Advisory Comm

Norristown Farm Park Advisory Committee Meeting

October 23, 2009

By Ed Duffy

The Norristown Farm Park Advisory Committee consists of elected and appointed state and municipal officials, members of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and Montgomery County Parks and Heritages Services. Meetings are held quarterly and are open to the public. The FPPA is represented at these meeting, but is not a voting member.

The Advisory Committee resumed its quarterly meeting schedule having cancelled the July meeting due to the budget crisis in Harrisburg. In attendance were State Senator John Rafferty and State Representatives Mike Vereb and Matt Bradford. State Senator Daylin Leach gave his proxy to Senator Rafferty. Representatives from the three surrounding municipalities were also present.

Germantown Pike Widening Proposal - East Norriton Solicitor Christine Pionzio summarized the background of the project and a representative from Traffic Planning and Design, Inc. explained the project. For years, it was known that traffic on Germantown Pike between Whitehall and North Wales Roads is at times beyond the handling capacity of the roadway. Sufficient funding has not been available to widen the road until Albert Einstein Hospital Network (AEHN) approached the owner of Wood’s Golf and East Norriton Township with a proposal to build a hospital on the Wood’s site. As a condition of approval of the hospital project, AEHN agreed to partially fund the widening of Germantown Pike (funding from previous development fees is already available.)

The proposed plan calls for a widening of Germantown Pike to full four or five lanes between Whitehall and North Wales. Either of these options requires the taking of some Farm Park frontage facing Germantown Pike.

AEHN and East Norriton Township presented these plans to both the FPPA and the Stony Creek Anglers for their feedback. To achieve the 5-lane widening, approximately 55,000 sq. ft. of Farm Park land would be required. In addition, the Einstein entrance would be aligned with the proposed new Germantown entrance to the Park and it would receive a traffic light. The FPPA considered the total effect of the land loss versus the improvement in safety of entry and egress to and from the Farm Park and provided a position statement to Montgomery County Parks and Heritage Services stating that the FPPA would have no objection to the taking of the space required. However, it included with it a strong request for a replacement of affected trees with suitable native species plus the construction of a walking path from Whitehall Road to the Barley Sheaf trail. This decision was made by the FPPA Board based on improved safety and that the land involved is on the very outer periphery of the park adjacent to Germantown Pike.

Whitehall Road and Eagle Drive Road Easement Request - A 2006 proposal recommended that a traffic light be installed at this intersection servicing Whitehall Elementary School and Norristown Area High School. To achieve this, an easement on the Farm Property is needed to accommodate the installation of the traffic light – this does not require the taking of any Farm Park land. The FPPA agreed to the easement since it would add to the safety of NFP visitors crossing Whitehall Road at Eagle Drive. Some taking of property on the opposite side of Whitehall Road may be necessary to accommodate the possible addition of a left turn lane; West Norriton is looking into this.

The NFP Advisory Committee voted yes to both the five lane Germantown widening and Whitehall easement proposals. The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) will review the proposals followed by a request to the Pennsylvania Assembly to approve the property transfer and easement.

Report of Ken Shellenberg, Park Supervisor

The following four structures have received stabilization and other improvements:

Shannon Mansion: New roof, dangerous porch removed, asbestos mitigated, and new cellar entrance added.

Getty Cottage: Porch replaced, area regraded, ventilation louvers installed, chimney stabilized.

Dairy Barn: Entire masonry exterior repaired, re-stuccoed, and sealed. New windows installed, new soffit, gutters and downspouts installed, bump out rebuilt, new sliding doors installed.

Castner house: Roof replaced, rafters fixed, new windows and exterior doors, stone repointed.

Pennsylvania American Water Grant - The Farm Park recently received a $6,500 grant from Pennsylvania American Water entitled “Mowing to Meadows”. The monies from this grant will be used to enhance the conditions of the former ball field on Stony Creek Road, while reducing the parks mowing operations.

NASD Transitional Students - The Farm Park is currently working with two transitional students with Individualized Education Programs from the Norristown Area School District. These students spend a few hours at the park each Monday, Wednesday and Friday working on a variety of tasks such as weeding and mulching flowerbeds, general housekeeping duties just to name a few.

Vernal Pool Garden Maintenance - Joe Gallagher of the FPPA spent several days this past summer weeding and maintaining the garden. Ken thanked Joe for his time and efforts. On September 24, 2009, 15-20 volunteers from Glaxo Smith Kline spent the day working in the garden. The volunteers focused on weeding, planting (the remaining shrubs and perennials flowering plants), installing weed barrier and mulching the three raised planting beds. It should be noted that this group purchased the six yards of landscape mulch needed to complete the project.

Concert Series Update - Six concerts were held featuring three of our more popular entertainers as well as three entirely new acts. Some 1,300 people came out and took advantage of the free entertainment. Our overall attendance surpassed last year's by nearly 11 %.

2010 Deer Hunt - The Pennsylvania Game Commission has requested that a controlled deer hunt be held at the park this coming January (See article on p.6).

DCNR Report - Ken Lewis of the State Parks Regional Office reported that due to the state budget situation, he does not know yet what the state park allocation will be. He noted that a list of state parks to be closed was made public and that NFP was on the list. He said that NFP would not be closed although it could receive no funds. Usually the state gives it $350,000. Montgomery County Department of Parks and Heritage Services Director Ron Ahlbrandt noted that the county intends to keep NFP operating through 2010.

PA Turnpike Wetland Mitigation Project and Stony Creek Dam Removal - Don Steele from the PA Turnpike Commission, a representative from the A.D. Marple environmental engineering firm and an environmentalist gave an update of this project. The Farm Park has been selected as the site to construct wetlands to replace the wetlands being taken by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension widening project. Three areas are identified. 1) To the right of Lower Farm Road as you approach the Meadow Bridge and to the 2) right and 3) left of Lower Farm Road as you approach the Hospital Bridge. This comprises an area of about 6 ½ acres. The area around these proposed wetlands would be planted with trees. An archeological study was done and an area containing certain artifacts will be left untouched. All other artifacts found will be turned over to DCNR. If permits are approved, construction would begin in early summer. They also will recommend removing the dam on Stony Creek along Stony Creek Road. They will present the dam removal project to the Stony Creek Anglers. The Advisory Committee voted to allow them to proceed with the wetland mitigation project.

Municipal Leaf Composting Operations Update - Don Delamater, East Norriton Township Manager, reported that there are 2 leaf compost sites in NFP. The current contractor will not have its contract renewed. The new operator will be Mario’s Tree Service. Don Delamater has also started the renewal process for the agreement with local municipalities to have compost sites in NFP. These agreements are 1 year agreements and automatically renewable for 10 years. It is now the end of the 10-year period.

FPPA - Joe Gallagher announced our joint project with Christine Gephardt, the Education Coordinator for the Montco Department of Park & Heritage Services : Park in the Dark on October 30, 2009 (see p. 6).

Stony Creek Anglers - Ray Duff reported that there is a big log stuck in the creek below the dam that needs to be removed. Ron Ahlbrandt directed the park supervisor to take care of the log. Ray also requested that Stony Creek Anglers be allowed to build a permanent platform on the bank of Stony Creek below the dam so that people in wheelchairs could access the creek to fish.