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AnnouncementsTownship E-Cycling events  Recycle your old electronics "Anything with a plug" Saturday February 21, 2015 Saturday November 7, 2015 Saturday February 27, 2016 9:00 am - 1:00 pm Abington Township Public Works Facility 2201 Florey Lane, Abington PA 19001 (on left) Details at: http://www.abington.org/refuse/2015-2016%20elec.pdf Please bring a canned food item to donate to the Abington Food Cupboard. Thank you! or peanut butter or jelly ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ DRAFT ZONING ORDINANCE MEETINGS "Draft Two" review, next meeting TBA The township is asking residents for comments on the proposed zoning changes. Link to the township's latest draft ordinance and presentations: If you have any questions or comments about the changes or these meetings you can contact the Zoning Ordinance Committee by emailing zoc@abington.org or call Mark Penecale at (267) 536-1017. "Draft Two" review meetings were held on February 10, 2014, January 26, 2015, December 4, 2014. The following is re-printed from Commissioner Steven Kline's Nov 3, 2014 newsletter: The Abington Township Planning Commissioner will start considering the draft zoning ordinance on Thursday, December 4th at 7:00 pm in the main board room on the 2nd floor of the Administration Building at 1176 Old York Road, Abington, PA 19001. The draft ordinance has had some modifications made since the informal workshops were held earlier this year. It is anticipated that there will be three individual meetings in front of the Planning Commissioner. The two other meetings are looking to be scheduled in January 2015. Once the Planning Commission is completed it's review they will provide the Board of Commissioners a list of recommendations and modifications. The Board will then hold public meetings to discuss the draft further and consider the Planning Commissions recommendations. After these review are completed it is anticipated that the draft will be revised and the entire process will need to begin again. In the past, the township has gone through several version before a zoning ordinance was adopted and we anticipate the same this time. If you would like to download the full PDF of the ordinance click on this link - Abington Draft Zoning Ordinance 2014 Info on previous public meetings: After several years of review and revisions, the proposed 'Draft One' zoning ordinance was presented to the public at four Informal Neighborhood Workshops held at locations throughout the township:
Steve Kline presented these changes, as chair of the Zoning Ordinance Committee, along with Larry Matteo (Director of Code Enforcement & Land Development), Mark Penecale (Abington Zoning Officer) and Michael Narcowich (Montgomery County Planning Commission). If you have any questions or comments about these meetings you can contact the Zoning Ordinance Committee by emailing zoc@abington.org or call Mark Penecale at (267) 536-1017. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ House too cold? Button up your home for comfort.  You can make your house feel more comfortable by weatherizing your house: adding insulation, sealing ductwork, and sealing drafts (especially around basements, doors and windows). You can do-it-yourself with inexpensive insulation, caulk, tape and foam products. You can also get a professional home energy audit to find those drafts and learn which home improvements are most cost effective. Info on Home Energy Audits: With inexpensive improvements, you can feel more comfortable and save money on your energy bills. 42% of your home energy use is spent on heating, so think about how much you can save. If you purchase energy-efficient appliances or heaters, you may be able to get rebate money back from PECO: or the government http://www.energystar.gov/rebate-finder . If you are installing a geothermal heat pump, solar energy system, or wind turbine, you may also qualify for a 30% federal tax credit: http://www.energystar.gov/about/federal_tax_credits . Low-rate financing for energy-efficiency home improvements may also be available. Click on "Save Energy" to learn more ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  Find your key to Saving Money by Saving Energy Learn how... Please visit our "Save Energy" page. Learn how you can save money by saving energy. Plan to attend Abington Township's annual Energy Saving Expo On the third Monday in November, 7:00 pm at the Abington Township Building, 1176 Old York Rd, Abington PA 19001 Learn how local residents have saved up to 40% on their energy bills. ★ Best Cost Energy Improvements ★ Energy Audits ★ Tax Credits ★ Alternative Energy ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Want to save money on bills? You may be able to save money on your energy bills by switching from PECO to another energy supplier (electricity and natural gas). How do you choose which company to buy from? You can decide based on price, clean energy options, or local sources. For information on switching, visit the PA Public Utility Commission at http://www.papowerswitch.com/ . To get details on clean energy suppliers, visit "Make Ben Proud" at www.MakeBenProud.com . ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Water is precious.
What are the local issues?
What is stormwater management?
How you can help...
Visit the website
“Working with Nature to Create a Sustainable Water Future” Click on URL: waterblues.org . Produced by Penn State Public Media. Learn more about watershed issues and community service opportunities from the Abington EAC, or the TTF Watershed: julie @ ttfwatershed.org, 215.744.1853 , ttfwatershed.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Building on?
Why is the township requiring
stormwater management?
Because water is precious, and because of drinking water, sewage, and flooding concerns in the Philadelphia area, we all need to do our part to help manage rainwater from storms. If you are building an addition, adding a patio, widening your driveway, or adding other impervious surface to your property, the township may require you to manage the additional stormwater that will run off of that surface. The township will advise you if you are required to do so when you apply for your permits. There are several ways to manage the water: redirect the water to an area where it can collect and soak into the ground (like a rain garden); add in-ground dry wells under your downspouts or driveway (aka bioretention, French drains), add rain barrels or downspout planters under your downspouts, etc.; there are many possibilities. For permit info, contact the Abington Township Engineering Department, 267-536-1041. For stormwater management ideas, ask your contractor or visit our Flooding/Stormwater page. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Learn how you can make a difference.
You can help the environment by collecting the rain-water from your roof and gutters with a rain barrel. By holding back rain-water during a storm, your rain barrels help lessen pollution, flooding, and erosion. With less rain-water running off the land, less pollution will flow into our creeks and rivers (which supply our drinking water). You can feel good knowing that you are making a difference.
Collecting and using your rain-water can also save you money on your water and sewer bills. Use the rain-water to water lawns, gardens and landscaping, fill fountains and ponds, and wash cars and other items.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Why Rain Barrels? attend our workshops  Collect your free rain water to lower your water bill ~ use for lawn, garden or washing cars ~ Keep rain water run-off out of our streets and sewers to reduce pollution in streams, have cleaner water, and lower our water treatment and sewage costs ~ learn to make your own barrel ~ ★ Attend to get a rain barrel for as low as $25 (instead of $100+) ★ Custom colors & painted art barrels, scroll to info below ★ directions to training center at http://goo.gl/maps/1tYK8 More info and how to build your own at: http://pureportals.com/Default.aspx?alias=pureportals.com/rainbarrelcolors ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thank you for helping plant trees at the CREEKSIDE PLANTING & ENVIRONMENTAL FAIR Saturday, October 18, 2014 View photos on Facebook Abington Friends School Help TTF Watershed Partnership and AFS plant a creekside buffer of 300 trees! Local environmental resources & businesses provided hands-on learning & information. 575 Washington Lane, Jenkintown, PA 19046 Planting behind the lower school Contact Julie Slavet 215.744.1853/ julie@ttfwatershed.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Need a service project?
Volunteers needed
The EAC offers community service learning project ideas for volunteers, whether for school service learning requirements, Boy Scout, Girl Scout, mitzvah or other projects. We are looking for volunteers for the projects listed above and also for:
Building rain barrels
Public gardens and green space
Building raised vegetable beds and row covers
Tree plantings and maintenance
Mussel surveys in local streams
In October: Ocean Conservancy "International Coastal Cleanup" (litter cleanups)
In spring: "Great American Cleanup" (litter cleanups)
Hosting tables at public fairs and events (like theAbington Pre-Night Out)
Creating environmental videos
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Help Abington Go Green! Please help us make Abington greener and healthier for us all. Everyone is welcome to attend our public meetings on the second Wednesday of each month at 7:30 pm at the Abington Township Building 1076 Old York Rd, Abington PA 19001, in the second floor board room. Our meetings are listed on the Abington Township calendar at www.abington.org/calendar/calendar%20year%20page.htm. Volunteer information is listed below and on the Volunteer page. You can make a difference. For more information, please contact us at eac.abington@gmail.com. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Volunteer with us... Help us green your neighborhood
The EAC needs neighbors to help maintain public green spaces in their neighborhoods. You can learn the tricks of growing green in an urban environment, and discover free local gardening and plant resources. The township green spaces are listed on the Local Programs page, under the heading "Greening Projects". If you would like to adopt or help with a certain site, contact the person listed there, or contact eac.abington@gmail.com.
Become an associate member of the EAC If you are an Abington resident, you can become part of a local network of concerned and generous people who care about our environment in Abington. Volunteers are always needed to help with EAC events, projects, planning, and on-going maintenance of public green spaces. This volunteer work qualifies as community service for most organizations, and fulfills requirements for service learning and scouting. Please contact us for more information at eac.abington@gmail.com.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Congratulations to ASHS H2O For Life Club, 2014 Montgomery Award recipient  ASHS H2O For Life Club receiving the award from Commissioner John Spiegelman The Abington Senior High School H2O For Life Club students and club sponsor Mary Rodgers, ASHS Service Learning Coordinator, have a mission: to bring clean water to needy people around the world and to raise awareness of global and local water issues. They... sponsor water projects in other countries host an annual "Water Summit" with local leaders host "Walk for Water" clean-up streams hold fantastically fun fundraising events View the video of the award at the September 11, 2014 Board of Commissioners meeting, beginning at time 9:15 : The Montgomery Award is given annually by Abington Township. For more info, visit the Montgomery Award page. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thank you to our 2014 project partners
including: Abington Township, Abington Township Commissioners, Abington Township Parks and Recreation Department, Abington School District, Abington Senior High School Service Learning Program, Abington Junior High School Green Thumbs Club, ASD Elementary Schools, Briar Bush Nature Center, Boy Scouts, Cheltenham Township and EAC, Girl Scouts, Glenside United Church of Christ, Friends of Hallowell Park, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, Meadowbrook Bird Sanctuary, the Ocean Conservancy's International Coastal Cleanup, PennDOT, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, Pennypack Watershed and PERT, Redeemer Valley Community Garden, Rydal-Meadowbrook Civic Association, AT Shade Tree Commission, the Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership, TreeVitalize, Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association, Wyncote Audubon Society, and the Youth Aid Panel. Wow! Join us! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thank you for helping Keep Abington Beautiful! Thank you for volunteering with us at our Earth Day clean-ups. Together, we cleaned-up and beautified 19 parks and green spaces throughout Abington township. Our 277 volunteers picked up 2182 pounds of litter and planted 431 trees and flowers. Cleanups are a great way to bring your community together and make a difference in your neighborhood. It adds up too! We count how much litter we pick up and report to the Great American Cleanup of PA*. Throughout Pennsylvania last year, 140,000 volunteers picked up over 6 million pounds of trash, and planted over 22,000 trees and flowers. What a difference! For event details, click on this Earth Day link. Thanks to Commissioner Jimmy DiPlacido and friends for cleaning up 840 pounds of litter from the messiest spot this year, Fox Chase Park (Shelmire & Fillmore St).  Send us suggestions for locations for next year! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~2015.02.18 |
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Abington Township
Environmental Advisory Council
Montgomery County, PA 19001______________________________________________________________________________________________
