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Westtown to apply for Growing Greener grant, commits up to 30% match for Pleasant Grove stream restoration
Summary
The Board authorized staff to apply for a $500,000 Growing Greener Plus grant for the Pleasant Grove stream restoration project and committed up to a 30% local match (largely in‑kind funds already spent), moving forward with a phased plan to secure stormwater credits and complete construction of phase one.
The Westtown Board on June 15 authorized submission of a Growing Greener Plus grant application for the Pleasant Grove stream restoration and committed the township to provide up to a 30% local match for the project.
Staff and the township engineer described a recommended approach to apply for $500,000 and use roughly $130,000 the township has already spent on studies and design as part of the matching contribution. The estimated total construction cost presented for full restoration is approximately $847,978; staff explained that using past expenditures as in‑kind match increases the township’s competitiveness because many applicants provide the statutory minimum 5% match.
Board discussion and fiscal implications: Options considered included applying for funding to complete the entire project or phasing the work. Staff cautioned that if the township applies for the full project cost and is awarded the grant, the township may still need to budget an additional $350,000 in a future year to cover the shortfall for a complete build‑out. If the board instead phases the project, phase one could proceed with lower immediate township outlay (in‑kind match required), but securing phase‑two funding later is uncertain because consecutive Growing Greener awards for the same project are unlikely.
Timing and permitting: The engineer said required permits (DEP) are in process and that grant awards would not be announced until early 2027, so any additional budget decisions for subsequent phases would be made in next year’s budget cycle.
What the board authorized: The board adopted Resolution 2026‑08 to submit the Growing Greener application, authorized township staff to execute necessary documents, and committed to provide the local matching funds of up to 30% of the project cost subject to future budget appropriations. Staff said the commitment letter and match percentage must be included in the application by the June 22 grant deadline.
Article provenance: Summary based on staff presentation of two funding options, engineer’s cost estimates and permitting status, the board’s motion and the adopted resolution at the June 15 meeting.
