Upcoming Elections

October 24 Update:

This Tuesday, October 26 is the last day to sign up for mail-in ballots. Please go to www.votepa.gov to sign up for a mail-in ballot for this year’s municipal and judicial elections.

Mail-in Ballot drop off locations:

Vote by mail, or vote in person- just VOTE!

Also, as with past years, we will be collecting leftover Halloween candy for Operation Gratitude! Please bring all that leftover candy to the polls and we will work with Operation Gratitude to get it shipped to our troops stationed abroad.

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Posted previously, but still important!

The General Election has begun! Ballots were mailed this past Wednesday, and should be arriving in mailboxes any day now. The problem? Many Montco ballots were incorrectly printed, so if your ballot is one sided, do not use it!

Who’s up for election?

Me. And many of my colleagues, including school board, Constable, and many judges, including Montgomery County Common Pleas, as well as State Supreme Court. Vote in person, or vote by mail. Just VOTE by November 2, 8pm!

Endorsed candidates:

Apartments at the Willow Grove Park Mall

The next stop for PREIT’s proposed zoning text amendment will be the Land Use Committee. Up for discussion will be the proposed zoning text amendment submitted by PREIT for consideration. This amendment makes modifications to the Business Center (BC) Willow Grove Zoning District that would allow for transit-oriented development (in this case, multi-family residential development) within 2500’ of a train station.

Currently, the Township has five BC Zoning Districts- BC Willow Grove (the district in question), BC Noble (adjacent to Old York Road at Noble Train Station), BC Foxcroft (Old York Road at the Pavilion), BC Abington Towne Center (in the area of Target), and BC Huntingdon Valley Shopping Center, in the eastern half of the township. Three of these five allow for a residential use- BC Noble, BC Foxcroft, and BC Abington Towne Center. The question before us is to consider whether residential use should be allowed at the Willow Grove Park Mall, and if so, what are the parameters- how many units per acre, what are the setbacks, what are the height limitations, etc.

The text amendment process is not the only off-ramp in consideration of this project, but given precedents set in the other BC zoning districts, it is a conversation worth having. Within the text amendment, a Conditional Use approval has been proposed:

Use H-13:  Transit Oriented Apartment/Condominium Building.  A Transit Oriented Apartment/Condominium Building [Use H-13] is a multifamily residential Apartment/Condominium Building or Buildings, each containing at least three, separate Dwelling Units, arranged in a variety of combinations, including side by side, over and under, or back and forth with another dwelling unit.  A Transit Oriented Apartment/Condominium Building or Buildings shall be a permitted use within BC-Business Center District: Willow Grove Park, subject to the Developer/Applicant obtaining conditional use approval for such use in accordance with Section 1806 of the Zoning Ordinance.

This is the second off ramp for the project. A conditional use is basically what it sounds- an approval conditioned upon certain parameters set forth by the Board of Commissioner that are in line with the intents of the Zoning Code. Per the Municipalities Planning Code (MPC):

Uses, which could be provided as conditional uses rather than as special exceptions, are often those uses that could have a direct effect upon the lives of all persons within the community. Some examples of such land uses are airports, paper manufacturing plants, or land fills. Such uses would be specifically listed under the various districts, and to use land for any of these purposes a conditional use application would have to be filed. The governing body would then have the opportunity to thoroughly examine the proposal and to impose any reasonable safeguards necessary to implement the purposes of the ordinance and to protect the public’s general welfare.

PA Governor’s Center for Local Government Services

Our third and final off ramp is the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance (SALDO) approval. SALDO includes discussions of stormwater management, parks and recreation, and some technical aspects of the project. If Zoning is the “where” portion of the approvals process, then SALDO is the “how”. How is the project sited, how is parking handled, how is stormwater management handled, how is green space handled?

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Previously:

This past week, the Economic Development Committee met to discuss two agenda items- a grant for Razzi Radiators right here in North Hills, and the proposed apartments at the Willow Grove Park Mall.

I would like to express my gratitude to the EDC for granting the grant to Razzi Radiators, a long standing business in North Hills. It is important that we do whatever we can to support small business in Abington, and to see a small business in North Hills win this grant was… well, it was gratifying. Our small community is nothing without successful business, and its important to support those businesses. If you are a small business in North Hills and want to apply for a grant from the Economic Development Committee to make improvements that benefit our streetscape, please click the link below.

At last week’s meeting, proposed development of apartments at the Willow Grove Park Mall was also discussed. The EDC requested certain information from PREIT, the landowner, as well as their developer partner, which they hope to discuss at a special meeting of the Committee on October 12, starting at 7:30 am.

Information from this past week’s discussion can be found at the button below, although no meeting minutes are available yet.

Additionally, PREIT has built a new website regarding proposed apartments at the mall. That website can be found at the button below.

Thank you for two great movie nights! Do we go for three??

Thanks to everyone who came out to Dougherty Park to watch Raya and the Last Dragon, and Penbryn Park to watch Mulan! Turnout for both screenings was great, and it left me wondering… should we show a Halloween Movie. Tap the link below and let me know your thoughts on which movie, and which park. Note- this will not conflict with Trick or Treating (either 10/29 or 10/30).

Volunteer Boards

Interested in getting more involved with the township? The Board of Commissioners is seeking applicants to fill vacant positions on some of our boards, commissions, committees and councils. A full list of these can be found on the button below.

Please contact Ms. Terry Castorina, Executive Assistant to the Township Manager, at 267-536-1003, tcastorina@abingtonpa.gov, with any questions about the interview and selection process or for specific details about any committee.

Deadline to submit is October 15, 2021.

For more information on the Boards, Commissions, Committees and Councils, please visit https://www.abingtonpa.gov/.../volunteer-boards...

Get involved!

Trash Cleanout Week

This week is Trash Clean-Out Week, so if you’re looking for something to do today, maybe tackle the basement or the garage! There are some restrictions on what the township will collect and what it will not. To learn more, see the video below.

COVID-19 Assistance- Help with Food and Rent or Mortgage

Having a tough time paying your mortgage as the pandemic wears on? Are you a non-profit struggling to keep food on your shelves? See below for assistance offered by Abington Township, per Kimberly Hamm, Director of Abington’s Department of Community Development.

Abington Township, through HUD’s Community Development Block Grant COVID‐19 Relief Funds, will provide grants to households to make payments for rent and mortgage. To be eligible, household income must be under 80% of Area Median Income as set by HUD and must have experienced loss of income as a result of the COVID‐19 pandemic. The grant can provide assistance on arrearages (past due payments), security deposits for new rentals, and currently due monthly payments over the course of 100 days covering up 6 months of rent or mortgage payments. This grant is not to exceed the monthly mortgage or rent payment due, except in the case of documented eligible arrearages, and is capped at $12,000 per household. All payments will be made directly to providers (landlords, mortgage holders). Grant amounts will vary according to need and are intended to fill the gap to meet expenses after factoring in the difference between pre‐COVID income and current income, including any unemployment compensation.

The Department of Community Development (Department), through the use of CDBG grant funds, has developed a Non-Profit Food Bank Assistance Grant Program (Program) by providing a total of $90,000 to help support area organizations in their efforts to provide safe and nutritious food for the residents of Abington Township. The program is designed to assist organizations that have experienced an increase in requests by Abington Township residents as a result of the recent COVID-19 pandemic and its associated economic impacts. The Program is available to existing non-profit organizations operating food banks with locations in Abington Township. Preference will be given to organizations in operation before March 1, 2020. Funds will be awarded on a rolling basis and will continue to be distributed until they have been exhausted. There is no application fee.

September is Trash Can Exchange Month!

Thrilling, I know! But, if you’re trash can is emanating unique odors or cracked and damaged beyond recognition, then this is your month.

Beginning September 1, 2021 through September 30, 2021 residents can exchange their green trash can for a larger or smaller size. Please complete and submit this form. The form will be automatically emailed to trashcanexchange@abingtonpa.gov where someone from our Refuse Division will review it.

You are only charged for the green trash can . The price change will be reflected in your 2022 tax bill.
The yearly prices for the green trash cans are as follows:
95 gallon: $275.00 per year
65 gallon: $248.00 per year
35 gallon: $220.00 per year

You can also request an additional green trash can. The additional green trash can prices are as follows:
95 gallon: $82.00 per year
65 gallon: $55.00 per year
35 gallon: $27.00 per year

 
If you have any questions or comments you can call the Refuse Department at 267-536-1036 during normal business hours or email your questions or comments to: trashcanexchange@abingtonpa.gov

Upcoming Fall Activities

As summer winds down its time for fall activities and pumpkin spice everything. Here’s a look at what’s going on in Abington this fall.

This year’s Roslyn Fall Festival and Car Show is dedicated to the memory of Ed Micciolo, Abington’s former director of Public Works, retired Marine, and gentleman that genuinely cared for his community.

Click image for link to the guide.

Limekiln Pike Bridge UPDATE

October 27 Update:

The bridge is open! Intermittent lane closures are pending due to some final cleanup work of a pedestrian island, as well as AquaPA’s water bridge over the SEPTA tracks, but the bridge is otherwise open for business. These closures will only occur at off peak hours.

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Previously:

Update as of October 3:

Work continues on the bridge, which appears to be on target to wrap up by the end of October, with the exception of some final water line work that will cause a closure in November. Upcoming closures are as follows:

• Monday, 10/11 through Friday, 10/29- intermittent single lane closures may occur between 9am and 3pm, and between 7pm and 6am.

• Monday, 10/18 through Friday, 10/22- full closure for night work (9pm to 6am). Repaving will occur at this time.

• Saturday, Nov. 13 starting at 3pm through Sunday, November 14 ending at 8am- full closure for Aqua PA work.

Work on the Limekiln Pike bridge, crossing the Septa Tracks and connecting us with Cheltenham, continues. I am happy to say that, based on the latest schedule update, the end is within sight! Per the contractor’s latest schedule (which did not take into consideration any delays from this week’s storms), work is due to wrap up by the end of October.

Upcoming Township Meetings

The Board of Commissioners and Committee of the Whole will meet this week to discuss ongoing township business. Agendas are fairly light, but, of note, Penn State will appear before the Board at its regular meeting to discuss a zoning and map amendment in their pursuit of a new classroom building. At the Committee of the Whole meeting, we will discuss backyard fire pits, the Township naming policy (to name items in memory of those who have passed), volunteer positions for 2022, and a patio at Rydal Park.

As with the last meeting, this meeting will by hybrid format- in person and online. Room capacity is limited, so if you would like to attend, please join online.

Community Meeting: 9/22, 6pm POSTPONED

9/20/2021 UPDATE: Unfortunately, we will be delaying this meeting until October due to COVID-19 concerns. Once we have a new date from the DA’s office, we will share that.

Our next community meeting will be Wednesday, September 22 at 6pm, at the Edge Hill Fire Company. Over the summer, I heard many questions about what was happening at Jin Lian Spa on Jenkintown Road, and what the future of the spa is. We will be joined by Lt. Christopher Kuklentz from the Montgomery County District Attorney’s office to learn more about human trafficking, and how it can manifest itself in our community.

Upcoming Movie Nights

The latest installment in Movie Night @ the Parks, a movie series sponsored by myself and Commissioner Matt Vahey, continues tonight with the screening of Rudy in Hallowell Park. The movie will start at 7:45, please bring your own chairs (and maybe some bug spray). We hope to see you there!

The next movie will be Raya and the Last Dragon this coming Friday, September 10, at North Hills Park (Between Tennis and Penn Avenues, near Limekiln Pike). This movie will start at 7:30, and, as with tonight’s film, please bring your chairs, blankets, and bug spray.

Additionally, Abington Parks and Rec has rescheduled their own movie night in the wake of the remnants of Hurricane Henri. The new date is set for Friday evening, September 17, 7pm at Alverthorpe Park and will feature Disney’s “Jungle Book”.

Wednesday, September 22, starting at 7:30pm at the Abington Art Center: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off! Note there is a slight cost for this one- $10 for general admission, $8 for Abington Art Center or Hiway Theater members, and $5 for youth under 17.

This Week's Storm

Photo Credit: David Eckert | Times Herald

The weather this past summer has been some of the craziest I can recall. Despite wild thunderstorms, hail storms, and tornado outbreaks, we’ve made it through relatively unscathed, with the exception of a few power outages, some soggy basements, and hail damaged cars.

While the Ida leftovers dropped immense amounts of rain in our area, that water has receded. Our neighbors living in Upper Dublin are not as fortunate. They saw damage that will inevitably effect their lives for a long time to come. As we celebrate this Labor Day weekend, please keep our neighbors in our thoughts and prayers, or in the spirit of this holiday, feel free to volunteer and help. Upper Dublin is looking for volunteers to clean up debris in their parks. A Google Sheet has been set up to aid those in need, and is tabbed for General Resources, Services I Can Donate, Services I need, and Items Needed. Click the link below and see how you can help out.

Storm stats as they apply to Abington for September 1st’s storms:

Goodbye Deputy Chief Kelley Warner

This week, we said goodbye to Deputy Chief Kelley Warner. Deputy Chief Warner’s departure is bittersweet- she served Abington well for 32 years, and was one of the pioneers who helped innovate a community policing division that has made a tremendous difference in the neighborhoods of Abington. However, sometimes, when opportunity knocks, it is best to answer the call, and so Deputy Chief Warner leaves us to drop the Deputy from her title, and take on a new role as Chief of the Harrisonburg Police Department in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

I want to wish Kelley the best in her new position. The residents of Harrisonburg will be lucky to have you!

The Pool is Open!

Penbryn Pool

Now open daily, 11am to 9pm.

Both township pools are now open! Pool hours are 11am to 9pm daily, and the season will extend until Labor Day, September 7.

To learn more about registering for a pool membership, pool rules and regulations, and COVID-19 protocols, please click on the link below.

Glenside 4th of July Parade

Next weekend is Independence Day weekend, and, as life returns to normal, so too does the 4th of July. The Glenside Parade will kick off at 4pm on July 4th- to learn more about that from the Greater Glenside Patriotic Association, click the link below. The day’s schedule, per the GGPA:

10:00 AM: Children's Morning Program held at Renninger Memorial Park

4:00 PM: The Grand, Glorious, Patriotic Parade held on a 1.5-mile stretch through Glenside (Click here to see a map of the parade route)

After Dark: America the Beautiful Aerial Fireworks Spectacular held at Abington Junior and Senior High Schools

Fireworks

As with previous years, fireworks will once again be held on the high school campus. As a reminder, fireworks are prohibited within 150’ of occupied structures, and may not be discharged from public or private property without express consent of the owner. How far is 150’ from an occupied structure? Learn from Sgt. Gillespie, below.

Penbryn Pool

In the summer of 2018, a number of residents reached out to me to express concern over the conditions of the locker room at the Penbryn pool house. That summer, we did some deep cleaning and worked hard to keep it operational. In the winter of 2018, we upgraded the finishes in the locker rooms in an attempt to spruce things up, make them more welcoming, and make ongoing maintenance a little easier.

In the summer of 2020, I took that one step further. No, we weren’t able to show off any new renovations or added amenities, but, working with my fellow commissioners, I was able to make the case that, despite the pandemic, it would be safe to open the pool for the summer, and that the community supported that.

Because of an increased understanding of social distancing, mask wearing, and general concern for one another, the 2020 pool season was successful.

Penbryn Park Tree Planting 2019

North Hills was blessed to see the Shade Tree Commission join us again in October of 2019 for the planting of a number of new trees at Penbryn Park. Learn more about the importance of planting trees in our community, as well as the work that our outstanding Abington Shade Tree Commission is doing, by clicking below.

Arbor Day 2019

In 2019, we were joined by the Shade Tree Commission to celebrate Arbor Day in Dougherty Park, where we planted several new trees, tidied up the landscaping, and talked Spotted Lanternfly and rain barrels!

Cleaning Up Our Water

In the summer of 2018, we learned that the North Hills well was being affected by a plume of Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) migrating in underground aquifers. One thing became clear as we engaged in discussions with the EPA, Aqua PA, and the Department of Health- not enough if known about the health effects from these chemicals, but it is possible to remove them from the drinking water.

After working with AquaPA for several years, I’m happy to say that in the spring of 2021, the Board of Commissioners was able to grant land development approvals to AquaPA for an upgrade of the North Hills Well on Chelsea Ave. The new anion resin filtration system will reduce PFAS chemical levels down to non-detectable, allowing for the delivery of clean drinking water to North Hills. Construction is anticipated to begin this summer.