When Township residents plant shrubs, flowers, and split-rail fences in the front (or street) right-of-way, it impacts the utility easements on the remainder of the home or building lot.
We continue to encounter more situations where folks have been planting shrubs, trees, fences, sheds, etc. within the utility easement around their property. A utility easement is a right-of-way that exists solely for the purpose of maintaining, repairing, or replacing a utility located within it. That utility could be water, electric, natural gas, telephone, or cable. But, more than likely it will be sanitary sewer. Most of the problems occur in the newer developments. The easements should be identified in your property deed and should be pointed out by your realtor when the house or lot is purchased. You run the risk of having to tear out those shrubs, trees, and fences if the Township or other utility company needs access to their lines. Since the Township doesn't allow those things to be placed there, we won't replace them.
Snow Removal
The Public Works Department wishes to remind everyone that snow is predictably on the way, and there are a few things to keep in mind regarding streets and driveways.
| If possible, wait until the snowplows have cleared your street before shoveling your driveway. If you do shovel before your street has been plowed, remember to shovel the snow to the side of the driveway where the plow passes last. This way your driveway won't get plowed shut.
| Please remember that the Township Ordinance prohibits blowing or throwing snow back into the street after it has been cleared!
| It is important to remember to move your vehicle off the street when possible. This provides a safer and faster snow removal process for our plow operators.
| Snow removal is prioritized with the most heavily used streets being cleared first. This is followed by collector streets, snow emergency routes, and areas with steep slopes. Residential streets are cleared on a rotating basis. This means that an area that was cleared first in one storm may be plowed last the next one. | |
Preparing Your Mailbox for Winter
Penn Township's mission throughout the winter is to maintain safe and passable roads. Often, keeping roads open means plowing deep snow to the edge of roads. Since most mailboxes are placed within the legal right-of-way, it is up to the homeowner to make sure that their mailbox can withstand the weight of snow being thrown from the plow.
Normally, if mailboxes are places as far beyond the shoulder of the highway as the postal carrier can reach and it is firmly supported, it should have no problem withstanding the weight of the snow as the plow passes. Snow plow operators are instructed to maintian lower speeds when plowing areas where mailboxes are present. However, occassionally higher speeds must be maintained to contend with heavy, wet snow.
Penn Township offers these tips to help eliminate the possibility of a mailbox being damaged this winter:
| Place a six- to eight- inch piece of reflective tape on the mailbox to help snow plow operators see it at night
| Remove snow from around the mailbox, but aviod throwing it back onto the road.
| If the mailbox is located within the legal right-of-way and damaged was experienced in the past, homeowners might want to consider relocating the mailbox before this winter.
| Make sure the mailbox is firmly supported in the ground. | |
Homeowners who have followed these tips in the past and have still experienced damaged mailboxes may want to consider installing a cantilever mailbox support that will "swing" a mailbox out of harm's way. Plans for building the cantilever mailbox support can be obtained for free from any PennDOT District Office.