Pottstown Poised To Loosen Tree Rules

Location of Pottstown in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Editor’s note: What’s that I hear?  Is it the sound of wailing coming from the 200 block of Chestnut Street?  To say the tree ordinance was “a little bit extreme” is the understatement of the decade.

POTTSTOWN — Borough council is expected to vote Monday on a proposal to lessen the requirements for plantingtrees when a property is developed or re-developed.

Specifically, the vote would authorize Borough Solicitor Charles D. Garner Jr. to advertise an amendment to the borough’s sub-division and land development ordinance, known as a SLDO, and would apply to “open space trees” and to “parking lot trees.”

“This is the result of an ongoing theme at the planning commission,” Garner told council during the Wednesday work session.

“We were calculating a large number of trees and then granting waivers and it was becoming problematic,” he said.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130906/NEWS01/130909576/pottstown-poised-to-loosen-tree-rules

Even Limerick Township Is Not Recession Proof

Image via Wikipedia

When one thinks of communities that would have budget woes, Limerick Township is not normally a place that would pop into your head. 

The 22.6 square mile township has 13,534 inhabitants (2000 census).  85% of Limerick’s residents own a home.  The estimated median house/condo value in 2008 was $271,583.  The estimated median income in 2008 was $81,877.  Only 1.9% of its residents live below the poverty level.  These numbers are well above the state averages.

Somehow, the township found themselves with an $850,000 deficit going into their 2011 budget process.  Declines in land development and permits (recession) were blamed.   The end result was making some hard decisions about purchases and facility upgrades along with the elimination of two staff positions.

Bottom line here is that taxes will not increase for 2011 and the budget trimming will not reduce services for residents.

Demographic information is from City-data.com