TOWNSHIP OF LOWER ALSACE
SUPERVISORS’ MEETING AGENDA
May 8, 2025

John Theodossiou, Supervisor, Chair
Todd Weikel, Supervisor, Vice Chair
Ann Sellers, Supervisor
Don Pottiger, Manager/Secretary-Treasurer
Kelsey Frankowski, Esq., Township Solicitor

I. CALL TO ORDER- 6:30 P.M.

Pledge of Allegiance to the flag

II. PRESENTATIONS

A. No presentations are scheduled at this time.

III. PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS

A. None scheduled.

IV. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES

A. Motion to approve the minutes of the April 10, 2025, Lower Alsace Township Supervisors’ Meeting.

V. ROAD CREW FOREMAN REPORT

VI. SUPERVISOR LIAISON REPORTS

A. Central Berks Regional Police Commission – Supervisor Theodossiou.

B. Lower Alsace Fire Company – Supervisor Weikel.

C. Lower Alsace Ambulance Association – Supervisor Weikel.

D. Antietam Valley Recreation and Community Center – Supervisor Sellers.

E. Antietam School District – Supervisor Sellers.

VII. SOLICITOR’S REPORT

A. Solicitor’s report to be presented. Review list of open items related to township property issues.

B. Discussion on the draft rental registration ordinance.

C. Discussion on the draft resolution authorizing the Township to enter into an Intermunicipal Cooperation Agreement with Alsace Township.

D. Discussion on research on traffic & truck ordinance.

E. Discussion on research on invasive species and invasive plants ordinance.

VIII. ENGINEER’S REPORT

A. Engineer’s report to be presented.

B. Opening of the bids received for the projected list of 2025 Road Paving Projects.

C. Update on the progress of the Carsonia Avenue Multimodal Grant and project.

D. Discussion of assessing repair work on Township roadways for potential crack sealing and potential for future Road Project additions.

IX. BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS REPORTS

A. Planning Hearing Board:

1) A meeting of the Planning Commission was held on May 7, 2025, to review an application for a variance / special exception to allow the property at 3 Eagle Lane to be used as an Air BnB in the R-2 Medium Density Residential Zoning District.

No future meetings have been scheduled at this time.

B. Zoning Hearing Board:

1) A meeting of the Zoning Hearing Board will be held on May 21, 2025, on the application for a variance / special exception to allow the property at 3 Eagle Lane to be used as an Air BnB in the R-2 Medium Residential Zoning District.

2) A discussion and possible action to be taken on approving the Solicitor to attend this meeting and speak on behalf of the Township Supervisors.

No additional future meetings have been scheduled at this time.

C. Antietam Valley Recreation & Community Center – report has been provided.

D. Recreation Commission of Antietam Valley – no report.

X. TREASURER’S REPORT / LIST OF BILLS

A. Motion to accept the Treasurer’s reports for April 30, 2025.

B. Motion to approve the payment of the list of bills as presented.

C. The external audit of the Township for the year ended December 31, 2024 is in process.

D. The state Auditor General’s office is finalizing their audit of Pension records for the years 2020 through 2024.

XI. DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS SUBMITTED FOR APPROVAL

A. Central Berks Police Department

1. April 2025 reports.

B. Central Berks Regional Codes Enforcement Department

1. April 2025 reports.

C. Sewage Enforcement Officer

1. April 2025 reports.

D. Zoning and Building Code Officer

1. April 2025 reports.

E. Lower Alsace Township Fire Company

1. April 2025 reports.

F. Lower Alsace Ambulance Association

1. April 2025 reports.

XII. OLD BUSINESS

A. Update on the status of property on 100 block of Midland Avenue.

B. Update on the status of the use and occupancy permit application for property on 1300 block of Friedensburg Road – ongoing construction and conversion into apartments. All necessary permits have been applied for and approved at this time. Work progresses.

C. Discussion on fence concerns at property in 600 block of Penndale Avenue.

D. Township Manager to provide an update on the status of LSA grant applications for the Lower Alsace Ambulance Association. Letters of Support have been submitted from State Senator Judy Schwank and State Representative Jacklyn Rusnock.

E. Update on the status of consideration of merger with Mount Penn Borough, including discussion and action to be taken on the letter from the Mount Penn Borough Merger Committee and the five items mentioned in the letter.

F. Update on the status of repairs to streetlights.

XIII. NEW BUSINESS

A. Approval of an award of bid for the 2025 Road Paving Project List to ___________ in the amount of $_________ in accordance with the recommendation of Great Valley Consultants.

B. Discussion of the hiring of Hawk Valley Associates to assist the Township in updating its Zoning Ordinance, and possible action on a motion to contract with Hawk Valley Associates for professional services.

C. Discussion on new state legislation concerning pay rates for township supervisors.

XIV. FINAL PUBLIC COMMENT

XV. EXECUTIVE SESSION

Executive session if necessary.

XVI. ADJOURNMENT

The next monthly meeting of the Lower Alsace Township Board of Supervisors will be held on June 12, 2025.

Planning Commission
“Building a better community.”

AGENDA

Wednesday, May 7, 2025

Call the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.

Pledge to the Flag

Approval of Minutes

Address visitors & reason for attending

3 Eagle Lane – Emmanuel Mercado

The Board will review the Application of Emmanuel Mercado for a variance and/or special exception under Section 1113(A) of the Joint Zoning Ordinance for Lower Alsace Township and Mount Penn Borough of 2011, as amended, to allow the property located at 3 Eagle Lane to be used as an AirBnB (PIN 23531720726292) in the R-2 Medium Density Residential Zoning District.  A Zoning Hearing date to has been set on Wednesday May 21, 2025.

Review of AVMA Development Plans from Entech Engineering, Inc.

Discussion on revision to the 2011 Joint Zoning Ordinance.

Adjournment - Next Meeting will be held as needed.

TOWNSHIP OF LOWER ALSACE

SUPERVISORS’ MEETING AGENDA

April 10, 2025

John Theodossiou, Supervisor, Chair

Todd Weikel, Supervisor, Vice Chair

Ann Sellers, Supervisor

Don Pottiger, Manager/Secretary-Treasurer

Kelsey Frankowski, Esq., Township Solicitor

I.                   CALL TO ORDER- 6:30 P.M.

Pledge of Allegiance to the flag

PRESENTATIONS

Mount Penn Borough Municipal Authority Board Member Joe Boyle to discuss the Crystal Lake / Carsonia Lake project and funding request for consideration.

Mount Penn Borough Manager Hunter Ahrens to discuss Traisr software versus WebCBC software currently being used for construction permits,

PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS

None scheduled.

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES

Motion to approve the minutes of the February 13, 2025, Lower Alsace Township Supervisors’ Meeting.

ROAD CREW FOREMAN REPORT

SUPERVISOR LIAISON REPORTS

Central Berks Regional Police Commission – Supervisor Theodossiou.

Lower Alsace Fire Company – Supervisor Weikel.

Lower Alsace Ambulance Association – Supervisor Weikel.

Antietam Valley Recreation and Community Center – Supervisor Sellers.

Antietam School District – Supervisor Sellers.

SOLICITOR’S REPORT

Solicitor’s report to be presented.

Update on the status of property on 700 block of Brighton Avenue. Review of email received from Child First representative.

Update on the property on 800 block of Carsonia Avenue. Inspection of property to verify compliance with property transfer is being set up.

Discussion on the draft rental registration ordinance.

Discussion on the draft resolution authorizing the Township to enter into an Intermunicipal Cooperation Agreement with Alsace Township.

ENGINEER’S REPORT

Engineer’s report to be presented.

Discussion of the projected list of 2025 Road Paving Projects.

Motion to approve advertising the specifications for the 2025 Road Paving Projects for bidding with Pennbid.

Update on the progress of the Carsonia Avenue Multimodal Grant and project

BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS REPORTS

Planning Hearing Board:

A meeting of the Planning Commission was held on April 2, 2025, to review open items resulting from the land use review related to the Antietam School District Elementary School project. No future meetings have been scheduled at this time.

Zoning Hearing Board:

A meeting of the Zoning Hearing Board was held on February 26, 2025, on the application for a variance for a sign for the Reading Liederkranz. The application was approved. No future meetings have been scheduled at this time.

Antietam Valley Recreation & Community Center – report has been provided.

Recreation Commission of Antietam Valley – no report.

TREASURER’S REPORT / LIST OF BILLS

Motion to accept the Treasurer’s reports for February 28, 2025, and March 31, 2025.

Motion to approve the payment of the list of bills as presented.

The external audit of the Township for the year ended December 31, 2024 is in process.

The state Auditor General’s office is finalizing their audit of Pension records for the years 2020 through 2024.

DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS SUBMITTED FOR APPROVAL

Central Berks Police Department

1. February and March 2025 report

Central Berks Regional Codes Enforcement Department

1. February and March 2025 reports.

Sewage Enforcement Officer

1. February and March 2025 reports.

Zoning and Building Code Officer

1. February and March 2025 reports.

Lower Alsace Township Fire Company

1. February and March 2025 reports.

Lower Alsace Ambulance Association

1. February and March 2025 reports.

OLD BUSINESS

Update on the status of property on 100 block of Midland Avenue.

Update on the status of the use and occupancy permit application for property on 1300 block of Friedensburg Road – ongoing construction and conversion into apartments. All necessary permits have been applied for and approved at this time. Work progresses.

Discussion on fence concerns at property in 600 block of Penndale Avenue.

Discussion and motion to approve proposal from M & M Mechanical to replace the last remaining HVAC unit ( the other two units have been upgraded).

Township Manager to provide an update on the status of LSA grant applications for the Lower Alsace Ambulance Association. Letters of Support have been submitted from State Senator Judy Schwank and State Representative Jacklyn Rusnock.

Update on the status of consideration of merger with Mount Penn Borough.

NEW BUSINESS

Discussion and approval of Special Event permit applications received from Celtic Fest on June 28^th, 2025, Easter Dawn Service on April 20^th, 2025, and the Pagoda-Skyline Foundation Chicken Barbeque on April 26^th, 2025.

Discussion on new state legislation concerning pay rates for township supervisors.

FINAL PUBLIC COMMENT

EXECUTIVE SESSION

Executive session if necessary.

ADJOURNMENT

The next monthly meeting of the Lower Alsace Township Board of Supervisors will be held on May 8, 2025.

CANCELLED - Monthly Township Supervisors' Meeting - Thursday, March 13th, 2025

The monthly Board of Supervisors’ meeting originally scheduled for this Thursday, March 13th, 2025 has been canceled. The next meeting of the Township Supervisors will be held on Thursday, April 10th, 2025 starting at 6:30 P.M..

This is an announcement of the upcoming public Planning Commission meeting that will be held to review an application that was received by the Township.

The Board will review the Application for:

For review of resubmitted plans of a Land Development Plan in Lower Alsace Township.

The location of the property is 100 Antietam Road, in the R-4 Zoning District.

The Lower Alsace Township Planning Commission will review the application on Wednesday, March 5, 2025, at 7:00 pm at the Township Building.

NOTICE TO THE RESIDENTS OF LOWER ALSACE TOWNSHIP,

BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a public meeting will be held by the Lower Alsace Township Zoning Hearing Board on Wednesday, February 26, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. at the Lower Alsace Township Building, 1200 Carsonia Avenue, Reading, Pennsylvania. The purpose of the hearing is to consider the Application of Reading Liederkranz-German Singing and Sports Society for a variance and/or special exception under Section 905(B)(1)(a) of the Joint Zoning Ordinance for Lower Alsace Township and Mount Penn Borough of 2011, as amended. The Subject Property is identified with Tax Property ID 23-5317-20-71-7793 and is located at 143 Spook Lane, Lower Alsace Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania. Applicant is seeking relief to relocate a sign which does not meet the thirty feet from all property line criteria under Section 905(B)(1)(a). The Subject Property is located in the R-1 Rural Residential Zoning District.

Any resident interested in this application will be given an opportunity to be heard by the Board. Any non-residents may inquire of the Solicitor if they would be permitted to address the Board.

A decision on the application may be rendered immediately after the hearing.

The monthly Board of Supervisors' meeting originally scheduled for this Thu8rsday, January 9th, 2025 has been canceled to allow all Supervisors to attend the meeting of the Central Berks Regional Police Commission. This meeting is a joint meeting with all of the members of the Mount Penn Borough Council and Mayor required to attend. The discussion will go over the proposed study of the police department and to discuss select issues related to a merger of the municipalities. The meeting will be held at the Mount Penn Borough Hall, 200 North 25th Street, Reading, PA 19606 at 6:30 P.M.

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TOWNSHIP OF LOWER ALSACE AND THE BOROUGH OF MOUNT PENN, BERKS COUNTY TO THE RESIDENTS AND TAXPAYERS OF THE, PENNSYLVANIA,

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Board of Supervisors of the Township of Lower Alsace and the Borough Council of the Borough of Mount Penn, are scheduled, on January 9, 2025 at 6:30 P.M. , to meet during the meeting of the Central Berks Regional Police Commission meeting already scheduled. This meeting is a public meeting which will be held at the Mount Penn Borough Hall building, 200 North 25^th Street, Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania, beginning at 6:30 p.m., prevailing time.

The purpose of this joint meeting is to discuss items related to the discussion of a merger between the two municipalities and discuss a proposed study of the operations of the Central Berks Regional Police Department to be conducted by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development through a grant to be obtained by the Borough of Mount Penn. Residents of both municipalities are invited to attend.

Don Pottiger, Township Manager and Hunter Ahrens, Borough Manager