Video: UProv Township Planning Consultant Charles Guttenplan Steps Down

It’s all in the name, as Planning Commission Chairman John Hughes pointed out during the board of supervisors meeting Monday night.

“I think it’s appropriate that somebody that’s a professional planner should have the name of ‘Guttenplan’ because I’m told that translated, it communicates or means ‘good planning.’ It’s a good omen,” Hughes said.

During Monday’s meeting, Township Planning Consultant Charles Guttenplan was honored for his service, and Hughes announced that Guttenplan was stepping down after more than 30 years of service to the township. His replacement, township resident Jeff Grace, is from the same firm.

At the beginning of his own more than 30-year tenure of township service, Hughes said he met Guttenplan through the Montgomery County Planning Commission. The two became friends.

“As fate would have it, the county started a program back then to afford planning assistance to municipalities,” Hughes said.

Upper Providence took advantage of that program, and Guttenplan came on board as the township’s planning consultant.

Guttenplan received a plaque from the township planning commission and staff. A resolution was also passed to honor him. Chairman Robert Fieo read the resolution, which commended Guttenplan for the “orderly growth and development” in Upper Providence Township.

“In his own special way, [Guttenplan] always took time to explain complex community planning concepts and practices to concerned citizens and township officials,” Fieo read.