Supervisors Hold the Line on Taxes New-Look Township Website Available Spring/Summer 2009

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1 Upper Hanover Township P.O. Box 27 East Greenville, PA Spring/Summer 2009 PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID East Greenville, PA PERMIT #25 Newsletter Montgomery County, Pennsylvania Published by the Board of Supervisors r Founded 1741 INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Supervisors Letter...2 Township Contact Information...2 Renewable Energy And Recycling Task Force Update Township Supervisor Service Recognition Awards In Review....4 Dedication Ceremony Set For Camelot Park...5 When Do I Need A Permit?...5 Supervisors Adopt Ordinance To Regulate Windmills And Outdoor Furnaces...6 Environmental Crossword Puzzle...Center Spread Summer Is West Nile Virus Season...9 # Upper Hanover Township Board of Supervisors: From left to right Shannan E. Bieler, Mary Gibbs Kershner, Richard K. Fain, Chairman, Eugene R. Marks, Vice-Chairman and Eugene F. Fried. Lifemark Medical Center 3 Life Mark Drive Sellersville, PA (215) FAX J. PHILLIP MOYER, M.D., F.A.C.C. MITCHELL GREENSPAN, M.D., F.A.C.C PAUL R. HERMANY, M.D., F.A.C.C MICHELLE N. STRAM, M.D., F.A.C.C. CHRISTOPHER T. OSWALD, M.D., F.A.C.C. IDA L. MAZZA, M.D., F.A.C.C. MATTHEW FORJOHN, PA-C Supervisors Hold the Line on Taxes Montgomery County Health Department...9 T History Corner: The Swinging Bridge...10 he The Upper Hanover Township Board of Supervisors adopted the 2009 Township budget without a tax increase. This marks the fourth consecutive year that the real estate millage rate remained at 1.45 mills, among the lowest municipal property tax rates in Montgomery County. With these hard economic times, we wanted to give our citizens some good news, said Richard K. Fain, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors. By maintaining lean staffing and not overextending ourselves, we are able to maintain current township services while leaving the tax rate unchanged in The adopted 1.45 millage rate consists of.8 mills for general purposes,.2 mills for highway improvements,.2 mills for open space preservation,.2 mills for fire protection and.05 mills for ambulance service. Content provided by Shadywood Communications From Skippack Barracks, Pennsylvania State Police...10 Inter-Municipal Cooperation On Trail Connection Projects...11 Did You Know?...11 Why A Street Address Numbers Ordinance?...12 New-Look Township Website Available Procedure For Purchasing Street Address Numbers...12 T 2009 Road Projects...13 he Township s new-look website recently went online at Included among the updates and changes are the following: This Community Newsletter is produced for Upper Hanover Township by Hometown Press All rights reserved To Place An Ad Call Denise At Hometown Press DeniseOfHTP@yahoo.com Still Time To Sign-up For Montco PA Alert Program...9 A News and Updates section listing announcements and news releases. Check back often to see what is up in Upper Hanover. continued on page Regional Recycling Program...13

2 New Homes From The Low $300 s Sat & Sun 12-5pm Wed 4-7pm Edward A. Skypala Attorney at Law Law Offices of EDWARD A. SKYPALA 224 King Street Pottstown, PA STEPHEN REDDING Arborist A Complete Tree and Landscaping Service FULLY INSURED REASONABLE RATES Reller Road Green Lane, PA (f) IEandM@comcast.net Red Hill Greenhouses FLORIST Main Street Red Hill, PA TEL. (610) TEL. (610) FAX (610)

3 2 Supervisors Letter Dear Residents: As you probably read on the cover of this newsletter, the Township s newly redesigned website is up and running. We encourage you to check in often for updates about important issues and events affecting the Township. One of those events is scheduled for August 30, when we will have a formal dedication of Camelot Park. We are very proud of the complex and would like to share the day with as many residents as possible. Please also note the adoption of an important public safety ordinance that requires street address numbers to be plainly visible. Two stories on this ordinance are located elsewhere in this newsletter. While summer is supposed to be a fun time, it also has it s own dangers. Check out our stories about how to protect you and your family from rabies and West Nile Virus. For a fun bit of nostalgia, read our story about The Swinging Bridge. As always, the Board of Supervisors and the employees of Upper Hanover Township thank you for your support and encouragement. It is because of this spirit of cooperation that our community is a great place to live, work and raise a family. Have a safe and relaxing summer. Richard K. Fain Upper Hanover Township Board of Supervisors Upper Hanover Township Board of Supervisors Chairman Richard K. Fain. Township Contact Information Office Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m Pillsbury Road, PO Box 27, East Greenville, PA Phone: r Fax: r Township Manager sseitzinger@comcast.net Road Foreman larrybuckuht@comcast.net For Police, Fire and Medical Emergencies: Dial 911 Board of Supervisors Richard K. Fain, Chairman Eugene R. Marks, Vice Chairman Shannan E. Bieler, Assistant Treasurer Eugene F. Fried Mary Gibbs Kershner, Assistant Secretary Board of Supervisors Regular Meeting: Second Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. Workshop Meeting: Monday prior to each Regular Meeting at 7 p.m. Planning Commission Workshop Meeting: First and third Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. Staff Township Manager: Stanley W. Seitzinger, Jr. Road Foreman: Larry D. Buck Meeting Schedule Regular Meeting: First Wednesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. Industrial Development Authority Second Monday of the last month of each quarter at 7:30 p.m. Zoning Hearing Board Third Wednesday of each month, as required, at 7 p.m. A Reminder... The Township Building will be closed on the following holidays: December 25 Christmas Day January 1 New Years Day Parks and Recreation Committee Fourth Monday of each month at 7 p.m. Historical Committee Third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. Upper Hanover Authority First Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. All meetings are open to the public and are held at: Upper Hanover Township Municipal Building: 1704 Pillsbury Road, East Greenville, PA

4 3 Renewable Energy and Recycling Task Force Update The Upper Hanover Township Renewable Energy and Recycling Task Force (R & R Task Force) will host its second energy saving forum on Thursday, September 17, 2009 at 7 p.m. The forum will be held at the Upper Hanover Township Municipal Building located at 1704 Pillsbury Road. The purpose of the forum is to provide residents with practical ways to conserve energy and save money. Further specifics on the program will be posted on the township website. The Upper Hanover Township Board of Supervisors applied for a Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources grant to construct a green pavilion at Camelot Park. To reduce energy consumption, the pavilion will have solar panels, water conserving toilets, and a Solatube lighting system. The R & R Task Force also wishes to announce that the Red Hill Recycling Center is now accepting CFL light bulbs and cell phones as recycling items Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to noon. The R & R Task Force, through the coordination efforts of Township Supervisors Shannan Bieler and Mary Gibbs Kershner, spent a great deal of time researching state-mandated recycling that will become effective after the 2010 census. The Upper Hanover Township Board of Supervisors would like to thank all the volunteers on the task force for their commitment and dedication on this important task, especially Chet Belsky, Dean Kresge, Mike Martin, Chris Mullaney, Trevor Smith, Doug Wallinger and Rod Wood. Upper Hanover Township residents interested in renewable energy and recycling are welcome to join the task force. Meetings are held every third Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Municipal Building. The new tot lot is a popular addition to Macoby Run Park Township Supervisor Service Recognition Awards Richard K. Fain, Planning Commission Five Years George S. Long, Zoning Hearing Board Ten Years Eugene R. Marks, Board of Supervisors Five Years Eugene R. Marks, Upper Hanover Authority Five Years Donna L. Tino, Administrative Assistant Five Years

5 In Review This past year was a busy and productive one for the Township. Here are some facts and figures: 4 zoning hearings were heard and adjudicated. 2 conditional use hearings were concluded. 6 new subdivisions were filed; 6 final approvals were granted; 14 plans were active and pending approval as of December building permits were issued, including 79 permits for new homes. The Board of Supervisors adopted 7 ordinances and 30 resolutions. Herbert G. Carter, Jr. was honored for his 40 years of service on the Township Planning Commission. The new Highway Department maintenance building and salt storage building were placed into service. A tot lot was installed at Macoby Run Park. Camelot Park construction activities were completed except for general punch list items. A Geographic Information System prepared by LTL Consultants is up and running. The Pennsylvania State Police reported 1,408 incidents in Upper Hanover Township A major Bridge Maintenance Program was completed with a total cost of $226, An update to the Upper Perkiomen Valley Regional Comprehensive Plan commenced. The Township received approval of a $10,000 grant for the purchase of bleachers for use at the Camelot Park athletic fields. New-Look Township Website Available continued from cover... Publication of Board of Supervisor and Planning Commission agendas at least 24 hours before a scheduled meeting. Addition of the most recent Township Newsletter to the website. Upper Perkiomen Valley Park and Recreation amenities map Updated Township History prepared by the Township Historical Committee. New dedicated pages on Stormwater Management, Right To Know, Public Safety and the Upper Hanover Authority. Other changes coming soon including: Complete Township Code of Ordinances Parks and Recreation page listing and describing amenities available at Township parks and open space areas. Photo Page. And much, much more The Township website was created and designed as a volunteer project by Township Supervisor Shannan E. Bieler. While the administration staff is taking over the day-to-day updates, Shannan remains involved in keeping the website alive and functional for all our citizens. The Township website is one of the best communication tools we have available to get the word out about Township activities, said Supervisor Bieler. Increasing communication with our citizens while providing an up-to-date source of information is time well-spent that we expect will produce many positive results.

6 5 Dedication Ceremony Set for Camelot Park Sunday, August 30, 2009 Planning is proceeding on a formal dedication ceremony for Camelot Park on Sunday, August 30, Some of the planned events include baseball and softball games, refreshments, balloons and face painting. More information on the dedication ceremony will be posted on the Township website under news and updates. Please mark your calendar as we really want to see you there! Additional improvements are planned at Camelot Park over the next few months. The Township Veterans Memorial will be relocated to the site. Grass over-seeding will further enhance the turf quality in anticipation of implementing full field use in the spring of Benches, trash receptacles, planters, doggie stations and a message center sign will be added to the park. The main sign for Camelot Park and the Highway Maintenance Building was recently installed by Nester Brothers. When Do I Need a Permit? Use and/or construction permits are required for all types of construction within Upper Hanover Township. Use (zoning) permits are required for any change of use of a property, which may include construction of a fence, placement of a prefab shed, above ground swimming pool, deck less than 30 inches above grade, new construction, etc. Building permits are required for structures built on site. Construction of these structures falls under the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code. Such structures include fences over six feet in height, oversized prefab buildings that must be assembled on-site, swimming pools, decks 30 inches or more above grade, new construction, building additions, structural renovations, and electrical, plumbing, and mechanical upgrades. Permit applications are available at the Township office. They must be completed and returned along with a plot plan showing proposed construction (this plan can be hand drawn), building plans, and specifications. Permit applications will be forwarded to the Code Officer/Building Inspector (LTL Consultants) for review and permit issuance. Should there be any additional questions or deficiencies, you will be contacted by LTL. Approved permits will be returned to the Township office for signature, payment of fees, and issuance. You will be contacted when the permit is ready for pick-up. Non-residential construction may also require Land Development Approval before a building permit is issued. This is an entirely separate process; such plans are required to be reviewed by the Township Planning Commission, Montgomery County Planning Commission and Health Department, and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation before obtaining a building permit. Building plans for non-residential construction must be prepared by a design professional. If you have questions about any portion of the permit process please contact LTL Consultants Ltd toll free at The LTL representatives assigned to Upper Hanover Township are John Weber, PE (Township Engineer), Sean DeLong (Code Officer/Building Inspector), and Keary Bortz (Commercial Building Supervisor) Thank You To The Businesses This publication is made available through the generous advertising sponsorship of the businesses listed throughout our newsletter. We wish to encourage your patronage of these establishments; they play a substantial role in the economic vitality of our community.

7 6 Supervisors Consider Ordinance to Regulate Windmills and Outdoor Furnaces The Board of Supervisors recently held a public hearing to consider an ordinance to add sections to the Zoning Ordinance that will regulate private non-commercial windmills and outdoor, solid-fuel burning furnaces. Some of the items under further review prior to future adoption consideration include: A private non-commercial windmill will be allowed in all zoning districts and will be considered as an accessory use/structure. Regulations include requiring a minimum lot area and limiting the number of windmills per lot. The maximum height of a windmill is based on the zoning district where it will be located, although taller windmills may be allowed when a Conditional Use is approved by the Board of Supervisors. The minimum distance windmills must be located from a property line is set equal to the height of the windmill. Noise generated from the windmill must comply with existing zoning requirements. The maximum decibels vary based on the type of property (residential or commercial/ industrial) where the windmill is located and the type of property that is adjacent to the windmill. An outdoor solid-fuel burning furnace will be allowed in all zoning districts and will be considered as an accessory use/structure. Regulations include requiring outdoor furnaces to be located a minimum of 200 feet from any property line and limiting the number of outdoor furnaces to one per lot. Minimum chimney height is set at 20 feet, except that where an adjacent residence or other occupied building is within 600 feet, the height will be required to be increased to at least five feet above the height of the roof of the adjacent qualifying structure. An extensive list of items that may not be burned is included in the regulations as well as exemptions for grilling/cooking, indoor heating devices, and construction site heaters hours / 7 days a week Serving areas of Bucks, Berks, Chester, Montgomery, Lehigh, & Northampton Counties Live Safely In Your Home With Our In-Home Services Private Duty Nursing Homemakers Companions Nurse Aides RN s LPN s Geriatric Care Managers Health Watch Emergency Personal Response & Medication Systems All Staff Screened, Bonded, and Insured. We ensure the safe living of your loved one. Traditional & Cremation and Pre-Planning At First Bite Steaks Hoagies Stromboli FOUR LOCATIONS: *Rt. 29, Green Lane Rt. 73 & 113, Skippack Main St., Pennsburg *218 S. Main St., Sellersville Pick Up Window * 15% OFF Any Order Of $20 Or More Eat In Only Cannot be combined with any other offer. Offer expires 9/30/09. Carl F. Slonaker, Jr., F.D., Supervisor Stephen M. Schofer, F.D. Timothy K. Stanton, F.D. Pre-Need Payment Plans 222 Washington St., East Greenville, PA LTL CONSULTANTS, LTD. E N G I N E E R S & C O D E O F F I C I A L S ONE TOWN CENTRE DR OLEY, PA Proudly serving Upper Hanover Township as TOWNSHIP ENGINEER BUILDING INSPECTOR ZONING OFFICER

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9 Take the Stormwater Runoff Challenge

10 9 Summer is West Nile Virus Season The Montgomery County Health Department is committed to protecting residents from the spread of West Nile Virus. The Division of Environmental Field Services practices an integrated mosquito management approach toward combating the spread of WNV, which includes public education, breeding source reduction, complaint response, and the control of both larval and adult mosquitoes. MCHD will operate the 2009 West Nile Virus Environmental Surveillance and Control program on a limited budget provided through a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. This grant provides funding to ensure implementation of the comprehensive, countywide program benefiting all Montgomery County residents. This is the first year the health department will not use a contractor; all WNV work will be conducted by MCHD staff, who will be in marked county vehicles and always have identification available. MCHD will treat known public sites that are producing larvae in Montgomery County, trap adult mosquitoes to monitor numbers and species, and collect mosquito samples for virus testing by the state. If WNV activity poses a risk to human health, spraying may be necessary in targeted areas. It is important that people maintain their property in a manner that is not conducive to the breeding of mosquitoes. Residents can help prevent the spread of WNV by eliminating standing water from their property. Please refer all WNV related complaints to your local health department office in Norristown, Pottstown or Willow Grove. MCHD will disseminate both emergency and non-emergency health alerts through ReadyNotifyPA (Community Alert System). All press releases regarding WNV in the county will be sent via this system. Residents who would like to be notified when WNV spraying will occur should sign up for the ReadyNotify service at Residents must register for Health Alerts to get notifications from the Health Department about WNV sprays and other emergent and non-emergent issues. More information about WNV can be found at or by contacting Pam Lawn at or (plawn@montcopa.org). Still Time to Sign-up for Montco PA Alert program Community Alert System: Sign Up Today, So You Can Find Out First! In an emergency situation, information is critical. The sooner the public can be informed about an impending disaster either natural or manmade the sooner arrangements can be made to protect the safety of people and property. We are pleased to inform you of two new programs designed to help the public be prepared in case of a catastrophe. The important thing is that you take the time to sign up! Montgomery County Community Alert System You can be contacted immediately during a major crisis or emergency. The Community Alert System delivers important emergency alerts, notifications and updates to you on all your devices: home phone, account (work, home, other), cell phone (via SMS), pager, smartphone/pda (BlackBerry, Treo and other handhelds). When an incident or emergency occurs, authorized senders will instantly notify you using the Community Alert System. This is your personal connection to realtime updates, instructions on where to go, what to do, or what not to do, who to contact and other important information. To become part of this valuable program, sign up at Special Needs Registry Bucks, Chester and Montgomery counties have jointly developed a registry to allow citizens with special needs and their caregivers an opportunity to provide information to the appropriate agencies so emergency responders can better plan to serve them in a disaster or other emergency. A special needs person is defined as someone who cannot receive, understand or act upon emergency protective orders. To register, go to For more information about what to do during an emergency, visit Montgomery County Health Department Public Health Laboratory Free bacteria analysis of private wells for Montgomery County residents.

11 10 History Corner: The Swinging Bridge The original Swinging Bridge was built in the 1880s and served Township residents for more than 50 years before it was destroyed by the flood of One of the unique structures to perish in the flood of 1935 was a cable suspension bridge in Upper Hanover Township known as The Swinging Bridge. Built to accommodate pedestrian traffic, it was primarily constructed to provide a crossing for youngsters who attended the Schwenk School. The school was located near present day Markley and Knight Roads. The original span was built in the 1880s and for years was the only one of its kind in Pennsylvania. During its more than 50 years of service to the region, the bridge was in constant use. In addition to the students, farmers enjoyed the convenience of the bridge and Red Hill Boy Scouts used it regularly to reach their cabin. After a half century of service, the bridge became somewhat dilapidated and in disrepair. Though still in use in 1935, the years and elements had taken a toll and the bridge became weak. The disastrous flood of that year tore apart buildings along the Perkiomen Creek. The raging waters carried the debris downstream, stacking the load against the tired and worn span until the cables tore and the supports cracked. At 9:30 on the morning of July 9, the bridge crumbled into the turbulent stream. Work on the new bridge began on June 24, By August 13, less than two months later, the new suspension bridge was opened. The design of the new bridge was strikingly similar to the old one. The new 150-foot span was four feet wide, a shade more than the original. It was suspended on either side of the stream between two steel towers anchored in concrete. The old structure was held by four beams with two on each side of the Perkiomen. Both structures hovered about 15 feet above the low-water mark. Nine steps took you from the platform to the walkway made of specially treated yellow pine. The bridge was painted white and reflected beautifully in the water below. The steel cables that held the structure together were stronger than the originals and didn t allow much of a swing, just a gentle sway. A comparison of the physical appearance of the two bridges reinforces the fact that Montgomery County engineers relied on the design of the old bridge when laying out the new one. The near replica was somewhat of a tribute to the early designers. The remains of the bridge were buried when the Philadelphia Suburban Reservoir was filled in mid From Skippack Barracks, Pennsylvania State Police Passing a School Bus Many times, motorists are stopped and cited for traffic offenses in situations where knowledge of the law could have saved the driver the trouble of being stopped and cited by an officer not to mention a lot of money. Here s a question that has been raised in the past: Can I make a right turn in front of a school bus that is stopped at an intersection with its red lights flashing? I m not really passing the bus, so is it legal? The short answer is NO. The duties of drivers approaching a stopped school bus are contained in Vehicle Code Section 3345 Meeting or Overtaking School Bus. The answer to the question is contained in Subsection (a): Duty of Approaching Driver when Red Signals are Flashing. Subsection (a), in part, reads as follows: The driver of a vehicle approaching an intersection at which a school bus is stopped shall stop his vehicle at that intersection until the flashing red signal lights are no longer actuated. A person who violates subsection (a) commits a summary offense and shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to pay a fine of $250. Additionally, a conviction will result in the driver s license of the violator being suspended for 60 days. A conviction will also result in 5 points being added to the driver s license under PennDOT s comprehensive system for driver education and control. Knowing this simple rule will certainly save you some displeasure and money and might just save a life. School-aged children are very unpredictable and may suddenly alight from a place of safety to catch the school bus. Stopping at the intersection and waiting for the school bus to be completely loaded or unloaded is not only the safe choice, it s also the law. If you want to learn more, the full text of Pennsylvania s Vehicle Code can be found on-line at Drive safely. Lieutenant David C. Buckley

12 11 Inter-Municipal Cooperation on Trail Connection Projects Upper Hanover Township recently submitted a joint grant application with East Greenville Borough and Red Hill Borough to the Montgomery County Green Fields/Green Towns Program for the Peevy Road Open Space Area Trail Connection Project. A second application was submitted in cooperation with Red Hill Borough for the Centennial Park Trail Extension Project. The source of the grant funding comes from the Montgomery County Open Space Program, dedicated funding previously allocated for use by East Greenville Borough and Red Hill Borough on open space and park projects. The Peevy Road Open Space Area Trail Connection Project application submitted a request for $397,054 in funding, with a 10 percent local match of $44,117. The Centennial Park Trail Extension Project application requested $36,927 in funding with a 10-percent local match of $4,103. The Peevy Road Open Space Area Trail Connection Project calls for 6,400 feet of 8-foot wide paved trail extending along the wood line edges of the 85.6-acre Peevy Road Open Space area. A 100-foot trail will extend the trail onto the East Greenville Borough property where the trail ends at a cul-desac. Benches will be provide at one quarter mile intervals along the trail and a 25-foot-by-25-foot pavilion will command an excellent view of Mill Hill the highest point in Montgomery County. The Township also proposes extending the existing mile paved trail at Camelot Park via a pedestrian bridge to the lower end of the East Greenville Borough property. A 750-foot section of paved trail will traverse the East Greenville Borough property to the existing public fishing area near the Fruitville Road Bridge. The Centennial Park Trail Extension Project extends an existing paved trail at Centennial Park for an additional 900 feet. The trail will provide a connection from Red Hill Borough to the existing Cedar Lea Subdivision and the approved Glenwood Chase Subdivision. The trail will be eight-feet wide and consist of paved asphalt. A central meeting circle provides benches, a planter area and a message center sign. The length of the trail is supplemented by the existing and planapproved sidewalk connection between the Cedar Lea Subdivision and the Glenwood Chase Subdivision. The Township thanks its inter-municipal partners - East Greenville Borough and Red Hill Borough - for their ongoing spirit of regional cooperation in working toward implementation of these important greenway corridor connections. Did You Know? The U.S. Census Will Happen Next Year The United States Constitution requires a count of everyone living in the United States every 10 years. Your participation in the census is required by law. Starting in February 2010, census questionnaires will be mailed or hand-delivered to every residence in the country. The forms should take less than 10 minutes to complete; federal law protects the personal information you share during the census. Data collected by the census is used to distribute Congressional seats to states, to make decisions about what community services to provide, and to distribute $300 billion in federal funds to local, state and tribal governments each year. Here are key dates in the 2010 Census Timeline: Fall 2008: Recruitment began for local census jobs for early census operations. Spring 2009: Census employees going door-to-door to update address list nationwide. Fall 2009: Recruitment begins for census takers needed for peak workload in February March 2010: Census questionnaires are mailed or delivered to households. April 1, 2010: Census Day April July 2010: Census takers visit households that did not return a questionnaire by mail. December 2010: By law, Census Bureau delivers population counts to President for apportionment. March 2011: By law, Census Bureau completes delivery of redistricting data to states. For more information, visit U.S. Census Bureau Philadelphia Regional Office 833 Chestnut Street, Suite 504 Philadelphia, PA (215) or FAX: (215) TDD: (215) Philadelphia.Regional.Office@census.gov

13 12 Why a Street Address Numbers Ordinance? Imagine you are stung by a bee while working in your garden. You never had a reaction to an insect bite before but this time it is different. You feel your tongue and throat start to swell and you begin to have trouble breathing. You manage to get to a phone to dial 911. Will help arrive in time? In another scenario, imagine your house smells funny when you come home from work. You open the basement door and discover lots of grey smoke, but not from a fire. You know you meant to get your old heat pump checked, but you just did not get around to it. Quickly you cover your face with your hands, close the basement door, and go outside to call 911. Will help arrive in time? What happens if your beloved family member begins to bleed uncontrollably? You dial 911 and begin to pace. Will help arrive in time? Each of these scenarios is real and occurred in Upper Hanover Township during the last few years. In each case, emergency personnel responded quickly but were unnecessarily delayed because they had trouble finding the correct location. The culprit: missing or improperly placed house numbers. Precious minutes were lost because emergency responders couldn t find the right address. Years ago, Upper Hanover Township was a completely rural municipality where almost everyone knew everyone else and frequently were related to each other. There was very little crime, and the emergency services -- whether local police, fire, or ambulance -- knew where people lived and the terrain of the locality. Such is no longer the case. Upper Hanover Township is growing at a pace that stretches the limits of emergency services in the region. To assist emergency services personnel to locate properties where a 911 call has been generated, the Upper Hanover Township Board of Supervisors has enacted an address sign ordinance on May 13, Procedures for complying with the Street Address Numbers Ordinance are explained in the companion news article entitled Procedure for Purchasing Street Address Numbers located below. Procedure for Purchasing Street Address Numbers Upper Hanover Township Ordinance # , as adopted on May 12, 2009, requires the installation and maintenance of street address numbers upon residences, buildings and other structures. The street address numbers shall be comprised of paint, metal, enamel and other similar materials, shall be not less than four inches (4 ) in height, and shall be reflective and in contrast to their immediate background. All signs will consist of white numbers on a green background. Additional requirements are noted as follows: For all residences, buildings and other structures, Street Address Numbers shall be placed in a conspicuous place as near the front entrance as is possible and practicable, and shall be clearly visible from the street, day or night. For residences, buildings and other structures that are not clearly visible from a public street, Street Address Numbers shall also be posted at the intersection of the driveway with the public street so as to be clearly visible from the public street. Such Street Address Numbers shall be placed upon a post or other structure which displays the Street Address Numbers in such a manner that the bottom of the Street Address Numbers is forty eight inches (48 ) from grade. Where private roads and driveways contain multiple turnoffs to access residences, buildings and/or other structures, Street Address Numbers shall also be posted at the turnoffs in such a manner that clearly indicates the direction in which the residence, building or other structure is located. Residents may purchase signs meeting the above specifications from private sign companies or from any of the local fire companies, including the East Greenville Fire Company, the Pennsburg Fire Company or the Red Hill Fire Company. The cost of the signs purchased from the fire companies is $15 with payments made directly to the fire companies. Contact and payment information is as follows: East Greenville Fire Company 401 Washington Street East Greenville, PA Telephone: Checks should be made payable to: East Greenville Fire Company Pennsburg Fire Company 501 Penn Street Pennsburg, PA Telephone: Checks should be made payable to: Pennsburg Fire Company Red Hill Fire Company 71 East Fourth Street Red Hill, PA Telephone: Checks should be made payable to: Red Hill Fire Company A copy of the standard address sign order form can be obtained from the local fire companies, at the Township Municipal Building or on the Township website under Applications/Forms at Questions regarding compliance with the Ordinance # , Street Address Numbers can be directed to Jeffrey Ashman, Upper Hanover Township Fire Marshal at

14 Road Projects Scheduled highway improvement projects for 2009 include: Paving Pillsbury Road W. Buck Road Swinging Bridge Road East 11th Street Oil and Chipping Heffner Road Gene Road Hock Road E. Buck Road, from Geryville Pike to the township line. Wentling Schoolhouse Road, from Kutztown Road to Jacobs Sawmill Road Regional Recycling Program Upper Hanover Township citizens are invited to participate in the Red Hill Regional Recycling Program. The drop-off location is at 56 W. Fourth Street in Red Hill Borough (next to the Red Hill Borough Municipal Building) and is open seven days a week, 24 hours a day. There is no charge for participation. The following items are accepted for recycling: Glass, food and beverage containers remove lids labels may be left on please do not break clear, green and brown glass only NO window glass, mirrors, light bulbs, dishes, drinking glasses, ceramics, car headlights, glass tile or glass wall blocks. No AUTO GLASS Aluminum, Beverage Cans rinse out labels may be left on may be crushed NO aerosol spray cans or paint cans Plastics - soda, milk, water and laundry containers remove lids rinse out labels may be left on may be crushed bottles only (this pertains to containers with a neck smaller than the body) bottles and containers with a recycling symbol and the number 1 or 2 are the only types of plastic acceptable Paper newspapers magazines catalogs junk mail envelopes folders fax and copy paper colored paper NO phone books, cereal boxes or milk, soda or food cartons are accepted New This Year! You can recycle Compact Floursecent Light Bulbs and Cell Phones (Monday though Friday, from 7 a.m. to noon)

15 New Homes From The Low $300 s Sat & Sun 12-5pm Wed 4-7pm Edward A. Skypala Attorney at Law Law Offices of EDWARD A. SKYPALA 224 King Street Pottstown, PA STEPHEN REDDING Arborist A Complete Tree and Landscaping Service FULLY INSURED REASONABLE RATES Reller Road Green Lane, PA (f) IEandM@comcast.net Red Hill Greenhouses FLORIST Main Street Red Hill, PA TEL. (610) TEL. (610) FAX (610)

16 Upper Hanover Township P.O. Box 27 East Greenville, PA Spring/Summer 2009 PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID East Greenville, PA PERMIT #25 Newsletter Montgomery County, Pennsylvania Published by the Board of Supervisors r Founded 1741 INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Supervisors Letter...2 Township Contact Information...2 Renewable Energy And Recycling Task Force Update Township Supervisor Service Recognition Awards In Review....4 Dedication Ceremony Set For Camelot Park...5 When Do I Need A Permit?...5 Supervisors Adopt Ordinance To Regulate Windmills And Outdoor Furnaces...6 Environmental Crossword Puzzle...Center Spread Summer Is West Nile Virus Season...9 # Upper Hanover Township Board of Supervisors: From left to right Shannan E. Bieler, Mary Gibbs Kershner, Richard K. Fain, Chairman, Eugene R. Marks, Vice-Chairman and Eugene F. Fried. Lifemark Medical Center 3 Life Mark Drive Sellersville, PA (215) FAX J. PHILLIP MOYER, M.D., F.A.C.C. MITCHELL GREENSPAN, M.D., F.A.C.C PAUL R. HERMANY, M.D., F.A.C.C MICHELLE N. STRAM, M.D., F.A.C.C. CHRISTOPHER T. OSWALD, M.D., F.A.C.C. IDA L. MAZZA, M.D., F.A.C.C. MATTHEW FORJOHN, PA-C Supervisors Hold the Line on Taxes Montgomery County Health Department...9 T History Corner: The Swinging Bridge...10 he The Upper Hanover Township Board of Supervisors adopted the 2009 Township budget without a tax increase. This marks the fourth consecutive year that the real estate millage rate remained at 1.45 mills, among the lowest municipal property tax rates in Montgomery County. With these hard economic times, we wanted to give our citizens some good news, said Richard K. Fain, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors. By maintaining lean staffing and not overextending ourselves, we are able to maintain current township services while leaving the tax rate unchanged in The adopted 1.45 millage rate consists of.8 mills for general purposes,.2 mills for highway improvements,.2 mills for open space preservation,.2 mills for fire protection and.05 mills for ambulance service. Content provided by Shadywood Communications From Skippack Barracks, Pennsylvania State Police...10 Inter-Municipal Cooperation On Trail Connection Projects...11 Did You Know?...11 Why A Street Address Numbers Ordinance?...12 New-Look Township Website Available Procedure For Purchasing Street Address Numbers...12 T 2009 Road Projects...13 he Township s new-look website recently went online at Included among the updates and changes are the following: This Community Newsletter is produced for Upper Hanover Township by Hometown Press All rights reserved To Place An Ad Call Denise At Hometown Press DeniseOfHTP@yahoo.com Still Time To Sign-up For Montco PA Alert Program...9 A News and Updates section listing announcements and news releases. Check back often to see what is up in Upper Hanover. continued on page Regional Recycling Program...13