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Washington Square residents press East Vincent for written plan and bank-held funds to finish unfinished roads
Summary
Residents of Washington Square told the board their neighborhood roads remain unsafe and unfinished after years of incomplete development; township staff said letters of credit totaling roughly $380,000 exist with Meridian Bank and pledged a written status report and biweekly coordination with the HOA while pursuing bank releases, grant options and possible title remedies.
Washington Square residents pressed the East Vincent Township Board of Supervisors in a lengthy public comment period for immediate action on unfinished roads, failing drainage basins and deteriorating driveways that they said have persisted for years.
The most vocal speakers urged a clear timetable and documentation of responsibilities after describing potholes, sinkholes at driveways and basins that do not function. "We are going to be showing up until we get any action," Mary Beth Farmer said, asking when the township would "take responsibility to fix your own errors." Other residents asked for regular, biweekly communications and a single township point of contact so progress can be tracked.
Why it matters: Multiple residents said the underlying problems date back to failures by the original developer and previous township oversight; they told the board delays have increased costs and safety risks and that the lack of reliable status updates has deepened distrust. The board’s staff said working solutions must balance engineering fixes, legal constraints and bank-held finances.
What the township said: Township counsel and staff told the public they have identified two letters of credit held by Meridian Bank: one related to PennDOT obligations, about $80,000, and the other tied to the development itself, just under $300,000. Staff described ongoing conversations with the bank and the HOA’s counsel about whether those instruments can be released to the HOA or applied to corrective work. Township administration proposed preparing a short written "roadmap" that lists actions, who is responsible for each item, and a timeline to be shared with the HOA within about two weeks, and pledged to begin biweekly coordination meetings with one HOA point person.
Next steps and constraints: Staff outlined three parallel tracks: (1) attempt a bank release of funds (bank counsel must agree to any release language); (2) pursue grant funding or other matching sources for stormwater/road repairs; and (3) if ownership of specific common elements cannot be resolved, consider legal remedies such as a quiet-title action that would take longer. Township staff said some technical engineering work already exists (reviews, deficiency lists, alternate stormwater approaches), but litigation and the absence of a known developer representative (named Richard Perry in township records) have complicated direct resolutions.
What residents asked for: A written status and next steps within two weeks, a single township point-person to coordinate communications, and a biweekly meeting schedule so the HOA can track progress and hold responsible parties accountable. Township leadership agreed to provide a narrative of actions taken since 2023, to coordinate point-person assignment and to return with a proposed meeting cadence.
Where it stands: The board did not adopt a policy change at the meeting but authorized staff to pursue the bank conversations, produce the written status update and set up recurring coordination with the HOA. Affected parties should expect the township to follow up with the promised documentation and meeting schedule.
