Winter 2021-2022 Edition

Uwchlan Township e-Newsletter                                                                                                           Winter, 2022

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2022 Uwchlan Township Community Day Date Announced

Save the Date! The 2022 date for the annual Community Day celebration is scheduled for August 20th, 2022. Additional information will be posted to the Township website. 

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Monsters, Masks, and Milkweed

The Uwchlan Township Environmental Advisory Council enjoyed greeting the public on October 30, 2021, with information and fun activities. At the Halloween-themed event, Visitors, including children in Halloween costumes, participated in activities providing education on sustainable practices. They saw a demo of sowing milkweed seeds in plastic jugs for winterization for spring seedlings and took seed packets to plant in their gardens. They saw an exhibit showing how long items last in landfills and got helpful recycling tips. They made bark rubbings and learned about trees at one of the Heart of Uwchlan Learning Trail stations. And they saw the Township’s new energy-efficient hybrid police car.

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It's Not too Late to Sow Your Milkweed Seeds

A picture containing text, first-aid kit Description automatically generatedIf you picked up some of the seed packets handed out at the Environmental Advisory Council's October 30 event, it's not too late to sow them! Milkweed and other native wildflowers need "winter stratification," exposure to a couple of months of winter cold, to germinate in the spring. You can sow the seeds in plastic jugs, as we demonstrated at the event; that helps you know what your seedlings are in the spring when you open the jugs, locating them as you desire in your garden. Or you can just throw the seeds on the ground now where you want them to sprout.

See the handout on how to sow the seeds in plastic jugs (you will also be recycling the jugs -- a double benefit) on the Uwchlan Township website. See Useful Links under the EAC page (Click Here). There are lots of other helpful information under that EAC - Useful Links location! If you didn't get seeds at the event, packets of milkweed seeds are available at the Township offices, in the lobby of the Admin offices, and in the lobby of the meeting room.

Proper Placement of Mailboxes

Uwchlan Township takes every precaution to avoid damaging mailboxes during snow removal operations. Below are mailbox placement guidelines to help reduce the chance your mailbox is damaged this winter:

Mailboxes should be located 2’ from the edge of the pavement to provide adequate clearance at a non-curbed roadway.

The mailbox face should be located 8” behind the curb face at a curbed roadway.

Mailboxes should be installed on the side of your driveway away from approaching traffic. This will lessen the likelihood of a plow strike and minimize the shoveling needed to clear the area around the mailbox.

Basketball Nets/Goals

If you have a portable basketball hoop on a public street, please remove it from the ROW during the winter season, as they can interfere with snow plowing operations. Basketball nets/goals should never be in the street for any reason.

The USPS requires that:

The mailbox be installed at least 42” above the roadway surface.

Mailbox posts not exceed 4” by 4” for wooden posts, and a 2” diameter for steel pipe posts. Larger posts are deemed “deadly fixed objects” and are not permitted within the right-of-way.

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Winter Operations

Once the snow begins to fall, trucks are out to plow and salt the roadways, following specific routes that clear emergency routes and high priority roads first. For safety reasons, cul-de-sacs and other secondary roads are not plowed until all emergency routes, and high priority roads are passable. Our Public Works team will always do their very best to keep roadways as clear as possible, as quickly as possible, but we need your help.

Parking is prohibited on any township street during a snowstorm and until the road has been plowed for the entire width. This is critical on narrow streets and cul-de-sacs where maneuverability of the large plow trucks is essential. This is required by law, and violators may have their vehicles towed and be subject to a fine.

Place trash cans and recycling containers curbside, not in the street, for any reason! Our trucks plow curb-to-curb, and your receptacles will be hit if in the road. The township will not replace them.

Do not clear the end of your driveway until the road has been plowed from curb to curb. This will save you time and frustration! If your street has not been plowed curb-to-curb, it will be. Please give us time to do our jobs. It is not our intention to annoy you! Do not shovel or plow the snow from your driveway into the street. This can cause accidents, and it is illegal to do so. Any snow you put into the road will only end up back in your or your neighbor’s yard.

Help Us Clear the Roads After A Storm

If you are a resident of Uwchlan Township, please remember that all parked vehicles must be removed from any Township street during any of the following conditions.

  • After a snowfall of one or greater inches in depth.
  • As posted by the Uwchlan Township Road Department for cleaning.
  •  During the time of a declared local emergency
  • During adverse weather conditions that require salting/cindering of roadways.

Shoveling Safety

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Winter Weather Driving Tips from the Uwchlan Township Police Department 

With the cold temperatures upon us, please take due care when driving in winter weather conditions.  Below, you will find some suggestions for maintaining your vehicles in the cold weather and driving with poor road conditions.

1.    Service your vehicle to prepare for the extreme weather conditions.  Ensure that all belts, hoses, and the battery are in good condition and all fluids can handle the cold temperatures (e.g., antifreeze, washer fluid).  Check tire pressure, as this will drop with the cold temperatures.

2.    Prepare a box of supplies to be left in your vehicle during the winter months to be used in an emergency.  Consider items such as a small shovel, ice scraper, abrasive materiels such as kitty litter, jumper cables, a flashlight, flares, and blankets.  A few non-perishable food items may also be helpful if you need to take a long trip.

3.    Before driving your vehicle on snow or ice, be sure to read your owner's manual to learn about the driving characteristics of your vehicle in those elements.  Consider driving your vehicle on lightly traveled roadways or in a large empty parking lot when driving your vehicle in snow or ice conditions for the first time.

4.    When driving in inclement weather, stay alert, slow down and maintain a safe following distance from the vehicle in front of you.  If you are driving a vehicle with all-wheel or four-wheel drive, you will have better traction; however, your vehicle will have the same stopping characteristics as any other vehicle on the roadway.  

PADOT Winter  Weather  Driving Tips

A well-maintained vehicle could be the difference between avoiding a crash or skidding off the road. Motorists should regularly check to ensure that:

  • Fluid levels are full.
  • Your wipers don’t streak.
  • Your heater and defroster are working properly.
  • Your vehicle’s radio is working so you can receive weather and traffic reports.
  • All lights are working.
  • Tires are properly inflated and have sufficient tread depth.

Additionally, if you live in an area prone to heavy snow, you may want to use dedicated snow tires or carry a set of tire chains. You should also have a mechanic check the brakes, battery, hoses, and belts.

Get Vehicle Ready

Source: PADOT

Childhood: What was it like for a child growing up in Chester County almost 200 years ago?

by Teddi Wright, Uwchlan Township Historical Commission 

It was before we ever imagined vaccines, antibiotics, a consumer products safety commission, Toys “R” US, or even considered child welfare or protective services. However, there was one area in which Chester County could be credited with providing a good opportunity for youth, and that was education. 

My project copycopyPoverty and lack of options for medical care, left children susceptible to tuberculosis, typhoid fever and diphtheria and other common infections. In a diary written by Lavinia Passmore, she writes about the loss of three children to scarlet fever in 1857. Dr. William Darlington, a respected physician in West Chester, delivered over 200 children and recorded each delivery in an obstetrics book. The Chester County Historical Society retains this register. The birth listings state the father’s name and gender of the child. The mother’s name was never listed unless the mother was unmarried. Until the 1880s, there was no established group of doctors specifically devoted to child health care.

 Children could play with toys that represented future tasks, such as gardening or housekeeping, or could be creative with art. Board games were popular and a game titled “The Mansion of Happiness”, encouraging moral virtues, first arrived the US in 1843. Milton Bradley’s first game, “The Checkered Game of Life” was introduced in 1860. The checkerboard squares represented good and bad experiences, with the player hoping to accomplish the game goal, as Bradley described “one which shall make him the most prosperous.”

 Boys were apprenticed to learn a trade if the family was supportive. But many children had only one parent or were orphaned. Children with no other recourse were sent to The Checkered Game of Life “poor house” (precursor of the current Pocopson property). There was no child welfare movement to improve conditions for children until 1874, when The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Children was founded as the world’s first protective agency for child welfare.My project

The School Act of 1834 advocating public education was controversial. Though it was supported by northern and western counties, it was opposed by many southern and central districts, including Chester County. This was due in part to the strong private schools existing at this time.

One West Chester individual known for promoting education was Jean Claude Antoine Brunin de Bolmar who immigrated to Philadelphia in 1826. He soon became a teacher and a writer of textbooks. Bolmar relocated to Chester County in 1832 and after two years he was asked to be principal of the West Chester Academy that had opened in 1813. Under his leadership, the school flourished. Bolmar also opened a school for boys, providing a broad curriculum. He was quoted to have said, “Instruction will be such as to enable the pupil to enter advantageously upon a mercantile or mechanical profession, or to be admitted into any college.” Although public education had been introduced in Pennsylvania, the quality of learning was still questioned, and many families preferred private education.

The West Chester Academy closed in 1862, and was briefly occupied by the PA Military Academy, which was well known for academics, leadership and military instruction. It was the first school known to receive federal arms for cadet training (1869). After the school relocated to Chester, PA in 1868, it remained an active institution until 1972. The students often thought of their school as the “West Point of Pennsylvania.” My project copy (1)

The Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, moved from Reading to Chester County, occupying the same West Chester Academy location in 1872. Known as Villa Maria Academy, the private Catholic school for women stresses a challenging curriculum which also includes spiritual growth and Christian service. In 1914, the school moved to Malvern, Chester County, and represents over 140 years of college preparatory education. 

The Westtown School, whose heritage dates back to the purchase of a 600-acre property in 1794, enabled the Quakers to be the first to welcome boys and girls. Students were taught various subjects with an emphasis on math and science. Girls also learned sewing, and boys, surveying. The grounds were used by students who gardened, completed botanical studies, and enjoyed the outdoor recreation. The Society of Friends still owns the entire original property, and the school is thought to be the oldest operating coed boarding school in the country. 

We continue to strive for excellence in Chester County schools today in both private and public institutions. Those standards were established over the span of 200 years, building historical landmarks for achievement in education. 

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Winter Sale Snow Web Banner

Melting Snow and Stormwater Management

While rain and the summer months account for a majority of stormwater issues, it is easy to forget that melting snow can cause a plethora of stormwater-related issues. Read the tips below from the Penn State Extension on how you can prepare for stormwater issues this winter. 

Tips from the Penn State Extension for dealing with stormwater issues this winter:

  • When piling your snow after shoveling and plowing, choose locations where the snow will have the most opportunity to infiltrate instead of becoming stormwater runoff. Pile your snow in areas where you don't usually have ponding in the spring rains, on relatively flat areas, and away from sensitive areas like streams, ponds, and your private well if you have one.
  • Clear your downspouts to allow melting roof snow to flow and not collect at your foundation.
  • Make sure your nearest storm drains are clear. Do not pile snow on storm drains, and make sure your neighborhood plow is not piling snow over the drains too. Clear away any snow that may have been kicked onto the drains by passing cars.
  • Use de-icing chemicals and salts judiciously. Use what you need to make your walkways and driveways safe, but avoid spreading around sensitive areas like waterways and your private well.
  • Postpone outdoor construction projects in winter when you can't establish new vegetation to reduce soil loss and muddy runoff.
  • Pay special attention to places that are eroding during snowmelt, and make a plan to improve these areas in spring using plants that can slow and stop erosion, like native grasses and meadow plants or native trees and shrubs.

For more information, visit the Penn State Extension's website by Clicking Here. (Credit Penn State Extension)

Important Dates

Township meetings have returned to in-person at the Uwchlan Township building. Hybrid options are available for both the Board of Supervisors and Planning Commission meetings; login information can be found on the Township website at www.Uwchlan.com.

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Click the image above to view the Township Calendar and times/dates for all upcoming Township meetings and other events.


Important Phone Numbers:

AQUA: 610-525-1400

PECO: 215-841-4000

PECO Outage Hotline: 215-841-4141

PENNDOT: 484-340-3200

PENNDOT Maintenance: 484-340-3201

Chester County SPCA: 484-302-0865

Chester County Health Department: 610-344-6225

Contact the Township

Address: 715 N. Ship Road Exton, PA 19341

Phone: (610) 363-9450

Fax:(610) 363-0518

Website: www.uwchlan.com


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