CHARLESTOWN TOWNSHIP
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The Charlestown Township Board of Supervisors met on Monday, July 11, 1994, at the Charlestown Elementary School, Charlestown Road, Devault.
| Present: | John C. Martin, Jr., Chairman; John B. Sauser, Vice Chairman; Irene W. Ewald, Member; Surender S. Kohli, P.E.; Thomas F. Oeste, Esq.; Ruth W. Buckwalter, Secretary, those on the attached list of attendees and others. |
The Chairman called the meeting to order at 8:10pm.
Mr. Sauser moved to approve the minutes of June 6, 1994. The motion was seconded by Mr. Martin and so carried.
Mr. Sauser moved to approve the minutes of June 20, 1994. The motion was seconded by Mr. Martin and so carried.
Mr. Martin moved to approve the June 1994 Treasurer’s Report. The motion was seconded by Mr. Sauser and so carried.
Mr. Martin commented on check #7696, payable to Mr. Gary Bender, Esq., Special Solicitor, noting this cost goes back to 1993. Mr. Sauser suggested sending a letter stating that bills must be submitted promptly. Mr. Martin will write the letter. Mr. Martin also commented on the bill to clean up the cemetery submitted by Delaware Valley Paving Company. This will be taken up later in the meeting. Mr. Martin moved for approval of the July 11, 1994 Accounts Payable, subject to writing a letter to Mr. Bender regarding timely submission of invoices. The motion was seconded by Mr. Sauser and so carried.
Zoning Officer’s Report: Mr. Kohli submitted his written report on permits issued during June, 1994. Mr. Kohli reported he had sent the two letters to Great Valley Materials as discussed at the June 27th meeting.
Planning Commission Report: Linda Csete, Secretary for the Planning Commission, reported the last meeting was mostly on the widening of Rees Road and the location of Horseshoe Trail.
Roadmaster’s Report: Mr. Hiller submitted his written report for the month of June. He reported mowing was done throughout the Township, drains and inlets cleaned, extended pipe and graded area at Township Line and Coldstream Roads and clean-up of the Revolutionary Cemetery. Mr. Martin requested Mr. Hiller to make a list of projects he expects to do and include on the list an estimate of the number of hours and the equipment that would be used for each project. He would like this for the August 1st Board meeting. Mr. Sauser suggested Mr. Hiller itemize the cost of projects listed from the Spring Road Tour. Mr. Hiller replied that, with the exception of summer storms and the Road Tour list, the only project he anticipates is paving. Another matter of concern to Mr. Sauser was the safety issue of cinders and loose stones on PENNDOT roads in the Township. He suggested a cost sheet for the clean-up be sent to PENNDOT with the request for a reimbursement to the Township to do the work. Mrs. Ewald stated that PENNDOT will not reimburse the Township for anything without a summer maintenance contract and suggested the Board re-open the possibility of such a move. It was decided that Mr. Hiller would write a letter to PENNDOT to include road clean-up as well as the need for mowing. Mr. Martin noted two other PENNDOT problems: l) Rt.#29 depressions and alligatoring 2) high grass at the intersection of Hollow and Charlestown Roads. Mr. Sauser reported on a letter from Harry Burnham who is having a problem with dogs chasing deer which he reported to the Game Commission but has had no response. Mr. Sauser asked Mr. Hiller, as animal control officer, does he have authority to take action on this. Mr. Hiller said he had no enforcement authority in Charlestown because he has not been sworn in. Mr. Oeste will get a copy of the laws governing this. No further action was taken.
Fire Marshal’s Report: Mr. Alston read his report for July and submitted a copy for the Township files. There were eight incidents responded to by the Fire Companies. Mrs. Ewald questioned Mr. Alston about the Heritage Acres Care facility. Mr. Alston inspected the building and was satisfied. He and Mr. Kohli inspected an area on Phoenixville Pike for hazardous material. The owner was asked to contact them but has not done so to date. Mr. Alston asked for guidance from the Board regarding repeated burnings by individuals. It was decided to raise the fine from $50 to $500. Mr. Alston will amend the Fire Control Regulations Ordinance for review by Mr. Oeste and the Supervisors before the August 1st Board meeting.
The Chairman inquired of the Roadmaster if the speed limit signs have been installed on Rees Road. He replied that they were installed.
Citizens Forum: Robert Devlin thanked the Supervisors for their response to his problems. The water problem is still there, but Mr. Kohli reported that the District Engineer is working on a design to eliminate this. Fred Alston inquired of Mr. Sauser about the re-numbering project stating that it is becoming increasingly important for proper numbering. John DiLello asked the Supervisors if any important decisions were made after midnight at the May 2nd meeting. Mrs. Ewald asked the Secretary to send Mr. DiLello a copy of the May minutes. Thomas Alleva inquired about the decision on widening Rees Road at his property. This subject was discussed at length. Mr. Martin said the decision will be made when the Final Plan is approved.
The next item of business was the Commons at Great Valley, lots 2 and 3 and lots 9 and 10. Mr. Kohli noted that lots 2 and 3 are not before the Supervisors at this time and that lots 9 and 10 are for a lot line change. He has reviewed the change in the plan and recommends approval. Mrs. Ewald moved for approval of the change. The motion was seconded by Mr. Martin and carried unanimously. One copy of the plan was signed in order for Jack Loew to close a sale. Mrs. Ewald noted to Mr. Loew that the berm along the Township property on White Horse Road was removed when the utilities were installed for his project. She requested him to restore the berm explaining that is was there for security purposes.
Mr. Oeste submitted a revised Fee Resolution which added a $500 non-refundable filing fee for Planned Residential Development, Conditional Uses, Curative Amendments and Ordinance Amendment requests. All of the above also require a $1,000 Escrow fund. Mrs. Ewald moved to adopt Resolution #487-94. Mr. Martin seconded the motion. It unanimously carried.
The next order of business was Charlestown Brae. Mr. Kohli referred to his letter of July 8, 1994, which itemized his comments on Resolution #485-94 for widening Rees Road. After reviewing the Resolution in conjunction with plan sheets 40 and 41, he recommended revisions to paragraphs 4 and 5 which he explained and discussed with the Supervisors. One issue discussed at length was providing for the widening at the curvature of the road between stations 90 + 100 and 92 + 50 with the necessary right-of-way and/or grading easement even though the widening may not be done until some future date. Mr. Oeste said he would revise the Resolution to reflect the changes recommended by Mr. Kohli. Mrs. Ewald moved to approve Mr. Oeste’s revision of Resolution #485-94. The motion was seconded by Mr. Martin and carried unanimously.
The Chairman inquired of Mr. Oeste if the money received from a developer can be donated to the Charlestown Historic Society for the purposes of maintenance and restoration of the Rapp House. Mr. Oeste had looked into this matter and said the money could be donated if the Historic Society was a nonprofit association and the money was used for maintenance and restoration. He advised sending a letter to the Historic Society indicating the purposes for which the donation should be used. The Chairman informed Mrs. Baldwin that she would be presented with a check in the amount of $24,000 at the August 1st Board meeting.
The Chairman reported speaking to the Director of the Nature Center about maintenance of the Revolutionary War Cemetery. The Director had other programs and was unable comply. Mrs. Ewald suggested contacting Delaware Valley Paving Co. for an estimate on 2 maintenance cuttings for the remainder of the summer. Mr. Martin agreed to this. Mrs. Baldwin suggested contacting Mr. Redford who has a mowing service. Mrs. Ewald asked her to get an estimate on the same as above.
The Chairman brought up the Park Grant Application. The Application for soccer field #4, located at the former BMX site, will be for $20,000; 50% of the funding will come from the County and 50% will be matched by the Soccer Club. Mr. Martin moved to approve Resolution #486-94 for application to the small improvement park grants by Charlestown Township in the amount of $20,000 with the Township responsible through the Soccer Club for $10,000. The motion was seconded by Mrs. Ewald and carried unanimously.
The next item was the letter received from George Fasic, Chester County Planning Commission, on the subject of PENNDOT’S Twelve Year Program for Highways and Bridges. The Secretary will answer Mr. Fasic’s letter listing the following needed road improvements: 1) the curve on Rt #29 between Hollow Road and Dixon Drive 2) Rt #401 and Valley Hill Road 3) Coldstream Road between Marian and Maryhill Roads 4) Rt #29 bridge between Union Hill Road and Peakes Pike.
The Chairman referred to the June 29th letter received from the Valley Forge Christian College. Mrs. Ewald explained that the attached drawing was the land use plan approved by their Board of Regents. It shows Liberty Forge Association,Inc., moved north of the College grounds and the Simpson House, a Methodist Retirement community, to be located west and south of the College and bordering Charlestown Park.
The Chairman announced that CREW has filed an appeal of the Commonwealth Court of PA. He also reported that the PSW Co. has filed for their franchise area, limited to that of Charlestown Brae and further that PSW Co. sent a letter asking if Charlestown would be interested in combining water and sewer bills. The Chairman noted that the Township collects neither of these bills.
Mr. Sauser reported on the deer control issue. The Game Commission approved a municipal procedure and Mr. Sauser had several pages sent to him taken from the PA Code. He explained that what needs to be done is to submit an application for a permit from the Game Commission with a map showing the boundaries of areas to be considered giving ranges, damage areas, deer concentration areas, safety zones, enclosed control areas along with deer density and other information. When the permit is issued, up to 5 licensed hunters will be appointed to hunt deer from February through September. He proposed that 6 people drive around the Township on the same night at the same time to spot-light and count the deer. Mr. Sauser and Mr. Hiller will be part of this Ad Hoc Committee, the remaining number of hunters to be chosen by Mr. Sauser. Mr. Martin and Mrs. Ewald agreed with his proposal.
Mrs. Baldwin reported that she was notified of a party interested in purchasing the Rebecca Bones property to build a new residence on the 5 acres and then restore the spring house rather than the Bones house. The party is planning to attend the next Historic Commission meeting to see how the Commission feels about this. Mr. Sauser said that if they did restore the Bones house there would then be two residences on one lot - would they want to subdivide? Mrs. Ewald would like to see the presentation before she expressed an opinion.
All business completed, Mrs. Ewald moved to adjourn. The motion was seconded by Mr. Martin and carried unanimously. The Chairman adjourned the meeting at 10:50pm.