Horsham Friends Meeting Seeks School Use

HORSHAM TOWNSHIP, PA —The Horsham Township Council will decide Wednesday whether Horsham Friends Meeting can open its old schoolhouse.

A public hearing was held at the last council meeting on a conditional use hearing to lift a restriction on classes being held in the original Friends Meetinghouse at 500 Easton Rd.

Council President Mark McCouch said that the Friends wanted to build a retention basin on their property as part of the construction of its school on Meetinghouse Road.

But the U.S. Navy —then operating the military base —balked at the move, stating that it didn't want a school inside an active airfield crash zone.

The Friends agreed to the restriction on classes as a condition for the approval of the retention basin in 2004. The classes were limited to use for Sunday school only.

But with the Navy base airfield no longer active, the Friends want the restriction lifted so classes can again be held there.

Joshua Gantz, an attorney for Duffy North representing Friends, presented the proposal to the council, saying Friends needs the space as its new school is getting crowded.

"I understand things have changed and the school needs room to expand," McCouch said.

In other township business held at the Aug. 28th meeting:

• The council reviewed four zoning hearing board applications and remained neutral on all of them except one. That application for 1007 Davis Grove Rd. sought to build a pole barn, in-law suite, fencing, and approval for a use variance for a landscaping business. The council directed Solicitor Mary Eberle to attend the meeting of the zoning hearing board and oppose the application.
• The council approved a cooperation agreement designating the Horsham Soccer Association as the township’s project administrator for the state’s Local Share Account Grant of $146,000 that helped fund the turf soccer fields at Kohler Park. The soccer association will all paperwork with the grant.