Penn Township, Snyder County, Pennsylvania


Penn Township is a township in Snyder County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,781 at the 2000 census.
Penn Township is home to the Selinsgrove Speedway, a halfmile high-banked oval dirt track.

History

The Bridge between Monroe and Penn Townships was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 18.1 square miles, of which, 17.9 square miles of it is land and 0.2 square miles of it is water.
Penn Township is crossed by Penns Creek. This creek originates a spring found in Penn's Cave in Centre County and eventually drains into the Susquehanna River. Penns Creek is highly prone to flooding with moderate to heavy rainfall. The upper waters are famous for flyfishing in the spring.

Government

Penn Township is governed by three elected supervisors. The township offices are located in the Penn Township Municipal Building 228 Clifford Road, Selinsgrove, Pa. 17870. 570-374-4778 Fax: 570-374-4931. The Supervisors meet on the first and third Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at the Penn Township Municipal Building.
There are two polling places for the community. One is located at Brookdale at Graysonview and the other is in the township building. Voters are assigned to them based on home address.
Recycling is offered 24 hours a day at the township building.
Penn Township Planning Commission meets the 4th Monday of each month at 7 p.m. with exceptions, at the Penn Township Municipal Bldg.
Penn Township Municipal Authority meets the first Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the Penn Township Municipal Authority Office located at 2595 Route 522, Suite 20, Selinsgrove, PA, 17870. 570-374-8256 Fax: 570-374-6026
Penn Township Zoning Hearing Board meets the fourth Wednesday.
The ESRRA, the park board meets the second Wednesday of each month at 7pm.
Snyder County is governed by three elected county commissioners.

Parks

Selinsgrove borough government is participating in a regional effort to increase and improve outdoor recreation in Eastern Snyder County. A regional plan has been developed by Shamokin Dam borough, Selingrove borough, Monroe Township, and Penn Township officials. Their hope is to garner state tax dollars through grant and matching fund applications. Officials assert that a poll of 10% of residents showed that they were willing to paying higher taxes to add more recreation facilities to the area.
The East Snyder Park, located in Penn Township on University Avenue is a multi-use facility developed using state grants and many local donations. It is located along the upper end of University Ave. near Rt. 522, at the location of the existing Penn Township ball fields. The master plan of the park calls for nine professional grade horseshoe pits. This area is complete and hosts nationally sanctioned horseshoe tournaments. East Snyder Park also hosts Little League baseball, softball, football, lacrosse, a walking/biking trail, a preschool playground with age appropriate apparatus and a playground for older children, a small wetland conservation education area, two pavilions for public use or private reservation and modern rest rooms. The park is managed and maintained by Penn Township. The development of the facilities is governed by the East Snyder Regional Recreation Association, a 501 organization with a board made up of interested parties, local youth recreation organization representatives and area government officials.
One concept brought out in the Park, Recreation and Open Space Plan is for the region to market riverfront recreation opportunities.

Environmental Issues

Ongoing pollution and soil erosion in the region continue to degrade the water quality and the environment locally as well as regionally. Farming, wastewater treatment facilities and industrial spills are cited as contributing factors to loss of water quality. It also contributes to the pollution of the Chesapeake Bay. Controlling the wastewater discharges alone is expected to cost local taxpayers .
Penn Township's ground water is being monitored by the USGS.
The Lower Penn's Creek Watershed Association's central purpose is to protect, conserve, and improve the Lower Penn’s Creek watershed by promoting the wise stewardship of the land and aquatic resources. The organization is open to all citizens. The organization has sponsored a main stream assessment. The Lower Penn's Creek watershed is approximately within Snyder and Union Counties. It drains into the Susquehanna River on the northern border of the community of Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania. It is located within the Lower Susquehanna subbasin. LPCWA’s efforts contribute to the success of the missions of the Susquehanna Greenway Partnership and the Susquehanna River Basin Commission. The Snyder County Conservation District and the Union County Conservation District both have watershed specialists that participate in LPCWA.

Demographics

As of the census of 2010, there were 4,324 people, 1,582 households, and 1076 families residing in the township. The population density was 211.4 people per square mile. There were 1668 housing units at an average density of 71.0/sq mi. The racial makeup of the township was 95.48% White, 2.59% African American, 0.05% Native American, 0.79% Asian, 0.66% from other races, and 0.42% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.17% of the population.
There were 1582 households out of which 35.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.3% were married couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.7% were non-families. 17.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the township the population was spread out with 21.0% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 31.0% from 25 to 44, 30.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 110.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 115.4 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $44,630, and the median income for a family was $50,390. Males had a median income of $33,203 versus $22,111 for females. The per capita income for the township was $18,851. About 6.7% of families and 6.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.5% of those under age 18 and 5.8% of those age 65 or over.

Economics

Efforts of local business leaders to promote development were rewarded in 2005, with a $2.4 million grant and low-interest loan package to develop Pawling Station Business Park. It is a site along Route 522 in Penn Township, that will feature three to lots with storm water drainage. An 18-member volunteer task force will oversee the construction of Pawling Park. The task force includes Pennsylvania Senator John Gordner and Rep Russ Fairchild, community leaders with a wide range of economic development experience and skills including an accountant, lawyer, land developer, engineer, surveyor, and two bankers – along with chairmen of the Snyder County Board of Commissioners, Penn Township Board of Supervisors, and Township Municipal Authority.
Major employers in the region include a significant number of housing related manufacturers, state facilities, as well as local government entities like the school district. With the decline in housing manufacturing in 2007 several local factories have closed displacing about 250 workers. Additionally there is a rising vacancy rate for commercial retail property along the routes 11 & 15 highway.
A thirty-year effort to develop a bypass of the rte 11& 15 commercial area, called the Central Susquehanna Thruway, has been delayed until 2009 due to minimal funding from the state or federal government.

Libraries

The Selinsgrove Community Library is a public library that is part of the . Patrons have free use of the and which provide extensive online resources for children and adults. The library is on the corner of High Street and Pine Street, one block west of Market Street in downtown Selinsgrove. A small book exchange cart is hosted in the U.S. Post Office building on Rte 11&15, Shamokin Dam.
Snyder County Historical Society 30 East Market St., Middleburg, PA.17842 570-837-6191 Research services are provided for a fee.
Degenstein Community Library 40 South Fifth Street, Sunbury, Northumberland County, PA 17801 570-286-2461
Commonwealth & Walnut Sts., Harrisburg, PA. This library provides information for State Government and citizens, collects and preserves Pennsylvania's written heritage through materials published for, by, and about Pennsylvania.