Miscellaneous

The Montgomery Township Supervisors have approved an indefinite continuance for a conditional use hearing on a 135-foot cell phone tower proposed near Upper State Road and Bethlehem Pike.   The telecom company that wants to build the structure also needs a variance from the Zoning Hearing Board and the township supervisors have gone on record opposing any relief.   The continuance will give both parties an opportunity to work out their differences.   Township officicials say the zoning hearing board issue revolves around the placement and dimensions of equipment structures on the ground.   The hearing before the zoning board has also been continued indefinitely.

The administrative office at the Towamencin Municipal Complex on Troxell Road is closed Thursday.   Staff will be there though sorting through papers and determining what no longer needs to be kept.   Township officials would rather not close for a document management day but say the job needs to get done before it piles up any further.   They are using their website and telephone system to get the word out about the closing.   They also posted a sign on the door at the municiapl complex earlier this month.

Preparations for the upcoming election have hit a snag in Montgomery County.   Sitting as the Election Board, the county commissioners Thursday deferred action on moving a polling place in Upper Hanover as well as two more in Upper Moreland.   The delay came up after an Upper Moreland resident pointed out that state law requires a final list of polling places be posted at the Voter Services Office no less than 20-days before the May 21st election.   County Commissioner Vice Chair Leslie Richards says the issue hinges more on the unavoidability of the move and the three polling spots in question will stay where they are if possible.   The Election Board will meet Friday afternoon to consider again the three proposed polling place changes.   It did take action Thursday to move eight other polling places because the original locations were no longer available.

Lansdale officials want to bring the traffic lights of the borough into the 21st century.   They've won a $216,000 state grant that will be used to replace the existing copper wire interconnecting the signals with state-of-the-art fiber optic cable.   Borough officials say the new network will streamline traffic moving through Lansdale during an emergency.   It will also connect borough buildings, electric substations and sewer pump stations as well as allow for live streaming video cameras out on the street.