On July 22, the Lower Frederick board of supervisors discussed their vision for Zieglerville Village, which is located primarily in the township's Village Mixed Use Zoning District.

            Chair Noelle Halter stated that the code for the VMU was not aligned with the legislative intent of the township's Comprehensive Plan, didn't fit the small town character residents desire, and too many sections of the code are ambiguous and subject to misinterpretation.

            The VMU requires a Village Market Place with a 50,000-square-foot free-standing supermarket and at least two additional buildings up to 15,000 square feet each. The Zieglerville CVS covers 13,000 square feet.

             Halter noted that while economic development is important, these dimensions do not align with a small town character. Township Solicitor, Peter Nelson Esq., agreed with Halter's assessment that a minimum lot size of 15,000 square feet for family homes in the VMU is too large.Vice Chair Marla Hexter noted an interest in adding a supermarket to the township and discussed the potential implementation of design standards for construction in the VMU.

            Nelson stated that other municipalities in Bucks and Montgomery Counties have adopted unifying design standards for road corridors through their townships. Nelson stated that the Pennsylvania Municipalities Code provides guidance for the establishment of Traditional Neighborhood Development regulations, which provide the township with some control over aesthetics.

            Supervisor Terry Bird expressed support for small businesses and questioned whether they would choose to rent a 15,000-square-foot building. Halter noted that decreasing the square footage could make the space less attractive to large franchises and stated that smaller, private businesses often contribute more to the local economy.

            Bird recommended the township find ways to minimize parking lot size by utilizing shared driveways and parking areas, versus dedicated parking lots. When asked by Halter if parking minimums were specified in the township's building codes, township engineer, Carol Schuehler confirmed that 4.5 parking spaces/1000 square feet of retail space were specified in the township's zoning code. Halter asked if there was a way to reduce parking minimums.

            "Absolutely. And shared parking is an excellent way to do that." responded Schuehler.

             Hexter stated that different types of housing would be preferable, including Carriage homes with small yards and apartments above the commercial areas. Halter agreed, saying that a mix of housing, including apartments and town homes, fosters the idea of affordable housing.

            Supervisor Chuck Yeiser emphasized that only an ordinance is legally binding, not the legislative intent discussed in the township's Comprehensive Plan.

"New retail development should mimic the traditional Main Street … Compact, multi-story, walkable retail is a more efficient use of public infrastructure and services." said Halter.

            The board reviewed updates to the township's Use & Occupancy ordinance, clarifying permit procedures under the Uniform Commercial Code and local zoning and aligning with Pennsylvania state law.

            Permits include zoning and building permits required before work begins. Certificates of occupancy are granted once construction is complete and all code requirements are satisfied. U&O permits are issued after compliance with all township ordinances.

            New revisions include a requirement for sellers to hire a certified plumber for sewer lateral inspections. An updated resale inspection checklist will also be provided.

            Over the years, there have been multiple attempts to create connections around the township. Discussions by the planning commission regarding trails and sidewalks to connect areas of the township led to the creation of the Lower Frederick Connections & Linkage Priorities document, which aims to prioritize connection projects and adding this document as either a separate planning document or adding it to the Comprehensive Plan.

            In turn, the board would have the ability to authorize planning for different projects, allowing the township to secure funding via grants or fund itself." Halter expressed strong interest in getting the document adopted. "This has been a big project for (the planning commission). I think they did a really good job on this. There's a couple of things on here that we could hit the ground running sooner than later."

            Nelson recommended making it an appendix to the Comprehensive Plan. Yeiser recommended that the document be left to the township Planner to determine how to best integrate the document into the township's records. The document will be posted on the township website, will be advertised, and subject to a public hearing.

            Township Manager Jason Wager presented the latest draft of the Non-Uniform Handbook, which has not been updated since the 1990s. The handbook will be adopted at the next general meeting with an effective date of Jan. 1, 2026.