Township Annual Report - 2007 - Lower Providence Township

Department ofcommunity developmentThe Community Development Department is responsiblefor planning, zoning and building code ordinances withinthe Township and administers the Township’s ComprehensivePlan and Open Space Plan. The year saw the completion ofintersection improvements at the Park, Pawlings and Egyptroad intersection, identified as a significant goal in both theTownship’s Comprehensive Plan and the Montgomery CountyTraffic Improvements Plan.During 2007, the Township began to realize the benefits ofthe Ridge Pike Business District Ordinance. The ordinanceis helping to breathe new life into this vital commercial corridorof the Township. Adopted in 2006, the Ridge Pike BusinessDistrict Ordinance is designed to enhance traffic safety,make aesthetic improvements, and encourage commercialredevelopment along the Ridge Pike corridor. In 2007, PennLiberty Bank and Weinstein Plumbing were completed andconstructed was started on the TruMark Credit Union. Also,work began to replace an existing car wash with a new and“green” facility. These new businesses and the ordinance arechanging the face of the Ridge Pike corridor. Overall, some25 new businesses joined the Township in 2007.The department continued is critical work on the NationalPollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Phase IIpermit Department of Environmental Protection protocol forLower Providence Township and established funding for theTree Vitalization grant for the naturalization of two Townshipbasins.Among its varied duties, the Community DevelopmentDepartment receives and processes all building, zoning,and road opening permits, business licenses, certificates ofcompliance for property resales, and certificates of occupancy.In 2007, the department processed over 3000 permitsor licenses during 2007, issuing over 240 certificates ofcompliance permits for property resales and over 650 businesslicenses.Despite the increasing workload, resident complaintsdwindled significantly this past year. The department logged27 complaints in 2007, as compared to 91 in 2006. Thisrepresents a nearly 70% reduction in the number of writtencomplaints. This can be attributed to the Township’s continuingefforts to streamline the permitting process and to provideeasily accessible information to residents and contractors.In 2007, the Township’s website was recognized bythe Pennsylvania Construction Code Academy and itsGeographic Information System is among the mostsophisticated in the state.The Department received 17 zoning appeal applicationsfor 2007. This 53% decrease from 2006 is the result of theCommunity Development Department’s work on a cleanupzoning ordinance enacted by the Board of Supervisorsin late 2006. The Department also processed and reviewed12 subdivision and land development plan submissions;five DeMinimus Land Development submissions; oneConditional Uses application, and one rezoning application.These plans ranged from several minor subdivisions to severalcommercial developments. The Department created threedifferent ordinance amendments to the Lower ProvidenceTownship Code during 2007 and consulted with the VillageCommercial Committee for the establishment of a revisedVillage Commercial Ordinance.The department oversees the variety of special consultantswho review plans and ordinance proposals and who monitorconstruction projects. In 2007, Chambers Associates, theTownship engineer, reviewed or managed for dedication 55projects; 30 of those projects were under construction forinspection and escrow releases. There were six new TownshipPark projects, among them the Hoy Park Fishing Pier andBoat Ramp project, and Master Plans for Cranberry Park andEvansburg Point Park.Throughout 2007, McMahon Associates, Inc., theTownship’s traffic engineer, reviewed five projects submittedto the Township and provided assistance with the followingprojects:• Egypt Road / Park Avenue / Pawlings Road – Completionof road improvements to this vital intersection• Valley Forge Business Park – Coordination with theTownship in the overall planning to revitalize the businesspark, including traffic planning analysis recommendations• River Crossing Complex Projects Route 422 – Finaldesign work is being conducted for this projeAct to beginconstruction on improvements in 2008-2009.• Grange Avenue – Provided traffic improvements andsignage for traffic calming• Egypt Road and Wedgewood Road - Pedestrian crossingimprovements• Stalker Board - Plan reviews for the speed display deviceslocated at various public schools in the Township10l o w e r p r o v i d e n c e t o w n s h i p