Welcome to the Borough of

Fountain Hill

NOTICE TO ALL RESIDENTS AND LANDOWNERS OF FOUNTAIN HILL.

This letter is being provided to inform residents and landowners of a new annual fee that will be assessed to each developed property in the Borough to cover costs associated with stormwater management required by federal regulations to restore and protect local waterways. The fee will be based on the amount of impervious cover (e.g., rooftops, paved driveways, and other hard surfaces) which generates stormwater on your property that is then discharged into municipal stormwater facilities. Further, residents and landowners that effectively control stormwater on their own properties using approved, acceptable Best Management Practices (BMPs) such as rain gardens, rain barrels, drywells, and other qualifying controls, may be eligible for partial credit against their assessed fees.

To provide a brief history leading to this new fee: in 1972, the Clean Water Act was signed into law. Since then, there have been many amendments to the Act, such as the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) which is administered by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and regulates the discharge of stormwater and pollutants into waterways. Phase I of the NDPES Program regulated "point source" discharges into streams, lakes, and other waterbodies. Phase II of the NDPES Program regulates "non-point source" discharges that originate from undefined or poorly defined sources, such as stormwater runoff from roads.

Almost 1,000 jurisdictions and Municipal governments in the State of Pennsylvania, including the Borough of Fountain Hill and most Lehigh Valley townships and boroughs, contain population densities that are classified as "Urbanized Areas" by the US Census Bureau. Urbanized Areas (UAs) generally contain a significant amount of development which ultimately produces large amounts of stormwater runoff. As such, UAs determine which municipalities are required to comply with the Phase II NPDES Program for management of stormwater discharges from municipal-owned roads, parks, and other facilities which impact local waterways. These requirements are known as the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) regulations, which are administered through the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) through five-year permits meeting the federal requirements.

MS4 permit requirements for Fountain Hill began in 2003 and have continued to increase in scope with each successive five-year permit term. The current permit requires the Borough to reduce sediment loads carried by stormwater generated from within the Borough by 10% by the end of the permit term in 2023. Based on a professionally developed Pollutant Reduction Plan (PRP), the Borough must implement numerous, costly stormwater BMPs to meet this goal. The proposed annual fee to cover these and other MS4-related costs will be assessed to landowners within the Borough, based on their respective amounts of impervious cover. This method has been determined as the most fair and equitable means for assessing such a fee.

The Borough will be holding a public meeting on November 14, 2019 at the St. Lukes's Hospital Laros Auditorium starting at 7:00 PM to explain the various aspects and responsibilities under the MS4 Program and Pollutant Reduction Plan, presented by the Borough Engineer.

SHREDDING & ELECTRONICS RECYCLING EVENT
Hosted by: State Representative Jeanne McNeill
When: Saturday, November 16, 2019 - 9am - Noon (or until truck is full)
Where: Truman Elementary School Parking Lot (Salisbury Township)
1400 Gaskill St. Allentown, PA 18103
The event is open to any residents of the 133rd District.
Click here for flyer with complete information pertaining to items accepted.

LEAF PICK UP:
Effective Monday, October 21, 2019 thru December 1, 2019 Public Works will begin to pick up leaves within the borough.

PUBLIC NOTICE:
The Police Department has been in arbitration regarding their contract which ended December 31, 2018. Attached is the 2019 Police Department Arbitration Award.

We ask that all residents of Fountain Hill planting trees on your property notify
the Borough Office at (610) 867-0301. The MS4 (Municipal Separate Sewer Storm System) requirement for the Borough has established a required allocation of trees planted. Your cooperation will assist the Borough in meeting these requirements.

United States Census 2020
Click here for information regarding the 2020 census process and what to expect. You will be begin receiving invitations to respond online, by phone or by mail in March 2020. The attached brochure, click here, explains the expected timeline to complete the project.

The Borough of Fountain Hill now has an electronic municipal code listing which is easily accessible to obtain information related to all code enforcement ordinaces. The information can be at your fingertips by clicking on the site. See top of page under Heading Ordinance Listing and follow the website.

The Military Monument Brick Paver Order form can be found by clicking here.

Anyone seeing Spotted Lanternflies are asked to report them on The Pennylvania State University website (search for Spotted Lantern Fly section- extension.psu.edu/spotted-lanternfly) or call 1-888-422-3359. They will ask a few questions in helping to report, identify and manage them.

Police Alerts Receive alerts (emergency information, traffic issues, snow emergencies, missing persons, etc.) from the Police Department. Sign up today.

Notices

The public are advised that the Fountain Hill Borough Council as a Committee of the Whole, will discuss the 2020 budget on the following dates in Council Chambers, 941 Long Street, Fountain Hill, starting at 6 p.m. on Monday, November 18, 2019.

The Fountain Hill Stormwater Authority will meet on November 13, 2019 at Fountain Hill Borough Hall.
There will be a public presentation on November 14, 2019 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Laros Auditorium, which is on the 1st floor of the Doctor's Pavilion on the campus of St. Luke's University Hospital- Bethlehem, 701 Ostrum Street, Fountain Hill, PA 18015. The purpose of the presentation by Hanover Engineering is to inform the public about the mandated Municipal Separate Stormwater System (MS4) program.

Once again Fountain Hill Fire Department will be selling trees at the pool area Dodson/Spiegel Street Fountain Hill starting Saturday Nov 30, 2019 till Dec 22, 2019.
Weekdays 4:00 pm -8:30 pm
Weekends 10:00 am-8:30pm

Please Support our Fire Department and have a safe Holiday Season.

Committee Meetings- all meetings are as needed
Police - First Monday starting at 5:45 p.m.
Finance, Public Works, Personnel, House & Ordinance - First Wednesday of each month starting at 11:00 a.m.
Fire, Health & Sanitation, Recreation- Third Wednesday of each month starting at 6:00 p.m.

Upcoming Events

November 14, 2019 @ 7:00 p.m. Storm Water Public Information Session Laros Auditorium - St. Luke's Hospital, Fountain Hill

November 18, 2019 @ 6:00 p.m. Council Budget Meeting Borough Hall