Municipal managers outline ‘State of the Indian Valley’

FRANCONIA >> Last year was a good year for the township and the trend is continuing in 2017, Franconia Township Manager Jon Hammer told Indian Valley Chamber of Commerce members at the Chamber’s “State of the Indian Valley” April 20 luncheon at Indian Valley Country Club.

The more than 300 building permits issued by the township in 2016 was 20 percent more than the year before, he said. The permits were for about $18 million of new construction, compared to $13 million the year before, he said.

“We see a lot of strong growth, strong development in the township,” said Hammer, who also pointed out the township’s healthy budget surplus, open space preservation and new technology traffic lights.

Jaime Snyder, Hatfield Borough’s assistant secretary, said the borough is working on final construction design for a planned $4 million new municipal complex.

Hatfield has “a ton of community events,” Snyder said, outlining some of the upcoming ones, including the May 15 Roll & Stroll.

“All our events are family friendly and business friendly,” she said.

Another of the upcoming events is Founder’s Day, which will be on June 16, she said.

“We’re bringing back the pig races this year, which were a really big hit last year,” Snyder said.

Mary West, Lower Salford’s assistant township manager, said the municipality has seen a steady growth in development over the past few years.

Public improvement projects in the township include the work this summer widening Route 63 between Route 113 and the entrance to the Walmart shopping center, she said.

Traffic monitoring and control systems funded through CMAQ (the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program), are also in operation, she said.

“It’s supposed to really help reduce emissions in the township,” West said. “We have 10 intersections that are hooked into that traffic adaptive system.”

Souderton Borough Manager Mike Coll noted the municipality is in the second year of contracting out for a single hauler trash and recyclables collection.

“It started out with quite a bit of anxiety, but I have to say that it’s proving to be fairly well received by the community,” Coll said.

The borough’s renovation project at three train station buildings was “one of the most challenging projects that I have ever been involved with,” Coll said, but said that project is now coming to an end. The borough leases the buildings from SEPTA and plans to sublease to businesses for economic development.

The largest development project in the borough currently is the ongoing redevelopment of the former Souderton Area High School site, he said. Telford Borough Manager Mark Fournier said the muncipality is using a community development block grant to build 79 handicapped accessibility ramps.

“So when they’re talking about doing away with block grant programs, understand that those are the kind of things that make a difference in boroughs,” Fournier said.

All of the towns face increasing costs to meet environmental and stormwater and sewer system regulations, he said.

“That is going to mean increased water and sewer rates for all of us, whether you’re in a township or a borough, because some of these requirements have become extremely costly,” Fournier said.

There are limits to the amount of new development that can be built in the borough, he said. Fournier said he was go-

ing from the luncheon to a grand opening for a 42 unit townhouse development in Telford, but it’s unusual to have that much growth in the borough.

“We all like to keep taxes down and under control,” Fournier said, “and the only way you can is through grants and growth.”

Towamencin Township Manager Rob Ford said streetlights in the municipality will be changed this summer to LEDs (lightemitting diodes).

“It’s a lot less wattage, but the same brightness to the light and they last forever,” he said, “so our payback is about seven years.”

A trail is being added along Kriebel Road with a $100,000 grant received from the county, he said.

Construction work on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Towamencin is nearing an end as the Turnpike widening project moves up to the next section, including work in Lower Salford and Franconia, Ford said.

Slip ramps added in Towamencin have made a “significant improvement” at the Turnpike interchange, he said.