Upper Milford supervisors announced last week there will be a meeting 7 p.m. April 13 to discuss a variety of issues related to farming and open space. The joint meeting with the open space committee will discuss, among other things, how much support there is in the township for a small tax increase to preserve open space by purchasing development rights.

Supervisors are considering a referendum on the ballot in the November election on this topic.

Also at their April 7 meeting, supervisors directed solicitor Marc Fisher to prepare a resolution granting final approval for the Fields at Indian Creek, an active adult community of more than 200 homes proposed on the property of the former Indian Creek Golf Course.

Fisher said his resolution will grant final approval subject to a number of outstanding issues still of concern to supervisors.

“There’s a big list,” Fisher said.

Among those issues, Township Manager Daniel DeLong said, are improvements at the intersection of Allen and Chestnut streets and a relocated emergency access road.

Supervisors have been discussing the plans with representatives of developer Kay Builders for several months.

Supervisors also acknowledged several requests to add land to the township’s Agricultural Security Area. The requests included: from the J. Morton Smith Trust Property, 31.2 acres at 5071 Bachman Road and 2.5 acres at 5094 Bachman Road; from Glenroy and Patricia Miller, 37.31 acres at 4651 Kings Highway North, 8.3 acres at 4750 Kings Highway North, 6 acres at 5331 Mill Road and 1.3 acres at 5430 Mill Road; from Houstin and Gail Lichtenwalner, 26 acres at 4358 Shimerville Road and from William S. Harrison II 57.7 acres at 5831 Indian Creek Road.

Also, the tension between supervisors and Citizens Fire Company flared up briefly when Supervisor Robert Sentner asked fire company representatives about the company’s decision to revoke the memberships of four fire company members.

Those members were the same ones who resigned in fall 2015, prompting concern among supervisors about whether the company was able to provide adequate protection for township residents. After a contentious meeting at that time, the problems seemed to have been resolved.

But last week, Fire Chief Joe Sherman asked Sentner why supervisors even had to be involved in the issue

“We had major issues; we resolved the issues,” Sherman said.

“I’m just asking a simple question,” Sentner responded.

After the somewhat testy exchange, Sentner said he would resign from the fire company steering committee to avoid any appearance of conflict of interest.

In other action supervisors:

·Issued a proclamation honoring Girl Scout Kaselyn Klase of Troop 6608 for earning her Gold Award, the Girl Scout equivalent of Boy Scouting’s Eagle Award. Her project was to design and plant a historically accurate garden at the Shelter House in Emmaus.

·Appointed Houstin Lichtenwalner to the open space committee. He is a member of the Agricultural Security Board, which is always represented on the open space committee. Sentner called him a great addition to the committee.

·Appointed Randy Faurl, a member of the Upper Milford Youth Association, to the Recreation Commission, to fill an unexpired term.

Supervisors were also informed by Planning Coordinator Brian Miller the terms of four members of the planning commission expire at the end of this month. At that time, the commission is being reduced from nine to seven members. Sentner and Sue Smith, whose terms expire, have offered to be alternate members so no one else has to be eliminated from the commission.

Resident James Krippe praised both fire companies for their work clearing downed trees during the recent windstorm.