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Schuylkill Township outlines Sedgley Farms acquisition, $1 million in grants and a master-plan timeline
Summary
Schuylkill Township officials described the Sedgley Farms acquisition, said $1 million in DCNR and Chester County acquisition grants have been awarded, noted $60,000 in planning funding with another $60,000 pending, and described a master-plan process expected to begin in early 2027 if pending funds are secured.
The Schuylkill Township Board of Supervisors reviewed the township’s acquisition of Sedgley Farms and next steps for a master plan at a May 28 workshop meeting.
Township Manager Laurie Getz said the township finalized the Sedgley Farms purchase in November 2024 using tax‑exempt bonds and Open Space Fund revenues, and that annual debt service is paid from the Open Space Fund. She reported the property’s three residential structures are currently vacant and secured after tenant leases expired in March 2025, with periodic inspections, routine repairs, and some minor vandalism.
Getz told the board the township has been awarded $1,000,000 in acquisition-related grants from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) and Chester County. She said the township also has $60,000 in grant funding specifically for the master-planning process and has a pending application for an additional $60,000. Getz cautioned that certain public-access and planning conditions tied to the grants must be satisfied before portions of the funding can be reimbursed.
When asked by Karen Guerrero of Rooster Hill whether opening Sedgley to the public would affect the Declaration of Public Trust attached to the Chester County grant, Getz said the Declaration is a required legal document for that grant and includes a condition that the property be open to the public; she said she would confirm specific details with the County. Guerrero also asked whether the grant prescribes whether Sedgley should be a preserve or a park; Getz said the grant application does not specify that outcome and that the purpose of a master plan is to evaluate and recommend appropriate future uses.
Getz outlined the anticipated timeline for the master plan: if the pending grant is awarded, funding is expected to become available in early 2027, at which point the township would issue a request for proposals and select a consultant. She said the planning process is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2027.
The board discussed short-term property management as well: Getz described a mowing and land-maintenance program developed with Natural Lands, more manicured maintenance around the residences, an annual meadow‑hay agreement with a local farmer at no cost to the township, and continued tree maintenance and building inspections.
John Lasowski, speaking on behalf of the township’s Environmental Advisory Council, proposed an iNaturalist BioBlitz at Sedgley Farms July 17–19 to document plants, animals and fungi and establish a baseline inventory to support future planning. The EAC’s proposed participant list would be limited to EAC and board members, Sedgley working-group members, and invited experts; observations would be recorded on iNaturalist and summarized in a report to the board.
Getz said staff is exploring an updated historic assessment of the structures to inventory conditions and to prioritize short‑, mid‑ and long‑term repairs.
Next steps: if the pending planning grant is awarded, the township intends to issue an RFP for a master-plan consultant in early 2027 and begin planning. The board did not take a formal vote at the workshop; staff will present required items and any recommended actions at future meetings.
