Limerick OKs Traffic Circle for Swamp Pike

The approval of the first phase of the proposed Limerick Town Center includes the 308-unit senior housing complex, shown above in gray, and the road improvements which include re-routing Swamp Pike through a traffic circle to align with Lewis Road at the intersection with West Ridge Pike.

For residents of Limerick Center Road, what was most significant about last night's Limerick Supervisors meeting is what didn't happen.

An opponent of the TP Trailers project
was on hand Tuesday with this flyer.

A controversial proposal for a trailer and shipping container facility at 181 Limerick Center was pulled from the night's agenda "due to a scheduling conflict with the developer," according to a posting on the township web site.

Instead, the project, which has won a recommendation for approval from the planning commission, will be on the agenda for the Dec. 18 meeting.

But that doesn't mean that news didn't happen.

It was just a little under the radar.

With no comment or discussion, the Limerick Township Board of Supervisors granted final site plan approval to the first phase of a 30-acre project that will eventually bring more than 450 new residences and a traffic circle to the intersection of Ridge and Swamp pikes.

With Supervisors Chairman Elaine DeWan absent, the plan for phase one of Limerick Town Center was approved by a 3-1 vote. 

Supervisor Patrick Morroney voted no.

The first phase includes Arcadia at Limerick Pointe, the 308-unit senior units — comprised of a mixture of independent living, assisted living and “memory care” units —  that is at the center of the project. 

But the aspect of the project that will affect the most people is that the first phase approval also includes the re-alignment of Swamp Pike, through a traffic circle, to align with Lewis Road at the intersection with West Ridge Pike.

Limerick Supervisors will hold
a special meeting Monday.

Despite vehemently opposing the traffic circle since it was first insisted upon by Montgomery County and PennDOT road planners, Vice Chairman Ken Sperring, without comment, provided the crucial third vote needed for passage.

Back in September, Sperring said he refuses "on principle," to vote for anything involving the circle.

However, with Morroney also voting no and Supervisor Ken Neafcy also absent at the September meeting, Sperring was convinced to vote to apply for three new traffic light permits from PennDOT that the project needed to move forward, after being re-assured there would be other opportunities to raise concerns about the traffic circle.

Tuesday night was one of those opportunities, but Sperring did not take it.

In addition to the the Arcadia building, the project also proposed about 160 townhomes and three retail buildings that have 32,000 square feet of space on the first floor, with apartments above.

The developers, Ridge Swamp Associates LLP, must still obtain permits from the Montgomery County highway officials, as well as PennDOT, but have already obtained crucial permits from the Montgomery County Conservation District, according to Township Manager Dan Kerr and Township Engineer Khaled Hassan.

In fact Hassan said the developers may begin doing some earth moving for the senior building quite soon.

As for the townhouses and commercial buildings, although they have been the subject of extensive discussions with township supervisors, no formal plans have been submitted to the township for either of those project phases, said Hassan.

And now, here are the Tweets from the meeting:

Limerick Traffic Circle Approved

Plowing the Circle, Eliminating All Debt in Limerick

Photos by Evan Brandt

In order to keep planning for the massive Limerick Town Center project moving forward, three of four Limerick Supervisors agreed in concept Tuesday night to plow the snow from Swamp Pike and the new traffic circle that PennDOT requires and everyone hates.

After months of construction, the first meeting in the new $10.5 million Limerick Township buidding was a bit anti-climactic, no balloons, music of speeches, although that -- along with the requisite ribbon-cutting, coming in October apparently.

Of course it was a big night for Shaun Semmeles.

Limerick Fire Marshal Greg Breyer, right, presents
Fire Inspector 

Shaun Semmeles with his
Emergency Management Coordinator Certification Tuesday.

Semmeles is a fire inspector for the town and he and his family were in attendance as Fire Marshal Greg Breyer presented him with his basic certification as emergency management coordinator.

"With this certification, Shaun took it upon himself to see what the requirements would be and her surpassed them," said Breyer.

"He's really stepped up and helped us establish an Emergency Operations Center in the new Limerick Fire Station without spending any taxpayer money," Breyer said.

Here is a video of the presentation.



Congratulations to Shaun, but other things of import were discussed last night as well.

Perhaps of greatest interest is the Town Center project proposed for 30 acres at the intersection or Ridge Pike and Swamp Pike that includes more than 300 senior living units and 160 townhomes at the intersection of Ridge Pike and Swamp Pike.

In addition to the townhomes and the 308 senior units — comprised of a mixture of independent living, assisted living and “memory care” units — the plan also calls for three retail buildings that have 32,000 square feet of space on the first floor, with apartments above.
Last month, the township supervisors granted preliminary site plan approval for the project, moving it one step ahead in the land development process.

In order to win Montgomery County approval for the senior unit portion of the project, the township supervisors had to agree to allow the county to take ownership of the new roads that will be created by the project, but to plow those roads and the traffic circle that will be created and paint the traffic circle.

The township also had to agree to plow Swamp Pike to the New Hanover Township line.

Supervisor Ken Sperring, who has expressed his strong opposition to the traffic circle, said he opposes taking over responsibility for plowing and painting it.

"That circle will be a disaster, I've plowed for 20 years, plowing it with traffic coming will be a disaster," said Sperring.

But Supervisor Kara Shuler argued it would be better for the residents, and safer during snowstorms, to have the township take care of it than waiting around for the county contractor. Supervisors Thomas Neafcy and Patrick Morroney agreed with Shuler and Township Manager Dan Kerr said he would let the county know. 

Supervisors Chairwoman Elaine DeWan was absent.

The county will re-imburse the township for the plowing at a higher rate than PennDOT pays the township to plow state roads in the township, said Kerr.

All that is required now is approval by the Montgomery County Commissioners.

In a less interesting but arguably more important action, the supervisors voted last night to take steps to eliminate all township debt.

Assistant Manager Beth DePrete explained that with the $75 million the township was paid by Aqua PA for the sewer system, all township debt -- $3.5 million remaining on the Public Works Building and the $5.2 million borrowed for the new township building -- can be retired.

That will save the township $1 million in interest payments.

A remaining $3 million bond cannot be paid off until 2020, but the supervisors agreed to set up an escrow fund to make payments automatically until it can be retired in 2020.

With no debt, the township will also lose its AAA bond rating DiPrete warned, but the supervisors said with $55 million invested wisely, they have no need for a bond rating.

With that money available for capital projects and interest earnings, "I don't see us borrowing money or raising taxes for another 30 years," said Sperring.

And with that remarkable statement, I give you the Tweets from the evening ...

Eliminating Debt and Plowing a Traffic Circle

Limerick Supervisors Move Mega Project Forward, Finalize $75 Million Sale of Sewer System

A site plan for an earlier version of Limerick Town Center. Under the preliminary site plan approved last night, the town homes at the top of the triangle have been re-arranged, but the scale of the project remains the same.

A township supervisors meeting of less than 30 minutes nevertheless saw two votes of great importance.

The first was the approval of the preliminary site plan for the Limerick Town Center project. a large development which will alter one of the township's busiest intersections for many years to come.

And the second vote was the closing on the deal to sell the town's sewer system to Aqua PA, netting the township more than $70 million.

Limerick Town Center

The vote on Limerick Town Center was unanimous, although Supervisor Patrick Morroney was absent, and made without any further public review or comment.

Obviously pleased, developers from Ridge Swamp Associates LLP quickly thanked the supervisors and fled the meeting before anything changed.

This photo shows the more recent arrangement of the town homes.

The vote moves the project into the next phase in the land development process, the development and engineering of a final site plan, which must also be recommended by the township planning commission and win another approval from the township supervisors.

The is a large development project on 30 acres with more than 300 senior living units and 160 townhomes at the intersection of Ridge Pike and Swamp Pike
In addition to the townhomes and the 308 senior units — comprised of a mixture of independent living, assisted living and “memory care” units — the plan also calls for three retail buildings that have 32,000 square feet of space on the first floor, with apartments above.

The project was made possible by changes the supervisors made at the developers’ request to the township zoning code to allow the three uses on the same parcel, said Robert Brant, the attorney representing the developers.

In exchange, the developers agreed to extend Lewis Road through the property to Swamp Pike, thus allowing northbound drivers to avoid having to make a right turn onto Ridge Pike and then the very sharp left onto Swamp Pike, and vice versa.

However, the plan now includes a traffic circle, for the intersection of Swamp Pike, Lewis Road and the proposed new road, Arcadia Drive

The first phase of the project to be built will be the senior living building, followed by townhouses and then finally, the commercial, Brant said previously.

$75 Million Sewer System Sale

As for the sale of the sewer system, it comes about after years and years of discussion.

The township took over operation of the sewer system from the Limerick Sewer Authority in 2008 in what might be described as a hostile take-over and following a protracted fight between the two.

Limerick Township Municipal Authority was created by the Limerick supervisors in 1966 and operated as an independent municipal authority. 

In March, 2008, One month after the supervisors moved to dissolve the authority,  the authority filed a court injunction to prevent the township from taking over the authority.

David Kane

The township argued said such a power transfer would achieve cost savings for Limerick in the long run, while those representing the authority have said pure politics are at play, largely by former Supervisors Chairman David Kane, who was sentenced to four years in federal prison in 2012 after pleading guilty to filing a false income tax return, failure to file income tax returns, tax evasion and mail fraud.

But ultimately, the issue was resolved in the township's favor, after thousands of dollars in legal fees had been accumulated, and the transfer moved ahead in September of that year.

Flash forward to 2016, when the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the $75.1 million sale of the township sewer system to Aqua Pennsylvania Wastewater Inc.

The sale was not finalized until July 25 of this year, however, due to delays caused by a lengthy review by the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission, said Beth DiPrete, the township's assistant manager and treasurer.

The system has two treatment plants, one on Possum Hollow Road and the other on King Road, as well as 18 pump stations and miles of underground pipe.

DiPrete said after deductions were made to the sale price to pay off $3.7 million sewer bond incurred by the sewer authority, and other debts by the township, that the net gain is $70,489,941.

Supervisors Chairwoman Elaine DeWan said the board decided to sell the sewer system because of a number of major capital projects on the horizon and the burgeoning population.

"When I moved here in 2001, there were 9,000 people and now there are 19,000," she said.

One of those capital projects can be seen at 646 Ridge Pike, where a new $10 million township and police building has risen where the former township building once stood.

Plans call for the township to move back into those new offices on Aug. 15, when the township will be closed for business.

DiPrete said the township borrowed $6 million for that project because of the delay caused by the PUC in obtaining the money from the sewer system sale. Another $4 million was borrowed to pay for the new public works garage built behind the new township building.

DeWan said the township built a new Limerick Fire Station on Ridge Pike and intends to undertake a $2.5 million renovation of the Linfield Fire station. Both fire companies are in the process of merging into a single company, but both stations are still needed, she said.

She said the sale will also fund other major capital projects, such as improvements to the intersection of Royersford Road and Linfield-Trappe Road.

"To pay for all that would have required us to double the township's taxes or more," DeWan said. She also said the customers of the sewer system were protected by the fact that the deal includes a proviso that sewer rates cannot be increased for the next three years.

The township stated another reason for selling the sewer system was because of increasing operational costs and future capital investments that would need to be done to the system. Regulations made by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection would begin to place a greater financial and operational burden on the entire department..

Additionally, capital investments to the current $36 million collection and treatment system would have been required.

The sale was made easier, said DiPrete, by a change in Pennsylvania law on how the value of such facilities are calculated.

Earlier this year, Exeter Township in Berks County, sold its sewer treatment plant to Pennsylvania American Water Co. for $96 million.

The current Limerick Township Seal, which hangs in the
temporary offices on South Limerick road.

The supervisors also voted Tuesday night to spend $5,000 to explore the possibility of converting 1,400 street lights to LED lights to hep reduce the township's annual street light bill of about $50,000.

And, as the township prepares to move into its new building, the supervisors voted to auction off the few pieces of furniture brought along to the temporary quarters on South Limerick Road, occupied while the new township building was constructed.

Additionally, Supervisor Kenneth Sperring asked about beginning work on designing a new seal for the township. He was told no seal will be erected in the new township building until the design has been approved by the board of supervisors.

And now, after a long report about a short meeting, here are the Tweets.

Mega Projects and Sew

Revisions Pending to Plan for Limerick Truck Facility

This sign was posted in the door of the township

offices Tuesday night.

Folks who were geared up to protest a project to construct a truck servicing center on Limerick Center Road had the wind whipped out of their sails Monday night.

At the request of the developer, who had just two weeks ago been pushing for township supervisors to take the next step in the development process, the matter was pulled from the agenda at the last minute.

Residents turned out in force at the July 3 meeting to raise concerns about the plan and the supervisors put off making a decision until last night.

One source said that the combination of the residents' concerns and the supervisors wariness may have convinced the developer to make some changes to the proposal.

The announcement on the township web site noted that TP Trailers "will be making additional revisions to the preliminary plan.

Anyway, as a result, it was a pretty short meeting.

The next most newsworthy item on the agenda was yet another discussion about the Limerick Town Center project, this time about the senior living portion of the project, which also includes a four-story, 190,895 square foot building with 87 housing units, 91 assisted living units and 32 memory-care units, and that's just the first phase of the senior living element.

The project also calls for about 160 townhomes and 32,000 square feet of retail space along Ridge Pike, with apartments above.

The footprint, outlined in gray, of the first phase of the 

senior living portion of Limerick Town Center.

All total it's on about 30 acres at the intersection of Ridge Pike and Swamp Pike and includes a re-alignment of that intersection and an extension of Lewis Road, all into a single traffic circle.

Discussion Tuesday night centered around minor waivers sought for that p=ortion of the project having to do with landscaping, pipe width and road width, none of which represented any problem for the township engineer.

The supervisors authorized the solicitor to draw up a resolution approving the waivers at the next meeting which is scheduled for Aug. 7.

The township offices are expected to move out of their temporary location on S. Limerick Road and back into a spanking new township building at 646 W.  Ridge Pike on Wednesday, Aug. 15, and open again for business on the next day.

Also, Limerick Community Day is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 18 from 4 to 7 p.m. at Limerick Community Park. The Mango Men Band will be performing.

And without further ado, here are the Tweets.

No Trucks, Senior Homes Instead

Limerick 30-Acre Project, 422 On-ramp Progress

Fuzzy Photos by Evan Brandt

This new configuration of town homes, part of the proposed 30-acre Limerick Town Center project, was preferred by township supervisors Tuesday over the one presented two weeks ago.

Two major construction projects were reviewed by Limerick Township Supervisors Tuesday night.

The first, known as Limerick Town Center is located on 30 acres at the intersection of Ridge Pike, Lewis Road, and Swamp Pike.

It calls for a large senior living facility at the center, 160 townhomes and commercial retail buildings along Ridge Pike, as well as a re-alignment and extension of Lewis Road into a traffic circle for the new intersection of Ridge, Swamp and Lewis.

But it was only the townhomes on the agenda for discussion last night. The developers, Ridge-Swamp Associates LLP had, after getting input from the supervisors last week, re-arranged the townhomes to make the project less linear.

The change allowed for larger two-car garages on some models all of which reduced any potential parking problems.

The developers also reduced to one the entrances off Swamp Pike. The new configuration pleased the supervisors and attorney Bob Brant said that is the configuration they will bring to the planning commission on June 28.

The yellow loop shows the location for the new on-ramp.

Also up for an update is a project that began back in 2008, a new westbound
ramp onto Route 422 from Evergreen Road.

The new ramp will allow shoppers leaving Costco and the Philadelphia Outlets to get onto 422 west without having to make the dangerous left across opposing traffic on Evergreen Road.

Joe Platt from Traffic Planning and Design said the project will be reviewed by PennDOT in August and that construction will most likely take most of 2019.

Much of the $1.8 million project is being covered by PennDOT grants and the local share is being split between Limerick and Lower Pottsgrove, with 65 percent of the local share being paid by Limerick.

That money, said Township Manager Dan Kerr, is being drawn out of the traffic impact fees the township has charged developers for years and no local Limerick tax money is being used to pay the township's share.

Here are the other Tweets from the meeting:

Town Center Plan Re-Drawn

30-Acre Development Inches Forward in Limerick

Photos by Evan Brandt

This map shows much of the proposed Limerick Town Center project, proposed for 30.5 acres at the intersection of Swamp Pike and Ridge Pike.  It calls for 308 units in a senior living facility, as well as 160 townhouses, each of which will have at least three bedrooms, and 32,000 square feet of retail space long Ridge Pike.

Last night's Limerick Supervisors meeting had everything you expect from a local government meeting.

We began by honoring emergency medical personnel; then honored a graduating Spring-Ford High School senior who earned his Eagle rank as a Scout and will be joining the Marines; followed by a major discussion about a giant development project in the middle of town, and wrapped it up with news about the purchase of a historic toll house at a Schuylkill River crossing that will give the township access to 18 acres of parkland.

Limerick Supervisors Chairwoman Elaine DeWan, left,

congratulates Jackson Dukes on earning the rank of Eagle.

You won't read about any of that stuff in the Philadelphia Inquirer or PATCH (at least until we report it).

So the scout's name is Jackson Dukes and he is part of Crew 623 that meets at the Crossland Church. In addition to leading the meeting in the Pledge of Allegiance, Dukes was also recognized by an official township resolution.

Also on the brighter side of last night's meeting was the news that in the wake of the township's $225,000 purchase last month of the historic 169-year-old toll house at 1310 Main St. in Linfield, township crews have begun clearing out the property and making it safe for its vehicles.

Limerick Township crews have since cleared

some of the closer vegetation from the house.

In addition to its historic value, the house, provide access to 18 acres of parkland the township already owns along the Schuylkill. Soon the public will have access to that land, said Township Manager Dan Kerr.

There are no specific plans for the structure, but Kerr said he would first like to discuss the matter with the Limerick Historical Society to see if they have any interest.

All of this is well and good, but perhaps the matter discussed that has the greatest potential to have impact on the larger township occupied center stage for much of the evening.

Ridge Swamp Associates L.L.P has proposed a major project at one of the busiest intersections of the township -- Ridge Pike and Swamp Pike.

Located on just over 30 acres, the plan calls for a senior housing building housing 308 units, comprised of a mixture of independent living, assisted living and "memory care" units.

Additionally, although 186 townhouse units of three-or-more bedrooms had initially been planned, engineering requirements reduced that number to 160, the minimum number the developers say are needed to make the project financially feasible.

This map shows the full scope of the project.

The project also calls for at least three commercial, retail buildings along Ridge Pike totaling 52,296 square feet, according to local attorney Robert Brant, who is representing the developers.

The project has already received conditional use and zoning approval, but has yet to receive a recommendation for preliminary site plan approval from the planning commission.

The business of last night's meeting was a number of changes being sought by the developers. They primarily had to do with landscape buffers, with width of roads and other details.

Their greatest concern was that some of the landscape buffers required by the township ordinances would force the reduction of the number of townhouses which would make the project unsustainable financially.

They before the supervisors seeking "guidance," Brant said.

What they finally got from the supervisors was unofficial support for four or five of the six changes they were seeking, but not without some grousing and at the end of the discussion, Brant quipped "I know when it's time to leave."

Here are the Tweets from the meeting:

Scouts, Developments and Toll Houses