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Capital Infrastructure Projects & Accomplishments

Capital Infrastructure Projects and Accomplishments for Franklin Township Board of Supervisors and Staff (2012 to date)

1. Road Program

  • Multiple roads have been repaired and/or reconstructed and then repaved over the years.  Below are some examples of the most recent projects:
    • Church Hill Road (2016, 2017, 2019; widening & reconstruction)
    • Conard Mill Road (2017; complete reconstruction)
    • Laurel Bridge Road (2017; widening, line-of-site improvement, & paving)
    • Liberti Lane (2018)
    • Municipal Office (2018; improved drainage, reconstruction, paving)
    • Peacedale Road (2015, 2018, 2019)
    • Scotts Glenn (2018)
    • S Guernsey (2017, 2019)
    • Walker Road (2016, 2018, 2019)
  • Safety Upgrades
    • Speed Warning sign and School bus signs on Gypsy Hill (2018)
    • Widening, Improved Signage, and Guiderails on Laurel Bridge Road and S Guernsey Road
    • Road striping
  • Cross-Pipe Replacement Program (replacing deteriorating metal pipe with PVC or concrete pipe at a cost to date of $285,000)
    • Auburn (2016)
    • Bullock Road (2016)
    • Cavender Lane (2018)
    • Church Hill Road (2016)
    • Flint Hill Road (2016, 2017)
    • Hess Mill Road (2016, 2017)
    • Hillcrest (2017)
    • Hilltop Road (2016)
    • Old School House (2019)
    • Peacedale Road (2015, 2017, 2018)
    • Parsons Road (2017)
    • Peter Christopher (2017)
    • Scotts Glenn Road (2018)
    • Walker Road (2019)
  • Dirt & Gravel Road Grants
    • Grant money from the Pennsylvania Dirt & Gravel Road Program has been used to maintain gravel roads in Franklin Township. 
    • Recently, Franklin Township applied for and received a grant to install inlet boxes to improve stormwater drainage on Franklin Road.
  •  Future Infrastructure Projects
    • The Hess Mill Road Bridge is a wooden bridge constructed in 1976 and rated in “poor condition” for the last 6 years by PennDOT. The estimated cost to replace is $350,000. The Township has already invested $50,000 in engineering and permits. Permits and engineering are complete and ready for construction. Replacement is planned for 2020 with a major grant expected from the Chester County Conservation District, possibly as much as the remaining cost.

2. Stormwater Management Projects

  • Oaktree Stormwater Basin (2018)
  • Walker Road Project in cooperation with Scott Wilkinson
  • Inlet Box Repairs throughout the township

3. Improvement of Crossan Park Facilities

  • New Bathrooms (in progress)
  • Replacement of playing surface in the Tot Lot (Fall 2019)

4. Open Space

  • 32% (2589 acres) of Franklin Township is currently preserved; this is above the 30% targeted by Chester County
  • 43% (3538 acres) developed, 11% (1041 acres) unsuitable for preservation, 12% (970 acres) available for preservation.
  • Some examples of open space successes include:
    • Preservation of the dairy farm (98 acres) at Strickersville and Appleton roads (Stoltzfus property) as agricultural land at a cost of $221,000 (2018)
    • Agriculture Easement (55 acres) on Pennock Bridge Road (Boxler) at no cost to Franklin Township (Dec 2016)
    • Schultz Horse Farm (25 acres) (2017 owner financed)
    • Strawbridge Farms (300 acres) located by Strickersville Road via a Federal Grant
  • Many of the projects were made possible by the successful collaboration of Franklin Township with the property owners, the Chester County Open Space Preservation Program, and the Chester County Agricultural Easement Program.
  • Franklin Township is currently paying $167,000/year until 2040 to fulfill a $3.5 million loan for other preservation projects; $750,000 of this loan has been retired.
  • Twenty percent of Franklin Township real estate taxes are dedicated to open space and committed to year 2040. 

5.  A Cross-Township Agreement (Franklin, London Britain, London Grove, New London, Penn, West Grove Borough, and Londonderry) to financially support Ambulance Service and Fire protection from West Grove Fire Company.  Franklin Township staff helped to develop the formula used to determine the financial responsibility of each township.

6. Salt Shed (2014)

  • Construction of the salt shed has provided a large inventory of salt (1000 ton) that is maintained and readily available for winter road maintenance. 
  • The large storage facility has facilitated the timely purchase of salt at a low contract cost vs. buying salt just before a winter storm on the spot market.

7. Enactment of the Volunteer Service Tax Credit for municipal volunteers of fire companies and nonprofit emergency medical service agencies (2017)

8. Support for Eagle Scout Projects

  • Bridge to connect Keen Trail to Wyndemere Open Space
  • Rain Garden by Township Office
  • Bulletin Board and Document Drop Box at the Municipal Site
  • Board Walkway in lower section of Crossan Park
  • Picnic Table in Crossan park
  • Bat Houses in Crossan Park and Franklin Preserve

9. Other Projects

  • Addition of a porch roof to the Township Municipal Building to prevent water damage to the building
  • Creation of a separate office for the Township Manager
  • Installation of a bathroom compliant with the American Disabilities Act (ADA)
  • Construction of a large storage bin area for road maintenance materials and emergency stormwater facility repairs
  • Creation of a trail from Crossan Estates to the Ford Farm (made possible by an easement from the Stoltzfus property) that connects Big Elk Creek Preserve to Fair Hill Park Land

Commitment to Transparency

  • The public is invited to attend monthly Board of Supervisor meetings where a printed copy of the current Treasury Report is available for public review. Public comments on agenda items are requested at the beginning of the meeting. Public comments on items not on the agenda can be addressed at the end of the meeting.
  • The Township Budget is available online in PDF and EXCEL formats. Paper copies are available upon request.
    • 2019 Franklin Township Final Budget (PDF)
    • 2019 Franklin Township Final Budget (Excel)
  • Board of Supervisors meetings are recorded for public review.  Meeting updates are distributed to Township residents the day after the meeting via e-mail and are posted on the Township website. Official meeting minutes are available online approximately one month after the Board Meeting.
  • Township website includes background information on ongoing issues.
  • Township Staff is available daily to answer questions. 

Financial Responsibility

  • Real estate taxes have been reduced by 20% (10% in 2014 & 2015, respectively) and have remained the same even while the township completed the projects listed above.
  • This was possible because of the stringent management of the budget by both the Board of Supervisors and township staff despite increasing costs for federal and state mandates and emergency services. Cost Control and Project meetings occur every Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. and are attended by two alternating Supervisors and Township Staff.
  • In spite of all this effort and tax reductions, Franklin Township still has the highest overall tax rate compared to surrounding townships. Open Space debt is a major factor in this overall tax rate.