Update: Week of April 20, 2009

GENERAL INFORMATION

Regional officials on-board for high-speed rail project

U.S. Rep. Jim Gerlach (R-6th), along with county and local officials from the greater Philadelphia region, has expressed his willingness to participate in President Barack Obama’s early-stage proposal to develop high-speed rail lines to connect cities in 10 major regions. The proposal could revolutionize travel in the Keystone Corridor between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh , and reduce dependence on cars and planes, lower carbon emissions and spur economic development along the rail corridors. The proposal calls for $8 billion of economic stimulus money and $1 billion a year for the next five years to jumpstart the rail plan. Matthew Edmond, a senior Montgomery County transportation planner, said if high-speed trains become a reality for the region, commuting time from the Philadelphia area to Harrisburg could be cut almost in half from its current commute of 90 minutes. Rep Gerlach has advocated high-speed rail investment for years, and cosponsored a measure included in the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 that allowed private companies to submit proposals for developing high-speed rail lines.

Source: The Times Herald; 4/20/09



PA. House votes down cell-phone/driving bill

A measure that would ban hand-held cell phones while driving — and make it a primary offense — was narrowly defeated, 100-95, along party lines in Harrisburg Wednesday afternoon. State Rep. Josh Shapiro’s amendment would have imposed a $50 fine and enabled officers to pull over motorists they see using hand-held cell phones. It was tacked on to a bill that would impose a string of new restrictions on teenage drivers. The underlying bill, which was debated by legislators from 11 a.m. until late afternoon, was not expected to get a final vote in the House this week. It would also require approval by the Senate and Gov. Ed Rendell if it is to become law.

Source: Daily Times; 4/22/09





BUCKS COUNTY



Another $800,000 slated for open space

County commissioners approved an open space purchase of $800,000 for 3 farms in upper Bucks. A total of 134 acres will be added to the county’s open space program, including 14 acres in Lower Southampton , 83 acres in Bedminster and a 37-acre farm in Haycock. The county has so far preserved 127 farms and 11,079 acres through the open space program.

Source: The Intelligencer; 4/20/09



Richlandtown, Sellersville to borrow funding for water system improvements

Richlandtown and Sellersville officials had hoped to receive grants from the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority to perform water system improvements. Instead, the funding for the project will come in the form of an $884,000 loan that Richlandtown will have to pay back to the Authority. The loan will be used to remove arsenic from the town’s drinking water. Sellersville received a $337,000 loan through the program to replace old, corroded lines to eliminate system leaks and improve the quality of the drinking water.

Source: The Intelligencer; 4/23/09



PECO project in Langhorne will improve electric facilities for area

A $1 million project that will improve electric facilities for Langhorne and surrounding municipalities is under way, according to PECO. The project includes the installation of 24 new utility poles, new aerial cable and new transformers in Langhorne Borough and Middletown Township . Additionally, PECO will perform state-of-the-art upgrades to Langhorne’s Bellevue substation which will allow for real-time monitoring of customer demand.

Source: The Intelligencer; 4/16/09





CHESTER COUNTY



Coatesville Redevelopment Authority approves $2 million deal to sell The Flats

After negotiating with various developers over the last three years, the city's Redevelopment Authority agreed Monday to sell a key piece of land known as the “Flats” for $2 million. Now City Council must approve or reject the construction plans on a portion of The Flats, the site of the former G.O. Carlson stainless steel mill, which closed in 2004. The Mosaic Group, proposed developer of the property, currently plans to construct an 82,000-square-foot shopping center expected to feature a grocery store and retail and office space. It will occupy the southern half of 26 acres north of West Lincoln Highway and west of Route 82 along the east bank of the Brandywine Creek. Before any construction can begin, the site must be cleaned — a costly and intensive project. The authority is also applying for government environmental grants to cover the cleanup's costs. It's still unclear what will be done with the northern portion of the site. Previously, Iacobucci Homes was in the mix with the intention of building row homes and condominiums on the site. But the company has since pulled out of the project. Iacobucci Homes' exit prompted Chetty Builders and The Shelter Group to throw their plans into the equation. City Council's next meeting is April 27, during which council may vote on the Mosaic plan.

Source: Daily Local; 4/22/09



Pennsbury to advertise referendum on open-space tax shift

Pennsbury Township supervisors plan to place a referendum question on the fall ballot asking residents if they are willing to shift tax revenue that currently supports open space. Currently, 0.45 mills of the township's 1.15-mill real estate tax and 0.188 percent of the township's 0.5 percent earned-income tax go toward open-space preservation. As proposed, the referendum would seek approval of a new tax formula to include 0.79 mills of real estate tax for open space, raising the total real estate tax to 1.49 mills. At the same time, the open-space component would be eliminated from the EIT, reducing it to 0.312 percent. Under the proposal, the township would bring in about $250,000 a year from the open-space portion of the property tax, whereas the two taxes now generate about $300,000. If the township does decide to place a referendum on the ballot in November, and the proposal is approved, it would be nonbinding, meaning the officials could chose to ignore it.

Source: Daily Local; 4/21/09



Schuylkill Township aims for clean energy in 7 percent of households

Schuylkill Township has announced plans to utilize more "clean" energy in the future. In 2007, the township joined a statewide effort, Pennsylvania Clean Energy Communities, a collaborative project of the region's TRF (The Reinvestment Fund) Sustainable Development Fund and SmartPower, by officially pledging to buy at least 20percent of its municipal electricity from renewable sources by 2010.The township has exceeded this goal, buying 25 percent in 2007, and 100 percent in 2008 and 2009, from renewable sources. Schuylkill will now attempt to convince at least 7 percent of the households in the township to purchase a portion of their electricity from clean sources. If the 7 percent goal is reached by the end of May 2009," Kunz said, "the township will receive a 1.2-kilowatt solar power system free of charge to be placed somewhere within the township. Twenty such $10,000 solar systems will be made available to as many communities in Bucks, Montgomery , Philadelphia , Delaware and Chester counties that meet the goal.

Source: Daily Local; 4/23/09







DELAWARE COUNTY



Delaware County Officials look for answers to county foreclosure rate

Some 46 homes were sold during Delaware County ’s most recent foreclosure sale, almost all of them reverting back to mortgage lenders in “dollar sales.” Delaware County Sheriff Joseph F. McGinn said 44 of the total 247 properties up for sale went back to the lenders, while two were sold to third parties. Another 142 were continued to a later date, he said, and 56 were stayed, or removed from the sale docket altogether. One was also postponed due to bankruptcy. According to data provided by McGinn, total sales for the first three months of the year jumped between 2008 and 2009 from 640 to 900. The majority in any given month is continued and nearly all, if sold, go back to the lender in dollar sales.

Source: Daily Times; 4/22/09



Springfield zoners question billboard company’s standing

Round 2 of the zoning hearing regarding the installation of six billboards along Baltimore Pike included testimony by the applicant regarding the justification of the size and height, as well as challenges by the township solicitor regarding the corporation’s ability to conduct business in the state. Thaddeus Bartkowski of The Bartkowski Investment Group discussed the “qualitative and quantitative reasons” regarding the proposed placement of illuminated, back-to-back billboards measuring 672square feet in the 100, 500, 700 and 800 blocks of the highway. The signs would be mounted on free-standing monopoles at a height of 62 feet. Bartkowski noted the decisions were based on the posted 45 mph speed limit of the road, which would offer drivers a 12-second read time, the topography of the street and the necessary sight angle to properly view the billboard. He added the 14-foot-by-48-foot dimension is the smaller of two sizes approved by PennDOT for this classification of roadway. Another meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. May 28 at the township building

Source: Daily Times; 4/24/09



Radnor to start search for township manager

Radnor Township will use both its interim township manager and a Montgomery County firm to search for a new township manager. The township’s Board of Commissioners voted earlier this month to engage Local Governmental Services, LLC to provide help in the search and selection process.

Source: Main Line Suburban Life; 4/22/09







MONTGOMERY COUNTY



Norristown will amend open house sign ordinance

Norristown Borough Council passed its sign ordinance this week, which restricted open house directional signs to one hour before the event. Alliance staff and Realtor® member Ellen Renish were present to comment on the ordinance. As advised by the borough solicitor, the council passed the ordinance “as is” and guaranteed that it will revisit an amendment to the ordinance to allow for open house directional signs for 24 hours prior to the event. Alliance staff will work with borough officials to ensure a satisfactory amendment to the ordinance.



Study will evaluate possible tolls on Route 422

A study by Montgomery County planners will evaluate how to turn Route 422 into a toll road in order to fund future highway construction and extend commuter rail service west of Norristown . The $625,000 study will cost the county $15,833, with the federal government picking up 80 percent of the cost and the remainder divided between Chester and Berks Counties , and PennDOT, the Tri-County Chamber of Commerce and Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce. The study is expected to take 18 months.

Source: The Times Herald/ 4/20/09



Wissahickon passes 2009-2010 budget, taxes will stay the same

The Wissahickon School Board unanimously passed a final budget of $85.8 million for the 2009-210 school year. Real estate taxes for the district will remain at 17.47 mills, with money from the fund balance making up the $1.2 difference between revenues and expenditures.

Source: The Times Herald; 4/20/09



Lower Providence adopts zoning ordinance 26 months in the making

The Evansburg village commercial zoning district was officially adopted by the Lower Providence Board of Supervisors after 26 months of negotiations. The village commercial zoning allows for multiple uses on one property and creates a wider buffer area between the village commercial properties and adjacent residential properties. The zoning change will affect 37 properties in the National Historic district.

Source: The Times Herald; 4/20/09