The regular meeting of the West Vincent Township Board of Supervisors was held on the above date at the Township Building. Chairman Kenneth Miller called the meeting to order at 7:35 p.m.; others in attendance were Supervisor Karl Brachwitz, Township Manager Allen Heist, and Township Solicitor Allan Greenwood.

Minutes:

• Unanimous approval was granted for minutes of February 7, 14, 21, 22, and 28 with a motion from Mr. Brachwitz and second from Mr. Miller.

Reports:

• Treasurer's Report - Barbara Dunn reported the following February account balances: General Fund, $66,329.31; State Fund, $9,731.01; Kimberton Sewer Fund, $15,417.25; Road Repair Loan Fund, $11,315.68; Township Building Loan, $680,373.58; St. Stephens Greene Water Fund, $16,994.28; and St. Stephens Greene Sewer Fund, $32,388.44.
• Police Report - Police Chief Karl Jones reported that the Police Department responded to 52 calls in February. The Department is investigating a daytime burglary which occurred along Pughtown Road; residents are reminded to call the Police if they observe anything suspicious or out of the normal. Arrangements have been made with the Chester County Highway Safety Project to use their speed display board from May 22^nd through June 2^nd to let the public see how fast they are driving.
• Solicitor's Report - Solicitor Greenwood reported working with Fronefield Crawford on the Burch/Dawes TDR proposal, with the Zoning Officer on a building permit application with driveway implications, and working with the Township Manager on ordaining/vacating Cooks Glen Road and St. Andrews Lane as it impacts the Cantrell property.

Correspondence:

• The Township has received $28,744.35 from FEMA for the approved project worksheets under the Public Assistance Program for the September 1999, Hurricane Floyd Disaster.
• Correspondence was received from Camphill Village Kimberton Hills, Inc. requesting permission to hang a banner across Pughtown Road to advertise their Earth Awareness Day event scheduled for Saturday, April 15^th. Manager Heist will contact Camphill to verify liability insurance coverage including listing the Township as an additional insured, verify approval from the Township's insurance carrier and check on PennDOT's height restrictions for banners prior to further consideration by the Board.
• Texas Eastern Transmission Corporation's 2000 Right of Way Clearing Project along the pipeline will include a short section of West Vincent Township. A letter of notification will be sent to each affected landowner.

Subdivision/Land Development/Zoning:

• An agreement for subdivision review extension to May 30, 2000 for the Owen J. Roberts (Griffith Tract) was acknowledged with a motion from Mr. Brachwitz and second from Mr. Miller; the motion carried unanimously.
• The Board unanimously acknowledged receipt of a subdivision extension agreement for the Matlock/Dawes Farm subdivision extending review time to July 1, 2000 upon a motion from Mr. Brachwitz and second from Mr. Miller.
• The Board unanimously acknowledged receipt of a subdivision extension agreement for the Matlock/Long Lane subdivision extending review time to July 1, 2000 upon a motion from Mr. Brachwitz and second from Mr. Miller.
• An agreement for subdivision review extension to March 26, 2001 for the EXXON land development plan was acknowledged with a motion from Mr. Brachwitz and second from Mr. Miller; the motion carried unanimously.
• Burch/Dawes Property: Mr. Brachwitz read into the record a motion that was adopted March 6^th as follows:

  I move, this 6^th day of March, 2000 that the Board of Supervisors accept the proposal for implementation of transferable development rights on the 77 acre Dawes tract, to wit:

  1. that a total of four development rights be retained on the Dawes tract;
  2. that the Dawes tract be deed restricted against any development over and above the four dwelling units which would then be permissible;
  3. that there be no spacial restrictions imposed on the location of the four dwellings on the Dawes tract, except for the applicable setback requirements under the Zoning Ordinance;
  4. that the remaining fifty development rights be acknowledged by the Township as severable from the Dawes tract, and not at the present time to be allocated to a specific receiving zone; and
  5. that the fifty severable development rights be limited in their future use to either:
  1. attachment to a property owned by Robert Burch and located within the receiving zone under the Township's TDR Map, or
  2. if Mr. Burch proposes, at any time in the future, to sell or otherwise transfer all or a portion of the fifty development rights severed from the Dawes tract to a third party for attachment to a specific receiving zone property, that the Township be provided with a right of first refusal to purchase all or a portion of the development rights otherwise to be sold, at a price which is equal to 50% of the written offer which Mr. Burch proposes to accept from the third party purchaser, the Township to have 30 days from its written notification within which to notify Mr. Burch of its decision whether or not to purchase all or a portion of such development rights under this right of first refusal, and the Township to thereafter, in the event that it elects to exercise this right, have an additional 60 days (a total of 90 days of its written notification) within which to complete the purchase of all or a portion of such development rights at the said 50% purchase price.

  It is further moved that the final documentation necessary to implement this motion be approved by Township Solicitor Allan Greenwood, Esquire, and Township Planning Solicitor Fronefield Crawford, Jr., Esquire, without further approval by the Board of Supervisors.

  In response to a question from Clare Quinn, no zoning ordinance changes are required to accommodate the TDR proposal.

• Correspondence was received from Commonwealth Engineers, Inc. regarding Horseshoe Farms Subdivision Lot 5, which contains a stormwater management basin and stormwater easement utilized by the subdivision. The owner, Michael Palasz, proposes to convert the present facility into a combination facility that provides the permanent water retention of a pond in conjunction with the temporary water detention of a stormwater management basin; preliminary calculations to support the feasibility of the project were provided. Code Enforcement Officer Robert Wideman reviewed the proposal, observed the existing conditions and advised the Board that the proposed pond would require conditional use approval due to both the size of the berm and the volume proposed. The Township Manager will convey this information to Mr. Palasz.
• Notice was received of Green Valleys Association's intent to file a lawsuit within sixty days against DEP pursuant to the Clean Streams Law and in connection with the permit issuance to Columbia Transmission Communications Corp. to conduct various stream crossings and wetlands encroachments for the purpose of installing a fiber optic utility line communication system. GVA's attorney has informed the Township that the Township Solicitor has the authority to also enforce the Clean Streams Law. Fronefield Crawford has been asked to advise the Board.

Old Business:

• As a follow-up to a request for the Board to consider painting center lines on Township roads for safety purposes, Manager Heist submitted a list of 16' to 20' wide Township roads and an estimated line painting cost per road for the Board's review. Estimates range from 3¢ per linear foot for water based paint to 4¢ per linear foot for oil based paint at an approximate cost of $5,493 to $7,324 for 91,555 linear feet. The project was tabled until later in the year.

New Business:

• Linda Rava, Red Fox Lane, was present to request that the Ludwigs Corner Fire Company's alarm be disconnected citing the following: nearby fire companies either do not use an alarm or they limit the use of the alarm; disconnecting the alarm would not impact the Fire Company; and the alarm causes an adverse impact upon her and her neighbors. A response letter was received from the Fire Chief, Allen Cleaver. The Fire Company has been advised of Mrs. Rava's request and will be asked to consider limiting the hours of operation of the alarm; however, it was noted that this is a public safety issue and should be handled at the discretion of the Fire Company.
• Flowing Springs Road resident David Kusner was present to advise the Board and Township residents of a growing problem of dogs not being leashed and allowed to roam, sometimes in packs of two to three dogs, chasing wildlife and menacing people; this practice has resulted in curtailing his ability to walk (as medically advised) on Township roads and on his own property. Using mace and/or pepper spray for protection creates the risk of breezes blowing the spray back and rendering him more vulnerable and repeated calls to the animal control officer have resulted in no significant action. Pennsylvania Dog Law requires all dogs on public property to be leashed and under the direct control of the owner or handler. Mr. Brachwitz recommended that Mr. Kusner contact the Township Police to assist in the enforcement of the Dog Law (if the Police are not on duty, call the animal control officer) and suggested that a reminder be placed in the next Township newsletter regarding dog owner's responsibilities under the Law and penalties for violation. Kay Segner voiced having similar problems with unleashed dogs and Les Budinger, a neighbor of Mr. Kusner, committed to leashing and controlling his dog.
• An annual preventive maintenance service proposal in the amount of $700 was received from Emergency Generator Repair Company for the two emergency generators at St. Stephens Greene. Manager Heist was requested to get a second bid.
• Manager Heist indicated he is working on obtaining bank rates for a tax anticipation loan or line of credit for the Board's review.

Bills List:

• Mr. Brachwitz made a motion to pay the bills on the Bills List dated March 13, 2000; it was seconded by Mr. Miller and carried unanimously.

There being no further business, Mr. Brachwitz moved the meeting be adjourned; the motion was seconded by Mr. Miller and the meeting adjourned at 8:35 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted,