Pocopson Township
Chester County, Pennsylvania
 

7:30 p.m., Monday, August 28, 2006

  Brutscher called the meeting to order at 7:35 p.m. and opened with the pledge of allegiance.  Supervisors Sellers and Hubbard were in attendance.  Steve Conary, PC member, and Bill Harwood, Road Master, were also in attendance.

Announcements:  Brutscher reported that she had attended the meeting on the Scenic Byway last Thursday, and the Committee is in the midst of applying for grant money.  If the Committee applies for a Vision Partnership Grant, the byway will have to be added as an addendum to the comprehensive plan of all the townships located in the byway.  The Committee is actively seeking grant money for byway improvements such as signage, etc. Scenic Byway dues are $500 a year, Brutscher said.

Hubbard reported that himself and Sellers had met last Monday at 4:30 to review the Open Space Advisory Committee applicant’s letters of interest.

Brandywine Conservancy:  John Snook and Shiela Fleming, Brandywine Conservancy, were present to discuss the latest version of the Community Trails and Master Plan that Fleming had mailed to the Board back in July.  Fleming said the Conservancy had made several revisions to existing trails, and changed a few names and descriptions.  Fleming  said the largest change is modifications to the fee-in-lieu formula.  Snook said a corollary to the plan is the fee in lieu of language for recreation, parkland, and facilities and trails.  Snook outlined the methodology for the new fee-in-lieu structure.  Snook said the fees for trails will be set by resolution by the Board and allows for revisions by resolution.  Snook said this could be forwarded to the County PC and township PC to start the 30 day review process for adoption.  He also pointed out that he would contact Tom Comitta for updated recreational facility costs since the costs in the submitted language are in 2002 dollars.  Snook said the Resource Protection Amendments presented tonight is the final draft of this document.  Sellers asked Snook if the Conservancy would review incoming subdivisions for their compliance with this ordinance.  Conary, PC commission member, expressed his concerns about the new fee-in-lieu structure and how it would affect smaller subdivisions such as a parent subdividing a lot off for a son or daughter.  Snook said an angle would be to have a per unit cap.  The Board discussed the amendments and decided to table a decision until November 13^th Board meeting to allow the County and Township PC time to study and review the ordinance.

Motion:  Hubbard moved, Brutscher seconded to forward this to the pc commission and have John Fenn and PC members look at past subdivisions and how this new fee-in-lieu would have affected these subdivisions with a recommendation to the Board by November 1^st.  Motion carried with all agreed.

The secretary said she would send the final draft of the Resource Protection Amendments to the County Planning Commission for their review and comment.

Northbrook Orchards:  Alan Johnson, owner Northbrook Orchards, said the infiltration basin located on the west side of the Northbrook Orchard’s barn is being undermined by groundhogs and not being mowed by the HOA at Olmsted.  Johnson asked if the Board could request the HOA to mow the basin.  Harwood said he would contact the HOA management company and ask them to mow the overgrown area in the basin.

Scaleby Farm Subdivsion:  Jim Fritsch, Regester Associates, Inc., was present to discuss Fenn’s final review dated August 25, 2006 of the Scaleby Farm subdivision for 11 new homes on 13 lots.  Fritsch said that Fenn disagrees with the bridge details for crossing the wetlands and Fritsch said the applicant is willing to revise the bridge construction according to John Fenn’s recommendations.  With regard to the pipeline, Sellers is going to contact Greg Cary at PECO to see if the township could get assistance from PECO with moving the pipeline located along the culvert at Route 52 and Locust Grove Road.  Fritsch went through the items on Fenn’s latest review letter dated August 25, 2006. 

Fritsch requested the Supervisors to sign the water service letter dated August 28, 2006 to Aqua, PA, and the Board did so. 

Motion:  Sellers moved, Brutscher seconded to approve the final subdivison plan for Scaleby Farm drawn by Regester Associates, Inc. last revised 8/8/06 with the following three conditions:
1) Address all items in John Fenn’s review dated August 25, 2006.

2) Continue discussions on the intersection improvements at Locust Grove Road and Route 52, and agree to pay 1/3 of the cost of intersection improvements.

3) Aqua America will supply public water.

Motion carried all in agreement.

SchoolHouse Re-Roof:  Sellers said the township has a reproofing plan for Pocopson Schoolhouse drawn by John Milner Architects dated 7/7/06.  Sellers requested the Board have the township’s solicitor prepare the advertisement for bids and set a pre-bid informational meeting to go over the plans with potential bidders.  Sellers proposed this advertisement be placed as soon as possible so the new roof would be completed by late November before winter.  Conary suggested notifying the previous bidders that provided re-roofing estimates and inviting them to the pre-bid meeting.  Sellers suggested considering the second week in September at the sight for the pre-bid meeting.  It was noted that a date and time for the pre-bid meeting will be set in the near future.  The secretary said she would contact Unruh’s office in the morning to begin preparation of the advertisement.  Sellers also requested the Secretary to find out the specifics of why the schoolhouse grant was turned down and invite Representative Steve Barrar to a future township meeting.

Zoning Officer / Yelton Property:  The Board discussed and agreed that Bruce Yelton is in violation of township zoning ordinances, and a Cease and Desist order should be sent to Mr. Yelton advising him to evict the electrical contractor and landscaping company leasing storage space in his barn located at 3 Deblyn V, West Chester, Pennsylvania.

Road Report:  Harwood said he would like the township road crew to mow and clear the underbrush located along the curve at Route 52 and Lenape Unionville Road to improve sight distance along Route 52.  The Board agreed with this suggestion.

County Prison Project:  Sellers said he had received a request from Mr. Thompson, County Prison representative to move the guard shack at the prison property closer to Wawaset Road.  The Board agreed there was no problem with this request.  Sellers said to send Mr. Thompson a note saying the Board will approve the guard shack location as soon as the County sends in the recorded plan for the JDC. 

Bragg Hill Road Closing:  The Board discussed the closing of Bragg Hill Road.  It was noted there are two gates, one gate at the White Property, with the second gate at the beginning of the dirt road.  Bragg Hill Road will be permanently closed from the Shreck’s property to the corner of the White property and temporarily closed from the White property to Thompson’s driveway.

Open Space Advisory Committee:  The Board agreed to interview candidates for the Open Space Advisory Committee the first week in September.  The secretary will contact the following four candidates:  Tiaa Rettig, Nancy Ercolani, Holly Manzone, and Linda Moore with interviews starting at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 7^th for 15 minute intervals.    

Approval of Minutes: 
Sellers moved, Hubbard seconded to accept the minutes of August 14^th as amended.  Motion carried with all in agreement

Sellers moved, Hubbard seconded to accept the minutes of July 24^th as amended.  Motion carried with all in agreement.

Treasurer’s Warrants:  The warrants were approved and signed as submitted.

Route 52/Roundabout:  The Board discussed the Roundabout project and decided to appoint an engineering firm to develop the design for the Roundabout at their next Board meeting on September 11^th.  Brutscher said she would contact East Marlborough and talk with Jane Laslo about the work that TP&D did for their township. 

Adjournment:  The meeting was adjourned at 10:05 p.m.

_____________________                                                               ____________________
Karen J. Eckard, Secretary                                                                H. William Sellers, Chair.