Dear neighbors,
Copied below you will find the LG township supervisor candidate responses to questions from the residents in this neighborhood. Thank you to the committee who spent time composing the questions from your suggestions. Please note that any questions or comments regarding these statements need to be sent to Gwen Douse, a neighbor. Her email is listed below.
Also, welcome to the many new people we have added to our email list. Thanks for responding to our letter to the neighborhood about the entryways! Hope you find this “newsletter” to be beneficial.
Carol Pfister
gwyneddknoll@gmail.com
Dear Neighbors,
On Tuesday, November 6th, we will going to the polls to vote for candidates to the Board of Supervisors. (Interestingly, the current Board of Supervisors are meeting at Foulkways on November 5th, the evening before the election). We have been facing many serious issues with increased traffic (Last week, I passed 21 cars between 8:15 a.m. and 8:17a.m. from Evans Road/Tanglewood and Claudia/Tanglewood, even as we are told there is no problem with increased traffic in our neighborhood). We continue to hear from the township that traffic calming is improving our safety, through stop signs, etc., yet many residents have shared harrowing experiences about stopped busses being passed by speeding drivers who are cutting through our neighborhood, people narrowing escaping being hit by reckless drivers, etc., and of course the rash of robberies. In addition the decision to do only partial expansion of 202 fat this time from Hancock to 63, potentially means a bottle neck of traffic RIGHT AT THE ENTRANCE TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, further increasing traffic through our development. Candidate responses are below. Please make the time to read the responses carefully.We need to decide if it is business as usual OR if we need a change.
If you have any follow-up questions or comments, and wish to have those responses shared, once I receive them,so we can be further informed, please send them to me by this Thursday,November 1st,and I will forward them to any/all of the candidates or you can e-mail candidates yourself at e-mail addresses below: PLEASE MAKE SURE EVERY ELIGIBLE VOTER IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD GETS OUT AND VOTES THIS TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6TH! CERTAINLY FOULKWAYS, SPRING HOUSE ESTATES, AND GWYNEDD ESTATES ARE VOTING BLOCKS. WE NEED TO BE A VOTING BLOCK AS WELL. THE FUTURE WELFARE OF GWYNEDD KNOLL DEPENDS ON IT!
Thank you,
Gwen Douse
Candidates:
Keith Siegel
Chip Behr
Richard Booth
Response from Keith Siegel
1. Why are you seeking the position of Supervisor of Lower Gwynedd Township (LGT)? Please include what initiatives you would propose as Supervisor that are NOT being currently addressed?
A Supervisor should be proactive about working with the Township Manager, Larry Communale, and other Board members. There is tremendous opportunity to improve upon what is our “baseline” of service and engagement for residents.
I believe that Lower Gwynedd is a beautiful community but feel the township is reactive in nature and doesn’t seem to appreciate what engaging the constituency means to them and the positive impact it can have in general. Intrinsically, I am passionate about helping people, understanding what is important and why, and feel I bear responsibility to affect positive outcomes as a member of this community.
Furthermore, I am a “stand up and do something” person. It is time that my generation started assuming responsibility for our community and children. With two children under age five, I am especially interested in being part of “renaissance of responsibility” so my children understand what service to the community actually means.
Additionally, the ideas and concepts I’ve been exposed to in the business world are appropriate in local government. We need to be seeking top quartile performance from our government. This requires thinking differently, outside of the box, and pursuing best practices that make LGT efficient, effective, and representative of the community.
An initiative should be reflective of a broader strategy and associated objectives. My strategy is to make LGT the most transparent, communicative, and engaged elected body in the Commonwealth. Therefore, in order to achieve this status, I would pursue the following initiatives (which could be measured for effectiveness):
1. Publish the full Township Budget on the LGT website. It should be freely available for residents to download, analyze and question.
2. Have all Supervisor meeting notes posted to the website within 1 week of the meeting.
3. Broadcast the Supervisor meetings live on LGT’s website and record the sessions for people to play back at their convenience.
4. Have all Planning Board and Zoning Board hearing notes posted to the website monthly. Residents should be able to understand what is happening in the community without having to attend meetings.
5. Launch an Email address collection campaign. The Township should be collecting residents email address so any communication can be more efficient and less costly to the township.
6. Offer direct email communication alias of the Board of Supervisors to the community at large.
7. Start pushing information about the township out to the residents on a monthly basis to augment the quarterly newsletter.
8. Offer up invitations to local homeowner associations for me to visit their meetings so they have a touch point with elected leadership.
9. Negotiate with Stoltz management to fix Spring House Village so that it meets our needs as a community and provides Stoltz with the flexibility they need to earn a reasonable return on investment.
2. Traffic is a problem throughout LGT but especially to the 200 homes in Gwynedd Knoll. The following is a sample of one of many concerns and frustrations expressed about the traffic in Gwynedd Knoll neighborhood. Please respond to the quote below:
As you are no doubt aware, this is a difficult issue for Gwynedd Knoll and for which there is no easy answer. It will require negotiation amongst neighbors and a unified approach.
I am well aware of what can't be done to improve and eliminate cut-throughs, aggressive drivers, and ignorant drivers with respect to stop signs. My question, quite simply is what can be done?
I am unaware of what cannot be done. In order to answer this question effectively, we need to review a comprehensive study that includes participation from residents, LGT leadership, and Penndot. There are stop-gap measures that can be implemented in the short term (listed below) but in order to satiate your need for change, I believe all of the facts need to be gathered to deliver an effective long term solution.
Short-term measures:
1. Make Hancock One-Way Traffic based on a legitimate study. By doing so, Gwynedd Knoll residents can stem the influx of traffic while ensuring that any emergency vehicles have the right of way to enter the community for situational responses as needed. This is also a potential long term solution.
2. One-Way 6-9 a.m. & 4-6 p.m.
3. Consistent & Targeted enforcement with stiffer fines (may require revising traffic code laws)
I am looking for an answer and one that will secure my children as they get on and off the school bus in the morning. Why can't closing or making Hancock one way work (…or restricting traffic into the neighborhood at Hancock during the morning rush hour)? If we are looking to make Gwynedd Knoll a FAMILY neighborhood this has to be addressed. Unfortunately, if it is not we will be moving to another neighborhood as it has gotten out of control.
I don’t think making Hancock Road one-way should be off the table. It seems at first glance like a reasonable idea, especially when considering the various ways to get in and out of Gwynedd Knoll. In comparison to David Cutler Group’s “Villages of Trewellyn”, which has only two entrances/exits, making Hancock one-way would seem advantageous for reducing the inflow of traffic and therefore the speed of travelers too.
3.A . Penndot has informed Township officials and residents of Gwynedd Knoll that at this time they will be constructing the Rt. 202 Parkway to just beyond the Hancock Road entrance, then reverting back to a two-lane roadway. There are no further enlargements in the plans for several years in the adjacent areas of 202. This will cause even more traffic to enter the neighborhood and cause unsafe situations for residents. What would you do as Supervisor to alleviate this problem?
I would work to have a clear picture of Penndot’s planned activities and timing so residents can be aware of what to expect and when. I would also work with Penndot to have the land for which easements are located acquired by Penndot so that may be used as a staging area for equipment.
I would change the speed limit to 20 mph.
I would need more information to determine additional course of action.
3.B. Question for Chip Behr-On August 21st, Gwynedd Knoll residents met with the Board of Supervisors with our concerns about the traffic situation and 202. We were told that the Township would schedule a follow-up meeting, once a traffic study was done. Despite our repeated requests, we have not been given a date for such a meeting. When is this meeting? What steps did the study suggest should be taken to decrease traffic volume through Gwynedd Knoll now and in the future when 202 is widened?
4. Currently, the Rt. 202 Parkway plan is to have a bike/pedestrian easement along the Gwynedd Knoll side of the roadway. Since no Federal funds are being used to construct this road, would you be willing to support the neighborhood to remove the easement, thus relieving some residents of the Gwynedd Knoll neighborhood from losing valuable personal property?
If the Commonwealth is unwilling to provide market value for property in order to make a bike trail, thereby reducing the value of the property owned by a LGT resident, I believe legal action would be required on the part of the home owner. I am not familiar with case law or precendence where emminant domain was used by a governmental body without compensation. If the state is not interested in compensating for acquisition but an easement already exists, it may be difficult to preclude the state from using the property with the easement as stipulated in the easement for which residents are made aware of during the disclosure process when the property was purchased.
5. Currently Gwynedd Knoll is not connected to the Township’s main trail system. How would you connect the Oxford Park trail system, our closest trail, to the main trail system?
As a community, you are not alone with this issue. I too face this where the trails at Cedar Hill end on Cedar Hill Road with no cross over to get to Bethlehem Pike and other trails too. I think we need to investigate a comprehensive plan to connect residents. I think any investment would be incredibly prudent, especially when considering other investments that this administration had made like the park at Pennlyn Pike & Bethlehem Pike that cost in excess of $100,000.00 and for which there is no parking and rarely a visitor.
I would like to see the township pursue appropriate easements (as needed) to create connectivity between trails. Invariably this helps everyone, creates a more inviting community and positively impacts property values as well.
6. Foulkeways continues to expand and has “jumped the road” to the opposite side of Meetinghouse Road. What would you do as Supervisor to keep this business from expanding further into residential areas?
Zoning should be reflective of single family residences and not multi-tenant. If Foulkeways owns the property and are within the zoning regulations/laws, then there is little the township can do without seeking a zoning ordinance change which seems unlikely. However, if Foulkeways is not keeping within zoning ordinances, then this is something that can be remedied.
What seems a larger and appropriate question is the following: Is Foulkeways seeking zoning changes from single residence to multi-tenant on the property they are acquiring?
7. What would you do as an elected official to establish a close working relationship with the community throughout the year? Please be specific.
I would seek continued interaction through invitations to your community meetings on a quarterly basis. I would also welcome calls and questions via email and phone. In order to lead effectively, one needs to engage the citizens and understand their needs, concerns. To this end, I think this is the single greatest area of improvement for our elected Board.
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Response from Chip Behr
a brief resume: chip behr
*endorsed candidate
*lower gwynedd township park and recreation board member since 1994
*vice chair of the lower gwynedd township board of supervisors, since 2001
*owner of hausser scientific: a manufacturer of scientific glassware, since 1986
* member of la salle college high school board of trustees
* member of gwynedd mercy college board of trustees
*chairperson of penllyn woods park fundraising committee: a grassroots organization whose mission was to raise $1.5 million to develop penllyn woods as a public recreational facility for the lower gwynedd community.
*former member of the gwynedd mercy academy high school board of trustees
* chair: bethlehem pike beautifcation
* married, 30 years. three children
Questions:
1) i am a community minded person, who believes in "giving back". i do not consider myself an overly political person. by nature, i am an "open book", with no personal, or business agendas. many of the residents know me personally, and as a supervisor. i am very proud of the many accomplishments that have taken place: before , and during my tenure as a township supervisor.
the township has not increased taxes in the past 12 years. we continue to purchase open space, and expand our 20 miles of trails and park system. only 10 years ago, the township did not have a viable park for active recreation. we now have: penllyn woods, oxford park, pen-ambler park, and veterans memorial park. we continue to defend our ordinances and oppose development which is not in character with the community. the spring house shopping center, is one of the many examples.
bethlehem pike beautification is another example of our many accomplishments, of which i am most proud. phase one is now completed. phase two, and phase three, will be completed, within the next three years.
in the future, the entire annual budget will be on-line, in order for anyone to study. please note, that the annual budget is always available, at the township building, for anyone to review.
2) the police department patrols gwynedd knoll constantly, and is in touch with the school district, and follows up with any enforecment issues in gwynedd knoll, and other neighborhoods in the township. the board's position on restricting traffic into and/or out of hancock road is that we must take into condiseration the impact that it will have on the other township residents. it is vital to work closely with penndot to get meetinghouse road relocated and a signal installed at meetinghouse and rt 202, to provide motorists with alternatives to cutting through gwynedd knoll. we are also very mindful of the position of the emergency services in this regard. our traffic consultant has been asked to provide additional traffic calming alternatives to further reduce traffic flow through the neighborhood. the township has already installed numerous new stop signs and turn restrictions in the neighborhood that have actually caused traffic volume to decrease, although, not to an acceptable level for many residents. we will, however, continue efforts to find ways to reduce traffic volumes through gwynedd knoll and other neighborhoods. it is interesting to note, however, that according to recent traffic studies, conducted by our traffic consultants, that the traffic in gwynedd knoll has not increased any more than most other streets in montgomery county.
3A: the township continues to meet with penndot on this issue. the schedule continues to be "fluid". we were told, as recently as last week, that the 65-S section may now be moved up to the year: 2010. for your information, 65-N , the section between 309 and hancock road, is not scheduled to start construction until 2009.
continuing to coordinate meetings with state rep, kate harper, and penndot, is a must.
3-B: the board of supervisors is meeting at foulkeways on november 5th, at 7:30 pm. this would be a good opportunity to receive an update on our efforts. we have invited kate harper, and representatives from penndot to provide the latest information of the 202 project. in the meantime, we have had numerous meetings with the township traffic consultants, and penndot, regarding this issue, in preparation for an upcoming meeting. one of your residents, linda caligari, has been kept informed, regarding all of these conversations. ms caligari has been copied on most issues. please remember, that coming to any of our two monthly meetings, is always an option for you...........and we would welcome your attendance.
4: the township has always been very supportive of the installation of a trail along route 202, including design changes at the wissahickon to accommodate horses. to now abandon that support and be the only community not to have the trail along the new roadway would be something that i would not support. we pride ourselves on our many, beautiful trails. penndot has agreed to install sound walls along route 202, to reduce the impact of the roadway. it is my unerstanding that the residents have been fairly compensated for their property along the corridor. if that is not the case, please advise.
5: the township will continue to work to extend our existing trail system. as mentioned before, we are very proud of our trail system. we would like to extend a trail along cambridge and into the bird sanctuary to provide residents in that section of the township with additional recreational opportunities. we are also pursuing the possibility of purchasing the farm adjacent to oxford park. if you would like to read a copy of the township comprehensive plan, it is available at the township building. the comprehensive plan shows that the township's vision, includes more walking trails, connecting existing trails, and making our downtown section a more walkable community.
6: the township has very strict limitations on foulkeways, related to units allowed per acre. because there is a demand for larger living units, overall density has actually been slightly reduced. foulkeways is an asset to our community, in my opinion. if you believe anything otherwise, please let me know.
7: all township residents are invited to attend the twice monthly meeings of the board of supervisors. i would love to see more citizen input on all issues. please note, that we normally have only a handful of residents who attend our meetings. also, our township staff is second to none. i, personally, am very proud of the great job that they do in keeping the township running smoothly. they are able to keep our 10,000 township residents safe, and happy. they are always available to meet with the residents to discuss matters of interest. township officials attend homeowners association meetings regularly. i, personally, have visited many sites, homes, businesses, and communities, within our township, to discuss specific concerns.
i hope that i have answered your questions. thank you for allowing me this opportunity. i would like to continue to serve lower gwynedd township, as a supervisor. i believe that my reputation speaks for itself. i believe that lower gwynedd township is a very special place to live and work. as a resident, i am happy to call lower gwynedd, my home. as a township supervisor, i am proud of the entire township administration, staff, police department, and the supervisors.
many thanks, again.
with respect,
chip behr
Response from Richard Booth
-------------- Original message --------------
From: jrboothdds@comcast.net
Dear Lower Gwynedd Township Residents:
Lower Gwynedd Township has been blessed over the years with a strong, conscientious, hard working and devoted volunteer leadership team. Having been a resident and property owner except for three years served in the US Army from 1965 to 1968, I have observed significant changes in residential, small business, and commercial development. With the influx of new families into this very desirable community, increased pressure is placed on the resources of the area including educational facilities, shopping facilities, police and fire departments, recreational areas and open spaces. Maintaining high standards in the area of community planning, architectural consistency, public safety and traffic control while affording our residents a quiet,comfortable and convenient retreat in which to raise their families should be the primary mission.
Having lived in, raised children in, practiced dentistry for many years in Lower Gwynedd Township, as well as having volunteered on the Lower Gwynedd Township Municipal Authority for fourteen years (currently Chairman), affords me an advantageous perspective of the growth and development of our township. What I have observed would not be a surprise to most of you. This area has transitioned from a sleepy country community in the '60s to a very desirable residential area with considerable issues primarily focusing around high traffic density and the potential for over development. We see new homes going up all around us. We see small businesses answering the call for convenient shopping all along the Bethlehem Pike corridor. Larger businesses intermingle with residential areas and golf courses and other open spaces. All of this pressure comes from the bas ic desirability of Lower Gwynedd Township as a great, convenient place to raise and educate our children. We all simply want to live here.
So why would I want to be a Supervisor. In simple words, I have experience dealing with people both through my practice, as Chairman of the LGT Municipal Authority, as a member and past president of The Rotary Club of Ambler, and as past president of the Wood Bridge Home Owners Association.. I can listen, be fair and reasonable, and am able to make realistic decisions based on fact. I am a seasoned resident as well as a small businessman and can think and act independently when and where necessary while remaining empathetic to the needs of all those involved. I have the maturity, the intelligence, significant education, and the motivation plus a flexible time schedule in order to get the job done. In addition, I am artistic, have a keen sense of esthetics, have some engineering experience, know a good bit about the infrastructure of the c ommunity and the functions of the various committees functioning in LGT. I am fiscally conservative, small business friendly, and have always loved Lower Gwynedd Township as my home and place to work and play. With my experience, and by working together with home owners and the business community, I feel that I would be a real asset to the township and the Board of Supervisors in protecting this wonderful investment called Lower Gwynedd Township.
Gwynedd Knoll is a particularly difficult issue. Although I have seen a great influx of heavy traffic throughout the township with little tributary roads being used as alternative routes, it is a significant problem for those residents. Many public meetings have been held, many letters written, many studies done, and yet little has apparently changed to satisfy these residents. The issue is problematic for many reasons, ranging from construction of surrounding main thoroughfares, proposed construction, legal issues, PennDOT and EPA delays, public right -of- way issues, police and fire department accessibility issues, impact on adjacent communities, human nature, and ignorant/ aggressive drivers, plus many others.
What can be done? Traffic calming devices - speed bumps, speed signs, restrictions to entry at certain hours of the day and others have been employed in other areas with varying degrees of success . In Gwynedd Knoll, many new stop signs and turn restrictions have been installed which apparently has reduced traffic flow in the neighborhood. Speed bumps require the approval of 75% of the community so the community must get together on this subject. Other things probably could work but would require legal advice along with a very active community to get things rolling. The Rt 202 Parkway project along with the relocation of the Meetinghouse Road, and an additional traffic signal would alleviate some potential bottle necks as well as provide motorists alternatives to cutting through Gwynedd Knoll. ; ; ; I am certain that the present Board of Supervisors has worked very hard and continues to do so to resolve these issues in an expeditious way.
The pedestrian / bike easement is part of a master plan which was implemented several years ago. Some residents are affected directly but I am under the impression that those folks have dealt with PennDOT directly and have or will received fair compensation for their land. These easements have been on the books for a long time and the township has anticipated that these paths will ultimately connect to trails further enhancing our trail system.
According to the DePallo Design and Planning LLC. proposals adopted by LGT in December, 2006, the Oxford Park trail system will connect Gwynedd Knoll when the projected reconstruction of Rt 63 is implemented. That trail would give additional access to Oxford Park from Gwynedd Knoll. I believe other trails are planned within Gwynedd Knoll to enhance access to Oxford Park and an anticipated bird sanctuary nearby.
There are strict zoning restrictions in place that should prevent additional expansion of the Foulkways complex into residential areas and I would favor that kind of restriction. Foulkways is however a very unique facility in Lower Gwynedd and is truly an asset to our community. It is a very good alternative use for an area zoned residential and you may wish to reside there some day yourself..
Monthly meetings of the Board of Supervisors are considered public forums. The community has complete access to these proceedings and has the opportunity to voice opinions and suggestions. The dates and times are published for all LGT meetings as a courtesy to the public. These notices can be found at the township building, in various local newspapers, as well as in the township web sight (www.lowergwynedd.org) I find the web sight quite interesting. Perhaps and additional town forum on a quarterly basis would work to give those so inclined additional time to review issues, plans, and decisions made by the board. The problem with this is that public meetings already exist and from my observation are generally poorly attended. Such additional meetings would tax the time of the many volunteers who devote their time to trying to satisfy all the needs of the residents. My feeling would be to first encourage utilization of existing forums as well as the web sight for current updates and information on activities, issues, and decisions made by the Board of Supervisors before additional meetings are established.
Hopefully, through this forum, I have been able to give you a favorable perspective regarding my background, motives and my thinking regarding the functions of the Lower Gwynedd Township Board of Supervisors.
Thank you for the opportunity to present my thoughts and ideas. I am very anxious to serve the community in the capacity of Lower Gwynedd Township Supervisor.
I would sincerely appreciate your votes on November 6th.
Best regards,
Dr. J. Richard Booth
