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Government
The Upper Perkiomen Valley is located in the far northwest corner of Montgomery County and is less than an hour away from Norristown,
the county seat. Montgomery County, governed by three elected Commissioners, is partitioned into boroughs and townships. The Upper Perkiomen
Valley is generally defined by the parameters of the Upper Perkiomen School District and includes the boroughs of East Greenville, Green Lane,
Pennsburg, and Red Hill and the townships of Marlborough, Upper Hanover and Hereford (in Berks County). Boroughs are governed by elected
mayors and councils; townships are governed by elected supervisors. Generally the role of government in the Upper Perkiomen Valley has been
characterized as non-intrusive, responsive to local needs, and sensitive to preserving a balance among industry, transportation, and quiet living.
Consistent with its cultural history, fire companies and ambulance associations are volunteer organizations, professionally operated with each
municipality contributing annually to expenses.
Montgomery County District Court 38 is located in East Greenville, with Justice Catherine Hummel-Fried presiding over landlord-tenant disputes,
civil proceedings, summary cases, and preliminary hearings.
Each municipality is responsible for developing its own zoning ordinances and comprehensive plan, used to define land use regulations and
long-range goals. Planning Commission members are appointed volunteers who oversee the subdivision and land development process and make
recommendations concerning the approval of plans.
Code enforcement officials, zoning officers, and building inspectors are employed by individual municipalities to ensure compliance with building
codes and land use regulations.
The Upper Perkiomen Valley Regional Planning Commission, the largest formal regional planning commission in the Commonwealth, was recently
created by the six municipalities within Montgomery County in order to complement and coordinate their various efforts rather than to compete
for prospective industries which might wish to locate here. The Commission, guided by the Montgomery County Planning Commission, is aggressively
pursuing the development of a Regional Land Use Plan which will allow for responsible development and planned growth to preserve the environment
and lifestyle residents have come to treasure.
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After explaining the importance of fingerprinting children for their safety, police officers help this youngster with the process. (photo: Wilson H. Black)
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