Sadsbury investigating how sewer billing went wrong
The Sadsbury Board of Supervisors is conducting its own internal investigation into why sewer bills were improperly calculated for the past 10 years. The township has a flat fee and usage fee for its public sewer customers, but the flat fee should have been billed per equivalent dwelling unit, as opposed to per customer. Businesses and multiple dwellings received a lump sum bill for fees dating back to 2007 due to a billing error. Chairwoman Stephanie Silvernail said the board, township auditors and the township’s accountant are conducting an investigation to discover how the problem occurred. Township engineer Jamie MacCombie discovered that the error existed after reading a copy of the township ordinance.
Source: Daily Local; 4/11/2012
Chester County’s growth continues, but slower
Newly released figures from the U.S. Census show the rate of population growth in Chester County has leveled off since the development boom of the past two decades. Economic and demographic factors have combined to slow considerably the rate of growth in suburban and ex-urban areas – those ring suburbs outside the traditional metropolitan areas in Pennsylvania. Chester County is still growing at a fast pace compared with other counties across the commonwealth. Ronald Baily, executive director of the county planning commission, noted that “ changes in the economy, the recession, and changes in the character of households over the decade have created more demand for people to live in urban centers of the county like Phoenixville, Downingtown, and Malvern. That’s a good thing. That’s what (the county’s planning model) urges.” Over the past year, the county’s growth was one percent, tying it with Lehigh and Tioga counties for the second-fastest growing county during that period.
Source: Daily Local; 4/8/2012
Concerns raised over DASD Sixth Grade Center
Parents and residents of Uwchlan Township had the opportunity to voice their concerns about the Sixth Grade Center at a conditional use hearing. Downingtown Area School District’s Sixth Grade Center and its affiliated traffic impact studies were presented to township supervisors, continuing from a hearing held Feb. 2. The Downingtown Area School Board hopes the project, which will include a facility large enough to educate the entire sixth grade population in the district, will be constructed next to Shamona Creek Elementary School. According to Guy Donatelli, solicitor for the school district, the land at that site was purchased with the intention of building more than one school. Residents are concerned about increased traffic from buses. Plans for the site will be made available for public input on May 1.
Source: Daily Local; 4/12/2012
Trail access point draws opposition
A proposed access path across the Chester Valley Trail is generating diverging views from neighbors near its entrance. Signatures from 48 residents opposing the access were collected from the Chester Valley Knoll development, along with 24 residents from along Deer Run Lane. Approximately 80 residents attended the East Whiteland Township Supervisors’ meeting to express support or opposition to the access path. The Chester Valley Trail is one of a series of nature trails being developed in the county and throughout the region. The Chester Valley Trail will eventually connect to the Downingtown area. To the east, it will connect with trails to Philadelphia.
Source: Daily Local; 4/8/2012
