Last year the West Vincent Township Environmental Advisory Council (EAC) and many volunteers from the neighborhood and beyond (Can you believe someone from West Chester showed up to escort some of our amphibians?) helped protect the amphibians which cross Hollow Road near Horseshoe Trail during their annual migration from the woods where they live to the wetlands where they breed. 

The migrating animals that we saw in 2011 were wood frogs, spring peepers, American toads, tree frogs, a green frog, a pickerel frog, a leopard frog, an unidentified frog, and a red eft, the juvenile form of the eastern newt. We were out to protect them four evenings, 2/28. 3/6, 3/10, and 4/11. They tend to move on only three or four evenings a year—rainy, the first thaw, miserable weather, usually from the end of February to early March. Sometimes it is easy to predict the evenings of the crossings; sometimes it is not. We have help predicting this from other experienced groups.

The EAC consulted with both Kim White (who has organized such a volunteer program in North Coventry for the last four years) and Police Chief Mike Swininger (to find out how to be both safe and effective). We will use the township road barricades, lights, and protective vests.

The toads didn't migrate with the other amphibians and not in the rain; because they gave us no notice, we were only able to help on the way back from the wetlands.

The Township Supervisors have approved the following plan. We will close Hollow Road from Horseshoe Trail to the Zuber Mill (except for the residents of that stretch) from dark (roughly 6 pm) to 10 or 11 pm. We will send letters to all Hollow Road residents from Horseshoe Trail to the intersection with Flowing Springs Road. We will have an article in the late-winter township newsletter, an explanation on the township website, and yard signs well ahead of the events to give warning of likely road closure. 

Because we will close the road, we will be able to protect the amphibians without moving them in the wrong direction or disrupting the protective covering on their skin. 

Contact Harriet Stone (610 469 9050 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ) with questions or to volunteer.

American Toad	Wood Frog	Spring Peeper	Spotted Salamander

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_Frog
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spotted_Salamander
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jefferson_Salamander
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four-toed_salamander

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_toad
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring_Peeper

On December 14, 2011, representatives from West Vincent Township met with representatives from the Ludwig’s Corner Horseshow Association. The Township notified the Horseshow Association that it was scheduling a Special Meeting of the Board of Supervisors to consider a motion to rescind the Notice of Condemnation. A copy of the Notice of that meeting is set forth below. The Township has requested that the Horseshow Association agree to waive any fees, costs or expenses it may have incurred relative to the institution of the condemnation proceedings and to advise the Township of its decision on that request prior to the Special Meeting. In addition, the Township informed the Association that it wished to discuss the following issues on a go-forward basis:

• Conservation Easement – The Township has requested that the Horseshow Association ease the property against future commercial or residential development consistent with its mission statement, bylaws and the express statements of the Association members that they are willing to do so. The Township has offered to pay for the cost of writing the easement and stewardship costs on a go forward basis.

• Environmental Site Assessment – The Township wishes to confirm that there are no environmental issues stemming from the long-term use of the property as a shooting range. The Township desires that an environmental site assessment be performed to ensure that there are no lead contamination issues or other environmental issues which affect the property or neighboring properties and accordingly need to be addressed. The Township has requested that the Horseshow Association consent to allowing access to the property for such purpose and the Township has agreed to pay for the cost of the environmental site assessment.

• Elimination of Skeet Shooting on the Property – The Township has received numerous complaints regarding the Skeet Shooting over the years and does not believe that continuation of the shooting range is consistent with the current use of the property as well as the increased surrounding residential development that has occurred.

• Stormwater Runoff Issues - The Township has requested that the Horseshow Association address stormwater runoff issues and damage to a neighboring property by virtue of the Association’s failure to obtain an NPDES permit in conjunction with the recent construction of a riding ring.

• Right of First Refusal - The Township has requested that the Horseshow Association grant the Township a right of first refusal at fair market value to purchase the property in the event that the Association desires to sell it at a future date.

• Limited Public Access and Improvements - The Township also informed the Association that the Township is willing to discuss making improvements to the property such as playing fields and public restroom facilities in exchange for the Association granting limited public access to the property. While the Township recognizes that there may be challenges relating to ensuring that the construction of these improvements do not compete with the Association’s use, the Township is confident that through proper planning these issues can be accomplished.

The vote on Friday was not contingent on the above items being agreed to by the Horseshow Association in advance of the vote. The Township confirmed to the Association that the items set forth above conform with the goals the Township wished to achieve through the condemnation proceedings. The Township was and is committed to ensuring that the Horseshow’s annual event and other events continue. West Vincent Township never had any thought or intention to allow commercial or residential development of the property, utilize the property for disposal of waste effluent, or do anything other than ensure the continued use of the property by the Horseshow Association while expanding access to our residents to enjoy the property as a community park.

The Motion was made at the meeting and it was approved unanimously. 

Perkins made the following motion: I move that the Township hereby rescind the condemnation proceedings initiated by the Township relative to the tract of land situate at the western side of Pottstown Pike (Pennsylvania Route 100), the southwestern side of Nantmeal Road and the northeastern side of Conestoga Road (Pennsylvania Route 401), containing 33.2± acres of land identified as being Chester County Uniform Parcel Identifier Nos. 25-6-4 (in its entirety) and 25-6-5 (in its entirety) (collectively, the “Property”) owned by the Ludwig’s Corner Horseshow Association, a non-profit corporation (“Owner”), as permitted by Eminent Domain Code, by filing a Declaration of Relinquishment with the County, upon the understanding reached between the Township and the Owner which will not seek “reasonable costs and expenses,” which include appraisal costs, attorneys’ or engineering fees. Quinn seconded the motion and it carried uanimously. 

After a prolonged period of discussions with Chester County, West Vincent Township is pleased to announce that the County is conveying the 56 acres of park land it owns along the French Creek to the Township at no cost. This property was originally acquired through a combination of federal, state and county grants. Through this conveyance the Township will be able to offer the public access to an extensive trail network and enhanced fishing access to the French Creek.

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