EXETER TWP., Pa. – The wheels keep turning for Exeter Township’s new emergency services center and administration building. At Monday night’s meeting, the Exeter supervisors moved forward two related resolutions.

Supervisor Mohammad Mohammad was absent.

First, the supervisors conditionally approved the preliminary and final land development plan for the emergency services center.

Township manager, William Heim, said the plan submitted at the March 16 planning commission meeting was updated with the recommendations of the commission and was ready for approval by the board of supervisors.

The recommendations included addressing the sight distance from the center’s entrance driveway towards DeMoss Road. HRG, a Harrisburg-based civil engineering firm, will also recalculate the speeds for the left and right turns from DeKalb Road on to Gibraltar Road to 25 mph, in lieu of 35 mph, which will also reduce the sight line requirements and eliminate the need for a waiver for sight lines.

In addition, the landscaping plan was updated to show trees along the rear of the property and along the golf course. Per the approved waiver for eliminating street trees, the trees along Gibraltar Road were removed from the plan.

There were also several conditions of approval, including that all requirements are met and approvals granted by the township engineer and administration, the Berks County Conservation District and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

Supervisors provided preliminary/final approval contingent on PennDOT’s approval for the flashing warning devices and coordination with the adjacent traffic signal at DeMoss and Gibraltar Roads and the flashing golf cart warning devices. HRG coordinated with Great Valley Consultants to conditionally show the desired locations of the mast arm signals on the plans, pending PennDOT approval.

Heim emphasized one of reasons to seek approval now is to keep on track with going to bid in September for construction contracts. By bidding in the fall, it provides contractors with time to plan and lock in work for 2027, and he said it will likely result in lower costs than having to bid later in the year. Heim also said securing bids before other entities submit their projects will contribute to securing the best options, including scheduling.

Administration building

The supervisors approved advertising the ordinance to purchase 1 Hearthstone Court to be used as the township’s new adminstration center.

According to Heim, the advertisement is not required by the township, but the title company requested the measure.

Earlier this month, supervisors authorized a $50,000 down payment. The township will purchase the property for a cost not to exceed $1.395 million.

Use variance request

The supervisors approved a recommendation to the zoning hearing board for the use variance request for 7001 Benjamin Franklin Highway (Route 422). The applicant filed a variance with the township to operate an equipment/landscape trailer retail facility on the property.

Jason Hunter, township zoning officer, noted the property is zoned Flex Industrial, which does not allow retail as a permitted use. The property is located along the west bound lanes of Route 422 in the Baumstown area of the township. This section of road is one way and only utilizes right-in/right-out access. Township staff recommend approval of the variance and note many other retail establishments already exist in this zone. The property was previously occupied by the former Buddies Nursery and has been vacant for several years.

The applicant has plans for several upgrades and improvements to the site. The planning commission passed a motion at the March meeting to recommend approval of the variance request to the board of supervisors and zoning hearing board. The variance request is scheduled to be seen by the zoning hearing board on April 15.

Annexation plan

A resolution related to the Crichton/Michetti annexation plan was approved by the supervisors. Township engineer, Joseph Rogosky with Great Valley Consultants, explained the applicant submitted an annexation plan to the township for a subdivision owned by them that was originally created in 2012. The original subdivision when created contained 18 building lots. These lots were never built upon, and the owner would now like to annex the property back to one lot.

The newly created parcel will contain the owners’ existing home in which they currently reside. No building or construction is planned or included in this annexation plan. The applicant intends to just reverse a subdivision plan that has never been built or developed.

Township staff are in favor of and support this annexation plan. In recent years, builders tried to develop surrounding lots and have run into challenges with the land that has led to abandoning the plans.

Repromulgation of emergency operations plan

Supervisors approved the repromulgation of the township emergency operations plan. This is recommened when there is a significant change in governing body membership. Specifically, repromulgation is advised when two-fifths of the board of supervisors has changed.

This practice ensures that the current governing body formally acknowledges, adopts and affirms the township’s emergency management policies, procedures and organizational structure. It also maintains compliance with county and state emergency management expectations and reinforces the township’s readiness to respond to emergencies and disasters.

Police report

The police report covering February statistics was presented by Police Chief Stephen Powell. There was one fatal auto crash; 55 total arrests; 31 criminal investigation cases assigned and 31 closed; 564 traffic citations issued; 383 traffic-related incidents; and 3 DUI citations.