Ringing Rocks Elementary School's east facade.

SANATOGA PA – Creative thinking by the Lower Pottsgrove (PA) Township staff and some fancy legal footwork by its solicitor could end up saving the Pottsgrove School District time and money in its proposed expansion and renovation of Ringing Rocks Elementary School.

At the suggestion of Solicitor R. Kurtz Holloway, the township Board of Commissioners voted unanimously Monday (April 5, 2010), during its first meeting of this month, to reopen what is known as a conditional use hearing for the school.

The public hearing, conducted March 1, provided information on district plans to re-grade steeply sloped ground for additions to the building at 1401 Kauffman Rd., Pottstown PA. Because keeping natural features like steep slopes are part of township land conservation laws, the board must approve such changes. It did, unanimously, when the March hearing ended.

Since then, however, township staffers and district consultants have determined the slope changes may be more extensive than initially envisioned. If so, the board would have had to conduct a second hearing, delaying the project’s start and costing the district additional legal and preparation fees.

Re-opening the original hearing is both legal and appropriate, Holloway told board members, and allows commissioners to re-consider the issue without creating extra work or expense. If more slope changes are needed, they can be examined by the board, Holloway said; if not, the hearing can be closed later.

Holloway asked for, and received from the district, a letter that releases the township from all requirements to act on the hearing by specific legal deadlines. “We can’t abide by what the district wants to do if the clock is ticking,” the solicitor explained. Commissioners agreed to keep the hearing “indefinitely” open.

Cooperation extended to the district by the township wasn’t lost on board President Jonathan Spadt, an attorney himself. “Thanks to the staff. A good solution,” he said.

Also Monday, commissioners unanimously approved the district’s request to increase its use of the township sewer system when the school is renovated.

Related (to Ringing Rocks Elementary School renovations):

• Economic Tales, Exec Sessions, And Long Night At Pottsgrove
• Geothermal Now ‘Locked’ Into Ringing Re-Build
• How Estimated Costs For Ringing Shape Up
• Less Is More In School Project, Planners Learn
• Bids Sought For Ringing Project Asbestos Removal
• Ringing Relocation Decision Possible In Two Weeks
• Restaurant, Ringing Projects Win Conditional Uses
• Ringing Rocks, Restaurant Hearing Topics Tonight
• Pottsgrove Student Enrollment: Up? Yes. Down? Yes Again
• Green Discussion At Ringing Results In Red Faces
• Pottsgrove, Archdiocese Still Discussing Pius Lease
• Ringing Rocks Relocation Discussion Set For Tonight
• In The Ringing Rebuild, Whither Pius?
• Ringing Rocks Relocation Plan: Modulars At MS
• Ringing Rocks Construction Cost Hearing Tonight
• Planners OK Ringing Rocks Land Sketch
• District Sets Dec. 3 Hearing On Rocks Budget
• Pottsgrove Asks State Help To Pay For Ringing Re-Build
• As School Opens, Progress On Ringing Rocks’ Project
• Surprise Enrollment Spurs Demographic Interest
• District Assembles Ringing Rocks Planning Team
• District OKs Architect Negotiations
• Consensus On Ringing Renovations: $16M
• Ringing Rocks Proposals Aired Tuesday
• Ringing Rocks Re-Examined April 14
• Pottsgrove To Trust-But-Verify On Ringing Plans
• Ringing Rocks Plans Take Another Step
• No Shortage Of Ideas At Pottsgrove Meeting
• Weigh In On Pottsgrove Renovations
• Framing The Rocks Discussion
• Response Mixed To Pottsgrove Improvements
• District Invites Public For Study Results
• A Different Rocks, But Only As A Concept

Related (to the Lower Pottsgrove Board of Commissioners’ April 5 meeting):

• What The Fashionista Politician Wears Now
• Comissioners OK Municipal Plan Changes
• Commissioners Tonight Consider Regional Plan Changes

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