With a little luck the former gas station, now an eyesore, at 7^th and Main in Red Hill, will soon be replaced with shiny new cars courtesy of Sands Ford.

        The Red Hill Ford dealership presented preliminary plans for their use of the site at the Red Hill Borough Council meeting on Wednesday, April 13.

        Representatives from the dealership will be appearing before the zoning hearing board on May 5 to ask for a special exception to change the current nonconforming use of the property to their non-conforming use, which would include vehicle storage and display on the lot. The former Upper Perkiomen Ambulance building would also figure into the plan. Sands would use that building for minor automotive repair and car washing and detailing, but it is not intended to be a public car wash, reps said.

        The dealership proposes to remove all existing structures from the gas station lot, and adding a retaining wall along the Graber Alley side of the property.  No landscaping is presently proposed, though borough engineer Ryan kern asked that they look at landscaping to help soften the appearance of the lot.

        Dealership representatives noted that the business hours would be 7:00 am to 5:00 pm for car detailing, and 8:30 am to 8:00 pm for salespeople.

        The council passed a motion to support Sands' application to the zoning hearing board.

        In other zoning news, the Red Hill Planning Commission will not meet in April and may not meet in May, as there has not yet been any movement on the Select Properties Hendricks Road development.

        In other news, Mayor Dave Schiffgens reported on a meeting he had attended with other local officials and police regarding the drug problems in the Upper Perkiomen Valley. He said that the police were particularly interested in encouraging people to report suspected drug activity.

        "Their message to us is people can and will be anonymous, "Mayor Schiffgens said.  He stated that the police get comments after a drug bust that "we've seen this going on for so long," but are apprehensive about reporting the activity for fear of retribution.

        Schiffgens added that residents in Red Hill who are aware of drug activity can talk to himself or the borough manager, Brad Gottshall.  A private meeting can be set up with police.

        "People of the Valley are not aware of the enormity of the problem," Schiffgens stated.

        Council president Doris Decker added "It's not just kids. It crosses all lines. We need to educate the public to report things."

        In environmental news, Decker reported on the remediation efforts that are going on at the Corona Corporation site on Main Street in the borough. The soil and groundwater at the site has been contaminated by the release of unleaded gasoline. Presently officials believe this is the only property affected.

        The current owner will be paying for the remediation, which will be several year project.