIEW, UH, PROPERTY ON GREENWOOD AVENUE THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY BUILDING.
THE MODEL HOME IS OPEN AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF HOMES UNDER CONSTRUCTION ON THAT PROPERTY.
THESE WOULD BE THE SAME HOMES.
UM, WE ARE IN RECEIPT OF THE TOWNSHIP REVIEW LETTERS, UH, FROM THE CONSULTANTS AT THIS POINT.
WE WILL COMPLY WITH THOSE LETTERS.
UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE LARGELY JUST COMPLIANCE FROM ZONING AT THAT STANDPOINT.
MORE OF A CHECKLIST OF WHEN WE GET INTO LAND DEVELOPMENT.
WE HAPPILY WORK WITH THE TOWNSHIP CONSULTANTS, UM, ON ALL THE ENGINEERING DETAILS.
WE DID GO FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.
THEY DID RECOMMEND TENTATIVE PLAN, UH, PROOF TO THIS BOARD.
HAVING SAID THAT, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
BUT WE ARE HERE THIS EVENING TO, UH, REQUEST, UM, A TENTATIVE PLAN APPROVAL FOR 7 81 SOUTH TRAP ROAD.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO NOTE THAT WE'VE ASKED THEM TO BRING THE SEWER LINE OUT FROM FISHERMAN DRIVE ALL THE WAY UP TO TRAP ROAD.
THERE'S MAY FIVE TO SIX HOMES.
I THINK THOSE BE EIGHT, EIGHT HOMES INCLUDING THE RAIDER FARM THAT WE'RE HOPING WE'RE NOT FORCING TO, BUT WE'RE HOPING THEY BE ABLE TO CONNECT OTHERWISE, OTHERWISE THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO.
SO THAT STUB IS THE BOTTOM RIGHT HAND? YEAH.
THE ONE FOR THE LHA EASEMENT ON THE BOTTOM OF THE PLAN.
SO OBVIOUSLY THAT HAS TO BE DESIGNED AND EVERYTHING, BUT CORRECT JUST TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE PLAN.
SO YOU RUN IT RIGHT OUT TO THE SOUTH TRACK ROAD? YES.
YOU THAT OUT AND STUB IT OUT THERE FOR FUTURE CONNECTION.
AND SIZE IT FOR THOSE SIDES TO CONNECT.
FOR THE, UH, ADDITIONAL EIGHT HOUSES, IF THEY EVER CONNECT, IS THERE AN IMAGE
[00:45:01]
OF THE HOUSES OF HOW THEY'RE GONNA LOOK? I KNOW YOU SAID SOME OF THEM ARE ALREADY BEING BUILT IN OVERDEVELOPMENT IN TOWNSHIP.IS THERE A VISUAL? I DON'T HAVE ONE WITH ME THIS EVENING, BUT YES.
THERE'S A NUMBER OF THOSE HOMES THAT IT'S, IT WOULD BE THOSE UNITS.
AND WHAT'S THE PRICE VIEW? THESE WOULD START, I WOULD SAY MID NINE HUNDREDS.
SO THE HOUSE AND GARAGE ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT, THEY OWN THE LAND AND YOU'RE SO, OR I DON'T KNOW IF THEY OWN THE LAND, BUT THE, HOW DO THEY FIT IN THIS WHOLE PLAN? THEY'RE THERE ALREADY AND THEY'RE JUST STAYING THERE.
THAT HOUSE IS CURRENTLY VACANT.
WE'RE BUYING FROM THE PROPERTY OWNER.
THERE IS NO ONE IN THAT HOUSE.
UM, OUR GOAL AT THIS POINT WOULD BE SUBDIVIDE THAT SELL THAT HOUSE OFF OFF AS IS, AS THE SEVENTH LOT AS THE GARAGE.
YOU MAY NOT WANT TO PUT IT THAT, THAT HOME THAT COMES ON AND OFF ROAD.
THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF THE DANGEROUS PART IS SOMEBODY HAVING THEIR DRIVEWAY RATE ON THAT BUSY ROAD.
IT'S THERE, IT'S VACANT IT, YOU'RE BUYING IT AND THEN SUBDIVIDING IT.
WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF DOING THAT? I GUESS IT'S PART OF THE PARCEL.
IT CAME WITH THE PIECE OF GROUND.
UM, I THINK THE HOUSE, I THINK WE, AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW ALL THE INS AND OUTS OF WHAT WE, I THINK WE WOULD INVEST SOME MONEY INTO THE HOME TO, IT IS SORT OF BEEN CHOPPED UP ON THE INSIDE A LITTLE BIT.
SO THERE MAY BE SOME, UH, SORT OF RETROFIT AND SOME IMPROVEMENTS WE WOULD MAKE ON THAT HOME TO SELL.
BUT IT DID COME WITH THE OVERALL PARCEL.
THERE'S A NOTE, UM, ABOUT TRIP.
IT'S A HIGH PRIORITY WALKING TRAIL SIDEWALK LOCATION FOR THE TOWNSHIP ON SOUTH TRAP ROAD.
IS THERE A PLAN TO PUT ANY KIND OF SIDEWALK OR IN THE TRAIL THERE? THAT IS NOT PART OF OUR PROPOSAL.
THERE IS NO PATH OR TRAIL ALONG THAT STRETCH OF ROAD AS FAR AS I KNOW IN EITHER DIRECTION.
I, I THINK WHAT WE WOULD PROBABLY REQUIRE AT PULMONARY PLAN WOULD BE A WAIVER BECAUSE THEY WOULDN'T, THEY ARE REQUIRED TO PUT SIDEWALKS ON THAT SECTION.
SO THEY WOULD PROBABLY NEED A WAIVER AND THEN WE WOULD MAKE SURE THAT THE GROUND WAS THERE.
IF TRAILS EVER DID COME THROUGH HERE THAT WE COULD PUT, WE COULD CONNECT THEM.
I I DON'T SEE THE POINT HAVING THE TRAIL THAT'S 350 FEET WIDE OR HOWEVER WIDE IT IS JUST FOR THAT HOUSE TO, I HAVE TO SHOVEL.
BUT WE WOULD MAKE SURE THAT IF TRAILS CAME IN, IF WE WERE ABLE TO GET TRAILS ALONG THIS ROAD, WE WOULD MAKE SURE THAT THEY, WE'D HAVE THE SPACE ALREADY.
WOULDN'T HAVE TO GO BACK AND FIGHT FOR IT.
IS THERE A REASON THE STORMWATER BASIN HAS TO BE RIGHT THERE? I I HUNG UP ON THIS HOUSE.
I WOULD BUMP THE CUL-DE-SAC FURTHER TO THE RIGHT, PUT THE BASIN ALONG THE ROAD AND ADD ONE MORE HOUSE AT THE END OF THE CUL-DE-SAC.
THERE IS A CULDESAC, YOU GOT THE DEMO DEMO AND I'M GUESSING YOU'RE TRYING TO AVOID THE COST ADDING THE DEMOCRATS.
WE JUST THOUGHT TO PRESERVE THE HOUSES THAT LOT.
THE STORMWATER IS AT ABOUT THE LOWEST POINT OF THE PROPERTY, WHICH IS ALWAYS WHERE WE WANT TO PUT THE STORM WATER FOR AN OUTLET AND TO COLLECTION STANDPOINT, THAT CUL-DE-SAC IS ALSO ALMOST AT THE TOTAL LENGTH THAT IS ALLOWED BY THE ORDINANCE JUST HUNG IT'S THERE.
IT'S, I MEAN DO PEOPLE LIVE IN THE ONE UP ON THE TOP THERE THAT THAT IS OCCUPIED AND IT WAS RECENTLY? I MEAN IT IT IT HAS BEEN LIVED IN UH, IT'S JUST RECENTLY BEEN VACATED.
WHAT ABOUT THE ONE? NO, THE ONE ABOVE IS NOT.
THERE IS SOMEBODY OWNS YES, CORRECT AND BELOW.
AND I BELIEVE SOMEBODY'S LIVING IN THE ONE BELOW.
YOU HAVE SHOW US THE SHOW THE OVERHEAD AGAIN, WAY WHERE FITS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT'S LIKE A CROSSOVER RAIDER FARM.
THERE'S A LITTLE DRIVEWAY INTO THIS PROPERTY RIGHT HERE.
YEAH, IT'S JUST, THERE'S THIS SMALL CLUSTER OF HOMES WITH DRIVEWAYS ON THIS BUSY ROAD.
I'M JUST FIGURING YOU CAN, YOU CAN RESOLVE ONE OF 'EM HERE IN THIS SITUATION.
BUT YEAH, IT'S NOT THAT I WANT TO GET RID OF ANY OF THOSE HOMES, IT'S JUST HOW CAN YOU MAKE IT SAFER FOR THOSE FOLKS TO, IT'S JUST ME.
IT WASN'T DEVELOPED WITH THE REST OF THIS DEVELOPMENT.
[00:50:03]
I'LL ASK FOR A MOTION.I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 2024 DASH 29 GRAND TENTATIVE LAND DEVELOPMENT, LAND DEVELOPMENT APPROVAL FOR 7 81 SOUTH TRAP ROAD SEVEN LOT SUBDIVISION.
ALRIGHT, CONSIDER AWARDING A BID FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE ANDERSON FARM PARK, UH, LOOP TRAIL TO G AND B CONSTRUCTION GROUP OF FEASSTERVILLE PA IN THE AMOUNT OF 350, THE 8,049.
UM, ANYTHING WE WANNA TALK ABOUT? THIS ONE, WE'VE MENTIONED THIS BEFORE.
IT CAME IN CHEAPER I THINK POINT.
SO THIS IS JUST A LOOP ALL AROUND ANDERSON PARK.
IT'S A LOOP AROUND ANDERSON PARK AND, UH, IT IS MAJORITY GRANT FUNDED.
SUE, DO YOU RECALL THE GRANT AMOUNT? 300 SOMETHING? I DON'T OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I APOLOGIZE.
BUT THIS WOULD CREATE A, UM, OPPORTUNITY FOR A FULL, FULL K 5K TRACK LOOP IN HERE RIGHT NOW.
ANDERSON FARM PARK HAS A LOT OF TRAILS, BUT THEY DO NOT CONNECT AND THEY DON'T REALLY CONNECT ANYWHERE OTHER THAN TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD ABOVE.
SO THIS WOULD AT LEAST GIVE US OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE STRUCTURE, A LITTLE BIT MORE TRAIL SPACE THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT SAFER ON THE GROUNDS.
IT'S GREAT THAT WE GOT MOST OF IT FROM A GRANT TOO, SO THANKS SUE.
ALRIGHT, I'LL ASK FOR A MOTION.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO AWARD THE BID FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE ANDERSON FARM PARK TRAIL TO G AND B CONSTRUCTION GROUP OF FEASSTERVILLE PA IN THE AMOUNT OF $358,101 AS LOWEST RESPONSIBLE BIDDER.
NEXT ONE IS CONSIDERED DOCUMENT RESOLUTION 2024 DASH 30 AUTHORIZING THE 2025 MINIMUM MUNICIPAL OBLIGATIONS MMOS FOR THE TOWNSHIP'S PENSION PLANS.
UH, MADAM CHAIR, EVERY YEAR AROUND THIS TIME IN SEPTEMBER, UNDER ACT, UH, TWO OH UNDER ACT 2 0 5, UH, WE'RE REQUIRED TO SET THE MINIMUM, UH, MUNICIPAL OBLIGATION FOR ALL OF OUR DEFINED BENEFIT PENSION PLANS.
WE HAVE SEVERAL OTHER PENSION PLANS THAT ARE DEFINED CONTRIBUTION.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, AND THE BOUNCER AS FOLLOWS, UH, AND OUR ACTUARIES, UH, HAVE, ARE THE ONES THAT CALCULATE THIS.
UM, FOR THE POLICE IT WOULD BE $675,472.
UH, FIRE, UH, PENSION IS 57,000 1 55 AND ARE NON-UNIFORM DEFINED BENEFIT IS 146,371.
WE DO OUR BEST TO MAKE SURE THIS IS, UM, ACCURATELY BUDGETED, UM, IN OUR, IN OUR, UM, IN OUR 20, IN OUR FORTHCOMING BUDGET IN 2025.
SO, AND OUR TWO, UH, ACTUARIES THAT WE DO IS JOE DUDA AND, UM, MOCK HOP ARE OUR TWO ACTUARIES.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? I LIST FOR A MOTION, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 2024 DASH 30 AUTHORIZING THE 2025 MINIMUM MUNICIPAL OBLIGATIONS FOR THE TOWNSHIP'S PENSION PLANS.
I SECOND WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ALRIGHT, CONSIDER ADOPTING RESOLUTION 2024 DASH 31 AUTHORIZING A CAPITAL BUDGET AMENDMENT FUND.
SEVERAL ANTICIPATED CAPITAL PROJECTS FOR THE YEARS 2025 THROUGH 2029.
SO, TIM, I THINK YOU WERE GONNA, THIS IS A, UH, THIS IS BASICALLY A, UH, TRANSFER OR A TRANSFER OF MONIES FROM GENERAL FUND TO OUR CAPITAL, UH, FUND TO SET UP, UH, AND FUND WHAT WE THINK WILL BE OUR 25 TO 29.
UH, OUR CIP BUDGET FROM 20 20 25 THROUGH 2029 AS FAR AS WHAT WE ANTICIPATE OUR GENERAL FUND, UH, EXPENDITURES, UH, WILL BE.
AND, UH, THIS IS, UM, BASED ON SOME OF OUR, UH, PROJECT, UH, PROJECTS THAT ARE NOT FUNDED BY LIQUID FUELS.
UM, SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE GRANTS BUT HAVE LOCAL MATCHING PROJECTS, UM, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, TRY TO PROVIDE SOME SEED MONEY FOR SOME OF OUR OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.
A LOT OF THESE MONIES ARE NON-RECURRING MONIES.
I MAYBE WE GET SOME EXTRA MONIES FROM OUR, UH, TRANSFER TAX.
A LOT OF THE NON-RECURRING REVENUE SOURCES THAT WE'VE BEEN BANKING AND OUR GENERAL FUND REALLY SHOULD BE IN THE CAPITAL FUND FOR CAPITAL PURCHASES.
[00:55:01]
AS YOU KNOW, UM, WITH THE FED EVERYONE PLAN, IT'S ABOUT THE HIGH INTEREST RATES FOR MORTGAGES.BUT THE GOOD NEWS ON OUR END IS THAT WE GET HIGHER INTEREST RATES ON SOME OF OUR FUND BALANCES.
SO A LOT OF THAT EXTRA INTEREST EARNINGS AND SOME OF OUR FUNDS WILL ALSO BE TRANSFERRED TO OUR, TO OUR CAPITAL ACCOUNT.
AND, UH, DID I MISS ANYTHING? JOE? THANKS TO JOE WHO'S, WHO'S DONE
I THINK WE WE'RE, BOTH OF THE FUNDS ARE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA BE WELL SITUATED AS WE ENTER THE 2025 BUDGET.
AND WE'LL GO IN MORE DETAIL ON THIS IN OUR WORKSHOPS LATER THIS MONTH.
AND JOE, I THINK YOU ADDED SECTION 3 2 0 2.
THE SECOND CLASS CODE NOT ALLOWS US TO DO THAT.
IS THERE AN AMOUNT? 6,500,000.
OKAY, BILL, YOU GOOD? IF YOU'RE WANNA MAKE A MOTION, I'M REALLY RIGHT.
I MAKE, I MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 2024 DASH 31 AUTHORIZING A CAPITAL AMENDMENT TO FUND SEVERAL ANTICIPATED CAPITAL PROJECTS FOR THE YEARS 2025 THROUGH 2029.
A A ALL THOSE OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES.
CONSIDER APPOINTING A MEMBER TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO FILL A VACANT TERM THROUGH DECEMBER, 2025.
I MOVE FORWARD THIS ONE TO THIS ONE TOO.
I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO APPOINT JOSEPH PETER TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO FILL A VACANT TERM THROUGH DECEMBER, 2025.
CAN I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ALRIGHT, NEXT ONE IS CONSIDERED DOCUMENT RESOLUTION 2024 DASH 32 APPOINTING MEMBER TO THE ZONING HEARING BOARD TO FILL AND LOCAL POSITIONS DECEMBER, 2027 AGAIN.
OKAY, I'LL MAKE A MOTION ALL I'M ON.
I, I MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 2024 DASH 32 APPOINTING JAMIE PARKER TO THE ZONING HEARING BOARD TO FILL AN OPEN POSITION TERM THROUGH DECEMBER 20, 27.
I'LL SECOND ALL HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
NEXT ONE IS, CONSIDER ADOPTING RESOLUTION 2024 DASH 33 AUTHORIZING THE TOWNSHIP'S COMMITMENT OF $250,000 FROM AGRICULTURAL CONSERVATIVE EASEMENT, UH, FOR THE 26.49 ACRE WALKER FARM AS NEGOTIATED BY THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY FARM BOARD.
SO I, WE NEVER TALKED, WE DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT IT, BUT I ASSUME THEY ASSUMED THEY ACCEPTED OR WE WOULDN'T BE DOING IT.
THIS CAME IN LATER BEFORE, BEFORE THE ACTUAL AGENDA WAS POSTED, BUT, UH, WE, IF YOU RECALL, THE BOARD AUTHORIZED US TO MATCH THE, UH, THE 750,000 FROM THE FARM BUREAU AND THE WALKER WOULD ACCEPT THAT, UM, AND AMOUNT.
SO IT'LL BE GOING TO SETTLEMENT SOMETIME IN LATE 25, EARLY 26.
AND WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE PROPERTY THEN.
IT'S, IT IS ACTUALLY, IT IS, UH, IT'S 5 0 6 BLACKROCK ROAD.
I THINK MOST PEOPLE THINK OF IT ALONG ASHTON FEL ROAD.
THAT'S, THAT'S, I THINK THAT CAUSES SOME CONFUS, BUT THAT'S THE LEGAL ADDRESS OF IT.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE PRESENTATION EARLIER WAS ABOUT.
AND WITH THE HELP OF THE COUNTY, THEY'RE PAYING THE MAJORITY, SO.
YEAH, MOST OF THE CHARGE GOES TO THE COUNTY AND I THINK HOW THIS WORKED IS THEY REACHED OUT TO THE COUNTY, RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.
YEAH, I DON'T, THAT'S OUR LAST FARM IN THE COUNTY.
PRETTY CLOSE IS YOU'RE SAYING IT'S THE LAST WHAT FARM? ONE OF THE WORKING FARM.
I THINK THERE'S, I THINK SHEETS DEPENDS ON YOUR DEFINITION OF A FARM.
BUT YES, THERE'S OTHER AGRICULTURAL PROPERTIES IN THE TOWNSHIP, NOT JUST
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 2024 DASH 33 AUTHORIZING THE TOWNSHIP'S COMMITMENT OF $250,000 FOR AN AGRICULTURAL CONSERVATION EASEMENT FOR THE 26.49 ACRE WALKER FARM AS NEGOTIATED BY THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY FARM BOARD.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE A AYE.
ALRIGHT, ANY MANAGER DEPARTMENT HEAD REPORTS FOR COMING UP ON THOSE? UM,
[CONSULTANT REPORTS]
ENGINEERING, ANY ENGINEERING CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT UPDATES? UH, THE GREENWOOD AVENUE SAN SEWER WORK THAT'S CURRENTLY GOING[01:00:01]
ON IS, UH, SCHEDULED TO BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF OCTOBER.AND WE HAVE TO CONSIDER THIS IS THE MONTHLY DEVELOPER IMPROVEMENT GUARANTEE REDUCTION LIST.
IT'S ONLY ONE SO ANYONE CAN DO IT.
BESIDES BILL THIS TIME, WHAT'S IT? TAKE IT DO IT MOTION.
THE MONTHLY DEVELOPER IMPROVEMENT GUARANTEE REDUCTION LIST AS FOLLOWS.
SIX 15 EGYPT ROAD RELEASE NUMBER 1450 3,941 AND 31 CENTS.
NOTHING FURTHER FROM ME THIS EVENING.
ANYTHING FROM SUPERVISORS? BERGS,
UM, SO HOPE TO SEE EVERYONE OUT THERE.
[UPCOMING EVENTS]
OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS IS BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING SEPTEMBER 26TH.I'M SORRY, IT'S A BUDGET WORKSHOP.
SEPTEMBER 26TH, OCTOBER 1ST AND OCTOBER 8TH ALL AT 7:00 PM THEY'RE ALL BUDGET WORKSHOPS.
AND THEN WE HAVE OCTOBER 21ST AND NOVEMBER 18TH.
THAT IS AT 7:00 PM ARE THERE ALSO BUDGET IN THAT LIST? I GUESS THAT IS JUST ASIDE, THOSE ARE ALL BUDGET WORKSHOPS.
JUST MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT BUDGET WORKSHOPS.
WE, MR. PETERS USUALLY IS OUR ONLY CITIZEN OF DEN THOSE MEETINGS AND I KNOW THEY CAN BE A LITTLE BIT STIFF, BUT IF YOU REALLY HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW WE SPEND OUR MONEY, HOW WE PLAN IN THIS TOWNSHIP, THESE ARE THE THREE MOST CRITICAL MEETINGS OF THE YEAR, THESE BUDGET WORKSHOPS.
SO IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, THAT'S THE ONES COME TO.
I HAD WHAT, JUST ONE UPDATE I MEANT TO TELL EVERYBODY.
UM, THE METO ANNUAL METO UM, CONFERENCE.
UM, I THINK THERE WAS A, A THING THAT WENT OUT THAT HAD SOME CONFLICTING DATES.
I THINK THE ACTUAL CORRECT DATE, IF ANYBODY'S INTERESTED, IT'S OCTOBER 29TH, WHICH IS A TUESDAY.
THE JEFFERSONVILLE, UH, UH, GOLF CLUB.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHO THE SPEAKER IS, BUT I KNOW BILL SIGN UP IF ANYBODY ELSE IS INTERESTED I'M GONNA TRY TO GO SO I'LL BE HAPPY TO SIT OUT A REMINDER NOW.
ALRIGHT, NEXT IS PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING.
SCHEDULE IS SEPTEMBER 18TH, SEVEN.
UH, IT'S ELIA STREET AND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
THAT'S THE AGENDA ITEMS. I'M SORRY, EILEEN, WE, AMELIA STREET PULLED OFF OVER THE WEEKEND SO THEY'RE NOT ON THERE.
UM, 4 25 SOUTH MIDNIGHT ROAD IS, THAT'S THE CUL-DE-SAC.
AND ALSO I DIDN'T NOTE ON THE SLIDE, BUT I THINK, I DON'T THINK PARKHOUSE IS GONNA BE ON THE SECOND, THEY'RE KIND OF PULLING BACK A LITTLE BIT, BUT I'LL UPDATE AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION AS BEST I CAN.
SO OCTOBER 2ND IS JUST 1201 SOUTH COLLEGEVILLE ROAD, WHICH IS QUEST AND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
UM, ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETING SCHEDULED IS SEPTEMBER 18TH AT SIX.
AND PARKS AND REC COMMITTEE MEETING SCHEDULES OCTOBER 21ST AT SIX.
SO PARK AND REC IS OCTOBER 9TH, IS THAT RIGHT? YES.
MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY MEETING SCHEDULES OCTOBER 3RD, SEVEN.
AND THE ZONING HEARING BOARD MEETING IS SEPTEMBER 30TH AT SEVEN.
UM, AND IT IS ABOUT TOWARDS EDGE TO BE DECIDED.
ALRIGHT, I'LL ASK FOR ADJOURN.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN.