May Council Meeting

May 13, 2013. Links to the Agenda and Minutes.

Public Safety
Council accepted Mayor Grady's recommendation to promote Officer McCabe to Class C Patrolman.

Health & Welfare

• Two students presented the dangers of second hand smoke and effects of cigarette filter litter as part of their Earth Force project.
• Request for bids for new trash/recycling contract is being discussed, will go out in June.

Building & Zoning

• Jason Duckworth resigning from Planning Commission, Borough Manager will advertise to fill position for remainder of term ending December 31, 2013.
• Council introduced a new version of Ordinance 964, an amendment to the zoning code that changes how structural alterations are handled in cases where a nonconforming use of a building is changed to another use of the same or a more restricted classification.

May Caucus Meeting

May 8, 2013. Links to the Agenda and Minutes.

Public Safety
32 applicants for police officer job.

N. Narberth Ave. Bridge
Will be closed to vehicles May 13-17, all day for core borings in preparation for 2014 construction of new bridge.

Community Building
Bid documents for the repointing of the community building are available at Borough Office for pick up. Information session will be May 20 at 10am for interested parties.

April Council Meeting

April 8, 2013. Links to the Agenda and Minutes.

Zoning
Ordinance introduced for adoption: AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE NARBERTH BOROUGH CODE, CHAPTER 124, ARTICLE XII, SECTION 124-89.B “NONCONFORMING USES”; AND ADDING SECTION 124.95 “CONDITIONAL USE APPLICATION PROCEDURES AND STANDARDS”

Highway
Borough received $75K in Liquid Fuels money.

Property

• Motion to not renew existing property management agreement for 201 Sabine, and to accept proposals for a new management agreement.
• Motion to authorize Borough officials to advertise for sealed proposals for the repointing of the Community Building.

April Caucus Meeting

April 3, 2013. Links to the Agenda and Minutes.

Property
Bid documents are being prepared for repointing and terrace project. Work is planned for after July 4th.

Zoning
Form-Based Code project is moving along. Draft map was modified during the last meeting and the next couple meetings will focus on dimensional standards, parking and architectural standards.

March Council Meeting

March 11, 2013. Links to the Agenda and Minutes.

Property

• Borough Council might get a few new proposals to manage 201 Sabine as a result of the person who was responsible for that building splitting from Main Line Executive Management.
• Borough Council authorized appropriate Borough official to submit a proposal to Montgomery County for Community Development Block Grant for elevator in 201 Sabine.

Bridges

• Pennoni says N. Narberth Ave bridge is still on track for 2014 start.
• Borough Council passed motion to approve engineering between Narberth Borough and Pennoni Engineers for construction inspection of the Rockland Ave bridge removal project, expected to begin in a few months.

Zoning

The Borough is drafting a new Flood Plain Ordinance which will redraw the boundary of the flood plain based on new information from the US Army Corps of Engineers. Due by end of the year. Might be folded into the zoning code.

March Caucus Meeting

March 6, 2013. Links to the Agenda and Minutes.

Highway
Met with DVRPC and Pennoni to discuss Wynnewood Ave/Rd intersection. Pennoni completed a new traffic count on 2/14 that showed decreased left turns out of the tunnel now that the bridge is open, but traffic volumes probably still meet warrant for a traffic signal. Pennoni says both a mini-roundabout and a traffic signal would improve traffic flow and safety. Committee instructed Pennoni to do preliminary design of mini-roundabout to determine if it will fit.

Zoning
The Planning Commission met to discuss the draft code prepared by the Montgomery County Planning Commission planner Sean Metrick. The focus was on big picture items like where is commercial activity appropriate and where are apartment-style buildings appropriate. Planning Commission also met to discuss development at 200 Price Ave, and will soon offer its recommendation to Council.

Property
Community building repointing and new terrace plans are progressing. Borough will most likely put out an RFP sometime this summer, to include both projects in one package, in order to get a better price. Borough Manager attended a training session which is the first step in applying for a Community Development Block Grant for an elevator for the 201 Sabine property.

Public Safety
Montgomery County will offer 5 year no-interest loans to upgrade radios for first responders. Narberth Borough will need about 20 for fire, 12 for police and office, for a total of about 32. Each radio costs about $3,500, for a total estimated at $112,000.

February Council Meeting

February 11, 2013. Links to the Agenda and Minutes.

Planning Commission
New appointees Todd Bressi, Jim Speer and Miriam Shakow sworn in. Meeting to discuss development at Methodist Church at corner of Essex and Price to be held Wednesday February 13 at 7:30pm.

Public Safety
Borough Council voted to end employment of police officer Michael Gannon.

Maybrook Litigation
Merloc has filed a motion for summary judgement and Narberth has responded. Both sides have filed briefs.

February Caucus Meeting

February 6, 2013. Links to the Agenda and Minutes.

Highway
Discussion regarding recent Highway Committee meeting about intersection of North Wynnewood Ave and East Wynnewood Road. Pennoni will conduct another traffic count now that the bridge is back in service and is looking at alternatives for the intersection, including traffic signal and mini-roundabout.

Property
Presentation by Brawer & Hauptman Architects showing plans for terrace addition at community building. Here is the East Elevation.

Building & Zoning

• Council passes motion to hire Sandy Sorlien to review draft form-based code.
• Developer who has sale agreement with United Methodist Church is to present its plan before Planning Commission on Feb 13.
• Council votes to appoint Todd Bressi, Jim Speer and Miriam Shakow to Planning Commission

NIDA
Has voted to fund Narberth Fire Company sign.

January Council Meeting

January 14, 2013. Links to the Agenda and Minutes.

General
President Quinn gave an overview of the accomplishments this year.

Building & Zoning
The Borough has received plans from a developer for the Methodist Church property, and they will be reviewed for zoning ramifications.

January Caucus Meeting

January 9, 2013. Links to the Agenda and Minutes.

Highway
Pennoni conducted traffic count on Tuesday with goal of getting temporary light while bridge is rebuilt; results soon.
Committee will reach out to DVRPC to investigate doing a pedestrian safety study with goal of improving it.

N. Narberth Ave Bridge Repair
On schedule to be complete before end of month.
General Obligation Note with Wells Fargo that will be used to pay for repairs was approved. Term is 5 years, $60k/year.

N. Narberth Ave Bridge Replacement
Update from Pennoni about preliminary engineering task schedule

December Council Meeting

December 10, 2012. Links to the Agenda and Minutes.

Taxes
No increase


Recessed meeting on Dec 26 minutes.

December Caucus Meeting

December 5, 2012. Links to the Agenda and Minutes.

Details to come.

November Council Meeting

November 12, 2012. Links to the Agenda and Minutes.

Finance
Motion to present preliminary 2013 budget passed.

Bridges
Motion to authorize J. D. Eckman to perform N. Narberth Ave. bridge repairs passed 5 - 1.
Rockland Ave Bridge demolition now on track for March 2013.

November Caucus Meeting

November 11, 2012. Links to the Agenda and Minutes.

Building & Zoning
Will introduce an ordinance allowing Council to expand Planning Commission to seven members.

Mac Brand has a contract to buy the Methodist Church/Barrie House properties, and plans to turn the church and mansion into condos and build two more twins or single family houses where the parking lot is. Parking would be added under the church, accessible from the curb cut on Essex.

Highway
The stone part of Hampden Ave will have more stone added and tamped down.

New signs pointing the way to the business district will be added to help the detour signs that show the way around the temporary bridge closure.

Health & Welfare
Will look at changing electricity generator to lower Borough bills. We currently pay over .092/kWh, and we could get as low as .077/kWh.

Bridge
Pennoni has completed the repair plan. They are getting an estimated cost from JD Eckman and will get back to us. Once that is approved, work could be started in the next week or two.

Special Meeting of Borough Council

October 17, 2012

N. Narberth Ave Bridge
Pennoni Engineers presented the results of their load rating analysis. The repairs would leave the bridge rated at above 9 tons, suitable for vehicular traffic. The repairs (on nearly half of the girders along the bridge) would take care of all Priority 0 and 1 issues. These repairs are expected to extend the life of the bridge up to its impending replacement which is estimated to begin in 2014. The repairs are expected to be complete by mid-January 2013.

After a lengthy public comment by residents of Narberth as well as property owners and business operators of the Merion portion of N. Narberth Ave, Borough Council passed a motion, 5 to 2, to authorize the repairs with a cost not to exceed $300,000.

The average Narberth property owner will contribute $140 to pay for this. This cost will be added to Narberth's budget for at least the next year, possibly spread out over two or more years.