Cell Phone Towers Shot Down, Police Radio Upgrade Discussed

The Limerick Township board of supervisors held its first July meeting on Tuesday. In addition to the , the board discussed several land development items, held a public hearing and voted to approve a resolution supporting a radio equipment upgrade for the police department.

Ross Weiss, an attorney representing John Middleton, Inc., appeared before the board to request approval of the company’s final plan on the fence and security guardhouse it will be putting on its property.

Solicitor Joseph McGrory thanked the company for its cooperation with the board during the land development process.

"John Middleton, Inc. has been a very good neighbor," McGrory said. "They have worked to make their fencing more aesthetically pleasing. They have worked with us to do things that are not required."

The board passed the requested resolution unanimously, which allows Middleton to complete its fencing and gives it a year to finish its approved plantings.

The board also approved an amendment blocking cellular phone towers from being built in residential areas. McGrory said that the amendment would specifically exclude cellular towers from being approved under the public utility conditional use ordinances currently in the township code.

The board also considered subdivision and land development applications for properties at 430 Linfield-Trappe Rd. and on Lewis Road. 430 Linfield-Trappe Rd. will be the site of a hotel and restaurant. The board approved an amendment to the applicant’s original plan that allows them to purchase EDUs (equivalent dwelling units) at the time they build the separate businesses.

McGrory said that the applicant has unusual financing, and because of that they need to purchase EDUs at a later date with the understanding that if EDUs are not available, they will not get a certificate of occupancy.

The board also approved a request by homeowner Daniel Alameda to adjust the property line between his property at 144 Limerick Center Rd. and his neighbor’s property at 146 Limerick Center Rd. Alameda said that he and his neighbor recently discovered that his home is actually within his neighbor’s property line by 10 feet and the purpose of the request was to get the property line adjusted.

The board conducted a public hearing on the application of RedGo Development for a change to the Lewis Road Conditional Use Overlay District. RedGo is in the process of planning a mixed residential/commercial property on Lewis Road that would have skilled nursing and dementia care residences and several commercial properties.

Due to several items needing discussion and clarification, the board granted RedGo’s request for a continuance until the Aug. 16 board meeting.

The board also approved a resolution supporting upgrading police radios to a digital radio system. The board had , choosing to support an option for a full upgrade rather than a rebanding of the radio system.

Board chairman Thomas Neafcy said that the issue is still being "kicked around" by Montgomery County Commissioners James R. Matthews, Joseph M. Hoeffel, and Bruce L. Castor, Jr. and that no decision had been made yet.

"It’s a matter of it being a unanimous vote or a 2-1 vote," Neafcy said.

Board member Kenneth Sperring commented that the issue is "a bit of a political football."

Limerick Police Chief William Albany said that the Chiefs of Police Association is working to get the upgrade option approved. If the county decides to reband, Albany said "technology will move forward and it [rebanding] will be a moot point before it’s completed."

The main issue with rebanding is that the radio equipment itself is no longer manufactured or supported and if a radio breaks down or is damaged, it cannot be replaced.

Neafcy originally suggested tabling the resolution until the county commissioners make their decision, but agreed with the rest of the board that officially supporting the upgrade was good because this particular resolution is simply a statement of intent and will not commit the township to a course of action.