Limerick Board Approves Production Relocation

Limerick's Board of Supervisors gave the go-ahead to to move their production from Spring City to a home on Lewis Road at Tuesday's meeting.

Sweet Ashley's owners Connie and Robert Lawson came before the board during a public hearing. The Lawsons plan on purchasing a home on Lewis Road and moving production there. Nothing will change with respect to their storefront location on Main Street in Royersford. 

Previously, the home was a photography studio, and the Lawsons will convert the studio space into a kitchen. There was a list of conditions attached to the agreement, including conditions preventing the Lawsons from using the home as a retail shop or placing signage on the property.

However, board members Thomas Neafcy, Ken Sperring and Elaine DeWan voted to eliminate most of the conditions with the intent of giving the Lawsons more options. Supervisors Joseph St. Pedro and Kara Shuler were absent due to previous commitments.

Sperring said the board was trying to give the Lawsons more flexibility, as that section of Lewis Road is seeing changes.

One resident who lives across the street from the property, Craig Tupper, said that the Lawsons had "gone out of their way to accomodate their neighbors" and done a good thing in agreeing to the board's list of conditions. But, he did have his cautions.

"I'm concerned about what you're going to allow in the future," Tupper said.

The board reassured Tupper that any future changes in usage in that area of Lewis Road would have to go through several required processes before anything was allowed, and that anyone, including Tupper, would have the opportunity to speak up should that happen.

owner Gail Wellington praised the board for allowing the Lawsons to relocate their kitchen.

"You've been telling us you want to be business-friendly, and you just proved it," Wellington said.

The board also discussed an amendment to the township's budget. Assistant manager Beth DiPrete explained that amendments are done a few times a year during the budget year, to clarify some numbers.

"We are up $62,500 in net revenues over expenses," DiPrete said.

The board also announced several items.

Local Boy Scout Paul Bowman is collecting food and other items for the as his Eagle Scout project. A list of items and dropoff locations can be found on Bowman's project website. There is a collection box in the township building lobby.

There will be a Citizens Advisory Panel meeting on May 10 at 7:00 p.m. at the township building regarding plans for the Master Trail and Greenway Study.

The township received a $25,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for the trail project, and the grant requires the township to obtain public input as well as input from planners and engineers. This gives the public an opportunity to speak up on what they'd like to see on the proposed trail.