UM Township Accepts Horsham Township Invitation for Naval Air Station Input

In July, Horsham Township sent a letter to the board of Upper Moreland commissioners, requesting support to oppose future use of the Willow Grove Naval Air Station as any type of airport or runway.

In that letter, commissioners and residents of Upper Moreland were also invited to take part in various Horsham Township Council sub-committees, as a way for Upper Moreland to have direct input, but not take part in the ultimate decision-making for land redevelopment proposals.

The proceeding monthly Upper Moreland Township Community Development Committee meetings, including the Sept. 19 meeting, gave commissioners and the public the opportunity to address potential consequences of various redevelopment projects Horsham Township might consider.

At the Oct. 3 Regular Board meeting, the resulting response letter, drafted by the township solicitor, was read for approval.

Ward 4 commissioner, Joe Lavalle, the Community Development Committee chairperson, spoke on the highlights of the letter.

“The board of commissioners and the residents of this township in consensus were very concerned about the impact of traffic from any redevelopment of the base,” Lavalle said, adding, “We have expressed interest in the committees, and will participate in the type of development that Horsham would support.”

However, Kate Harper, Upper Moreland Township solicitor, previously pointed out that the letter omits the commissioners’ position on opposing an airport runway.

Over the course the previous committee meetings, the residents and commissioners could not reach a unified opinion, regarding the creation of an airport at the former Naval base. The township's response letter reflects this.

“I don’t want to say ‘for or against it,’” Ward 5 commissioner Kip McFatridge said. “I’m interested in what trickles down our way.”

The regular board approved of the letter in a vote of 4-3, leaving out a stance on the airport, but expressing interest in the decision-making process for Horsham Township proposals.

In a , other neighboring townships have already joined Horsham in expressing opposition to an airport.

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More from the reporter’s notebook:

-  meetings announced:

   All meetings are scheduled to take place in the township building.

   - Oct. 18, 6:30 – 8 p.m. – Public meeting of revitalization plan.

   - Nov. 3, 4 – 8 p.m. – .

   - The following are dates of the regular public meetings of the Revitalization   Task Force, each meeting will start at 7:30 p.m.

• Oct. 26

• Nov. 30

• Dec. 28