Limerick: Raven's Claw Developer In Default

Limerick Township's Board of Supervisors voted on Tuesday night to pursue legal action against Dewey Homes, the developers of the Raven's Claw neighborhood, due to their failure to complete promised public improvements.

As part of the land development process, developers are often asked to make improvements to public areas and roads, such as adding streetlights and handling stormwater and sanitary issues.

Solicitor Joseph McGrory said that an escrow account set up to pay for those public improvements is underfunded. The developers also missed a deadline to make the improvements.

The board voted to authorize McGrory to start this legal process. The township will declare the developers in default, which means they can take the escrow money and complete the improvements.

In a phone interview, McGrory said that there are two main issues the township is pursuing.

"One [issue] is, the cost of public improvements has increased, and they have not increased their escrow to cover those costs," McGrory said.

Secondly, "the public improvements were supposed to be completed within two years, and it's been about ten years," he said.

The rest of the meeting involved general routine business.

The board held four short public hearings to discuss several ordinances.

Two of the ordinances involved the elimnation of a zoning district called an interchange overlay dsitrict. Two properties that were classified IO were rezoned, and the map was redrawn to indicate their new zoning label.

A third ordinance concerned new rules for sidewalks, and a fourth codifies road signage on some roads in the township that were dedicated but never had signs such as speed limit or no-parking signs.

The board also heard from two local business and landowners regarding their properties.

McGrory announced that the Department of Environmental Protection is lifting a .

The township appealed the moratorium and won, and were informed it was being lifted.

The board also heard a report on the 2011 audit of the township's finances.

Don Pierce of Maillie, Falconiero & Company, LLP, presented the audit report. The township ended 2011 with essentially a balanced budget. Township staff was able to reduce expenditures throughout the year, while revenues increased from both governmental and business-type activities.

"You have a good credit rating and I think you're in a good position," Pierce told the board.