Present: EAC – Marlou Gregory (Chair), Steve Kunz (ViceChair), Ian Plant, Andrew Kreider, Steve Frasch and Jerry O’Dell.
Board of Supervisors (BOS): Lee Ledbetter and Jim Morrisson.
Citizens Environmental Sub-Committee: Nil.
Meeting called to order at 7:30pm.
EAC Meeting Summary: The meeting summary of the previous November meeting was read and approved.
Announcements: Following the declaration at the close of the November meeting of his intent to leave the EAC, Mr. Kreider was formally thanked for his long service on the EAC and presented with a Certificate of Appreciation for his work. The certificate also indicated that a charitable donation of $100 had been made on his behalf to one of the charities which Mr. Kreider strongly supports. Mrs Gregory indicated that a replacement for Mr Kreider is being sought.
Public Participation: Mr. Andrew Voris of SmartPower was introduced by Mr. Kreider, who indicated that Mr . Voris was attending as the start of a strengthened relationship to help Schuylkill Twp achieve its clean energy goal. Mr. Voris began by describing the SmartPower scheme and explained that 11 out of 20 communities participating in the scheme have so far met their goal of 7% clean energy take-up. He indicated that due to Mr. Kreider leaving the EAC he was seeking a new point-of-contact who he can work with to help our twp achieve its goal and explained that he expects to be frequently in our area and able to help in the period prior to the goal deadline of ‘Earthday’ (22 April 2009). Mr. Kunz volunteered to be the new poc before Mr. Voris went on to describe some of the ways that some sister communities are generating SmartPower participation. In closing this item, Mr. Kreider indicated that the current budget allocation for 2009 will enable the twp to make a 100% clean energy purchase in the forthcoming year.
New Business: Nil
Open Space Commission Update: No activity reported.
Clean Energy: Activity addressed under Public Participation. Mr. Kreider passed the SmartPower documentation pack to Mr. Kunz.
Environmental Committee: No activity reported. Outstanding Actions: Mrs. Gregory and Mrs. Bowser will discuss further the full scope of activities for the sub-committee. Mrs. Bowser to meet with Mr. Plant to determine a way forward for a Twp Environmental Website.
Grants:
No activity reported. Outstanding Action: Mrs. Bowser to disseminate Treevitalize grant information to HomeOwners Associations.
Old Business:
Whitehorse Road Bridge: No update available. Mr.Kunz undertook to check with the Twp Manager on the latest developments and advise the EAC at the next meeting.
Trails: Mr. Plant described parts of two recent news videos produced by Barry Cassidy and posted on the Phoenix website where progress on Phoenixville Borough’s proposed French Creek Parkway was described, and questioned whether there had been any contact with Schuylkill Twp from Phoenixville Borough regarding this development. He had noted that the videos described progress relating to trail easements for the proposed development, and they also indicated that the latest plan is for the Parkway to join Rte 23 between Sears and K-Mart on Schuylkill Road. Using the new GIS overlays, he showed that part of the land between Sears and K-Mart falls within the Schuylkill Twp boundary, which may therefore require Twp participation in approval of the development proposals, and also suggested that this junction is very close to point of the Twp boundary with East Pikeland from where they intend to create a trail along French Creek, as described by Ms. Kim Dunn at the EAC September meeting, and for which it may be appropriate for Schuylkill Twp to develop a plan to link the two trail sections. Mr Plant agreed to discuss these items with Mrs. Cohen and also look elsewhere to discover if any formal plans exist from which a course of action for Schuylkill Twp could be determined. Mr. Plant additionally described a chance meeting with Natasha Goguts of Chesco Planning Dept, where he had had an initial discussion about the verification process for the County’s recently developed GIS trails overlay as it relates to Schuylkill Twp, and explained that he intended to meet separately with Ms. Goguts before presenting the outcome to the EAC. He agreed to co-ordinate with Mrs. Williams and Mrs. Cohen for them to participate in the verification meeting if they wished to attend. Outstanding Action: Mr. Plant to seek to develop an overlay addition that can identify which lot parcels contain approved trail easements
Rails-to-Trails (RTT): Mr. Plant reported his recent attendance at a ‘Citizens for the Train’ meeting in Phoenixville, on behalf of Mrs. Williams, where Barry Cassidy and Manny DeMutis described their latest plans for regeneration of the Devault rail line, using funding to be sought from PennDOT under the Smart Transportation scheme (www.smart-transportation.com). Mr. Cassidy and Mr. DeMutis had presented a Scope of Work document for the next study phase, but Mr. Plant had noted that nowhere did it mention development of a trail alongside the rail link, in the manner previously agreed with Mr Cassidy by the Rails-to-Trails group and confirmed in e-mails received from Mr Cassidy in April and September 2008. Mr Plant had raised this omission with Mr Cassidy and Mr DeMutis during the meeting and they had agreed that it was an oversight. They had also agreed to work with Natasha Goguts of Chester County Planning Department to develop suitable wording for their study Scope of Work to incorporate a trail into the proposal, and took a vote of those present which confirmed that the development should proceed as a ‘Rails with Trails’ project.
Toonerville Trolley Trail: No activity reported.
Operation Safe Kids/Rte 29 Sidewalk: Mrs. Gregory reported that following the withdrawal of PASD support for the scheme, the part of the trail alongside Rte 29 could not be made compliant with disabled persons access regulations and construction plans for this section had been abandoned. However, construction of the Pothouse Road sector is expected to proceed.
Environmental Overlay: Mrs. Gregory proposed and the EAC agreed that a separate meeting of available EAC members would be convened during January 2009, to which the Twp Engineer would be invited, to address the remainder of the Environmental Overlay review issues.
Pickering Preserve: Mr. Kreider passed the Pickering Preserve documentation pack to Mr. O’Dell. Mr. Morrisson questioned whether any action had been taken do deed restrict or place a conservation easement upon the lands of the preserve. Mrs. Gregory was unsure, and noted that the same action was needed for the lot upon which the Twp Building was built. Mrs. Gregory undertook to write to the OSC to prompt them to address the issue and make subsequent recommendations to the BOS. Outstanding Actions: Mr. Cram to arrange later in the Summer for TreeWrap to be applied to the young trees that have been recently planted, to prevent their destruction (when at the same time the fencing is removed) through ‘Buck Rub’. Mr. Kunz to seek guidance from Mrs. Bowser regarding the long term future for the ‘Rain Garden’. Mr. Cram agreed to seek YMCA approval for the Roads Crew to gain access to the lower Preserve from the YMCA property, in order for the existing pathway to be mown in support of Samuel Stearly’s Eagle Scout project..
Deer Hunting on Pickering Preserve – No activity reported. Outstanding Actions: Mr. Cram to contact PGC to seek guidance on deer population control.
Trash Pick-Up Project – No activity reported. Outstanding Action: Mr. Cram to e-mail a list of suitable Community Service Projects to the Probation Department.
Northern Federation’s Development of a Regional Park and Recreation Strategic Plan (RPRSP): Mr. Frasch indicated that he has reviewed of the plan, which seeks initially to compile an inventory of recreational facilities that exist within the bounds of the Federation before developing a plan for the future. Having noted that effective Schuylkill involvement would need East Pikeland Twp membership, he has contacted East Pikeland but has not yet had a response. Should the response be affirmative, Mr. Frasch intends to liaise with Mr. Plant to provide a coordinated response to the Federation which takes account of the other concurrent initiatives within Schuylkill Twp.
SALDO Tree List - Outstanding Action: Mr. O’Dell to look at the list and determine whether any changes should be recommended.
Brake Ordinance – No activity reported. Mr. Morrisson was unsure whether the ordinance had yet been passed by the BOS and undertook to check and report back the status to the January EAC meeting, including whether any signs are now being produced (if it has been passed)
Old Schuylkill Elementary School (Environmental Showcase Plan): No activity reported.
Treevitalize: No activity reported.
Township Web Site: Mr. Kreider reported that he had held further discussion with the Twp Manager who had requested notification of the intended periods of service for each of the new members. It was agreed in subsequent discussion that Mr. Plant would fill the slot currently due for renewal at the end of 2010, whilst Mr. Frasch and Mr. O’Dell would serve until the end of 2011. Mrs. Gregory undertook to forward these details to the Twp Manager.
EAC Budget: Mr. Kreider reported that there had been a small surplus from the 2008 budget which has reverted to the Twp. For 2009, the EAC’s budget allocation is set at $4250, the same as for 2008. Mr. O’Dell reported that the desired tree pruning for Pickering Preserve discussed at the previous EAC meeting is to be addressed through a different section of the Twp budget.
Developments:
EDC – No activity reported.
Reeves Property – A team from Pohlig Builders were in attendance to discuss issues arising from the Aug 18 EAC review letter and their subsequent Dec 12 response. Prior to the discussion, Mrs Gregory reminded the team that the EAC’s review was not a legal review, but was an environmental review which took account of existing guidance and perceived best practice from a multiplicity of sources. Taking each item of the EAC review in turn, the following summarizes additional statements that were made in clarification of the issue discussed under the same number in the Dec 12 letter:
Additional Item – East Philip Drive: Pohlig indicated that since the EAC review, an oversized lot at the end of East Philips Drive had been purchased which enables the creation of a 2nd access point to the development. Pohlig offered to incorporate a sidewalk into this access if the EAC desired it. Initial thoughts were that this should be done.
Outstanding Action: Mr. Kunz to provide an update in relation to validity of the permits issued when he has received a response from DEP to clarify the wetlands classification.
Pasquale Pond – Mrs. Gregory reported that the environmental review of the proposals was now complete. She also reported that there had been some concern raised that the proposed changes would not sustain wetlands on the site, but that these issues had subsequently been resolved and that the Twp Engineer, Westrum and PADEP representatives were all now comfortable with the proposed plans.
YMCA – Mrs. Gregory stated that action was needed to check on the status of the Rain Garden at the YMCA, development of which was a condition of their planning approval for the recent extension to the property. Mrs. Gregory undertook to check on this and report back.
Announcements: In preparation for 2009, Mrs..Gregory stated that if anyone within the EAC wished to volunteer to become Secretary, Treasurer, Chair or Vice-Chair for the forthcoming year, they should indicate their desires to her in an e-mail before the next meeting.
Meeting Adjourned at 10:35pm