[Historical Commission Minutes]

SCHUYLKILL TOWNSHIP
HISTORICAL COMMISSION
 MEETING DATE: April 21,  2008

COMMISSION MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE:
Sandy Momyer, Joanne Brown,  Doug White, Khalil, Hihi, Dianne Cram, John Gregory, Pam Applegate-Frasch
OTHER ATTENDEES:  Lee Ledbetter, Barbara Cohen

Sandy opened the meeting at 7:05

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

  • Meeting minutes sent to Schuylkillhc mailbox, but did not get out to members.  Pam to follow up with Mary.
  • Post meeting note:  e-mail to Schuylkilloffice and Schuylkillhc following meeting was not answered.  Pam to forward meeting minutes to HC members individual mailboxes in the future rather than using the group box.

CORRESPONDENCE & ANNOUNCEMENTS                     

  • New employee in Schuylkill Twsp office:  Madeline Harbison to assist Mary.
  • Andrew Kreider from the EAC was featured in an article in the Philly Inquirer "Ways to go Green at Home".  Did a presentation in Berwyn.
  • Membership to CCHPN needs to be renewed.  Motion to renew:  app approved.
  • Peter Wentz Farmstead will be hosting a presentation of Historic Preservation on 31-May.  The Workshop is called "Sensitive Approaches to Restoration".  Registration fee is $40.  To be held at Fairview Village Community hall.  See Dianne for more details.
  • The Phoenix newpaper is in financial trouble and may go out of business.

NEW MEMBER RECRUITMENT

  • Welcome to John Gregory.  Approved by Board of Supervisors.

REPORTS:

  • Board of Supervisors :
    • Ticket Booth:  Pasquale has taken back the easement for use of the land. 
      • Sandy called to ask if we could repair the tarp and was told no.
      • Barbara:  we are looking at appraised value of property.  By law, we are only allowed to pay the value appraised.  We were looking to obtain via open space $, but Pasquale says his appraisal was higher and will not accept the lower amount.
    • Royal Bank: 
      • Sandy called Preservation Pennsylvania at the request of Bob Sugarman to obtain a brief.
      •  PA Supreme Court decision is pending and will most likey be decided this summer.
      • One argument was that the house was not on the 1981 survey.  We have obtained pictures from the survey and found that it is # 23 on the list.  Copies have been sent to Sugarman's office, but John has advised that it may not be admissible to the Supreme Court as it was not originally presented to the ZHB.
  • Planning Commission:
    • Reeves property was discussed.
    • Magic memories Daycare will be coming to the HC.  They want to build an addition.  Khalil has already obtained photos.
  • EAC:
    • No update
  • Open Space Commission:
    • No update

CURRENT PROJECTS

  • Sedgley Property (Reeves)
    • HC toured the Carriage and Tenant Houses.  Dianne brought photos.
    • We have been asked by BOS to review our original recommendation from 02-Feb-2007 and update as needed.
    • Letter from Pohlig indicated lot lines have been shifted and lots enlarged on main house.  Requesting marketing period to sell lots.  Does not define length of marketing period. 
    • Pohlig also asked if there was # for open Space to purchase lots.  Sandy passed info to Bob Cooney.
    • Review of the plans shows a lot (#20) has been created between the tenant and carriage house.  Also appears that the natural vegetation buffer between the houses and proposed road will be removed.
    • Two of the plans provided show tenant house being removed (sheets 13 and 2 of 45)
    • We have concerns about the close proximity of building lot 23 to the main house.
    • Sandy to revise our recommendation and submit to BOS:
      • #1:  preserve all
      • #2:  keep entire lower ½ open to preserve farmscape
      • #3:  honor the cluster planning.  Remove lot 20.  Make lot 23 a non-building lot.. 
      • We cannot agree to a marketing time limit.  Urge Pohlig to use best methods to sell.
      • Preserve existing vegetation buffer on lots 18 - 23 to preserve historic view shed.
      • Request naming rights for development and roads applicable to history of Township.
      • Motion:  All in favor.
    • Post meeting note:  Sandy wrote the recommendation and forwarded to all on HC for comment and approval.  The recommendation was forwarded to the BOS.
    • Concerns about the Historic Impact study by Bob Wise.  We disagree regarding whether tenant and carriage house should be saved.  Impact study does not reference comprehensive plan.
  • Ticket Booth:  see above
  • Royal Bank - see above. 
  • Schuylkill School
    • Positive e-mail from Sugarman.  He spoke with School Board.  Term Sheet was approved at the last School Board Meeting.  If Township adds district as additional insured, this will make the School Board Happy.  FOSS received additional funds for the School.  More is coming to start fundraising for matches.
  • Toonerville Trolley Trail:  Grant application is in.
  • Anderson Cemetery:  Initiative in State to register cemeteries.  Sandy obtained paperwork and will touch base with Khalil for details needed.
  • Brackman:  no update.

SCHUYLKILL PROPERTIES:..

  • 595 Valley Park Rd
    • Sandy received a call from perspective buyer asking if he could build a deck with patio.
    • Sandy looked at house and said he would need to come before us for advice, but does not feel there would be any issues.
  • 1601 Valley Forge Rd
    • Khalil brought photos of house, barn, bridge.
    • Yerkes recommends to demolish bridge and erect barrier.  Remove trash from house and install gutters, roof and paint.  Demolish Barn.
    • We will request a walk through of house.  Sandy to check with county on bridge.  Would they have funds to repair since it is the old Route 23 bridge.

HISTORIC PROJECTS:.

  • GIS
    • Khalil and Pam ranked some houses last week.  Approx 15 houses were looked at .  Khalil will meet every Thurs evening to drive and look at houses for rank.

OLD BUSINESS:

  • Historic Ordinances
    • Meetings are Monday in the AM - dates TBA.  John will plan to join.  Sandy, Mary, Frank (from code enforcement), and Dianne have met in the past.  Frank will bring someone from Harrisburg to speak.  His suggestion is that a Historical Commission + a HARB may be the better way to go.  This based on other local Historical ordinances.
  • Founders Day at Moore Hall
    • 08-Nov
    • Sandy has written and left 2 messages with the Walters.  No responses.  Lee asked to get Barbara involved.  Sandy will speak to her at the next BOS meeting.
  • Recollections of our Past/Responsibility for our Future:  Reeves is currently posted, Meadowbrook and Moore Hall will follow.
  • Reports to Yerkes - 705 Pennypacker is in bad condition:  trash outside.
  • Meeting nights and times - meeting dates are difficult to move.  Will leave as is for now.

NEW BUSINESS

  • Meadowbrook:
    • District is still trying to purchase or take the property by eminent domain.
  • Khalil suggested we all keep an eye out for houses for sale.  It is a good opportunity to get inside to get photos.

PENDING - No Action

Meeting adjourned at 9:33.
Next meeting will be 19-May-2008
    Meeting to begin at 7:00

Submitted by:
Pamela Applegate-Frasch