Douglass Township

Douglass Township is a municipal government serving residents of Douglass Township in Berks County, Pennsylvania. The Township Building is located at 1068 Douglass Drive, Boyertown, PA 19512, and the main office line is 610-367-8500.

As a second-class township, Douglass handles the everyday functions of local government: road maintenance and winter plowing, zoning and building permits, subdivision and land development review, code enforcement, police services, tax administration and public records requests. The Township sits in the Boyertown Area School District and within Berks County, so property owners deal with three separate taxing bodies, all of which are coordinated through the local tax collector.

Governance and Public Meetings

Douglass Township is governed by a three-member Board of Supervisors, with each supervisor elected to a six-year term. The current board consists of Chairman Ronald Mest Jr., Vice Chairman Robert Palko and Supervisor John Bauman. The Board meets publicly on the second Monday of each month at 7:00 PM at the Township Building, where residents can raise concerns, comment on pending applications and follow decisions on ordinances, budgets and contracts.

Land use matters begin with the Planning Commission, a five-member body appointed by the Board of Supervisors to four-year terms. The Planning Commission reviews subdivision plans, lot line adjustments, multi-family proposals and non-residential development, then forwards recommendations to the Supervisors for final action. A Zoning Hearing Board meets on an as-needed basis to consider variances, special exceptions and appeals of zoning determinations.

Permits, Zoning and Code Enforcement

The Township administers construction permitting under Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code. Property owners planning additions, accessory structures, decks, pools, signs or other improvements generally need a building and/or zoning permit before work begins. Applications and related forms are available at the Township office during regular business hours.

Permits and registrations handled by the Township include:

• Building permits issued under the Uniform Construction Code
• Zoning permits and zoning hearing applications
• Stormwater management permits
• Street excavation permits for work within Township road rights-of-way
• Solicitation permits
• Junkyard permits
• Hunting permits for Township-controlled land
• Tenant registration for landlords and rental property owners
• Alarm registration

Tenant registration is required annually by Township ordinance, with landlords and owners of rental dwellings submitting information on forms provided by the Township. Residents who believe a property or activity violates local ordinances may file a formal code enforcement complaint using the Township complaint form. Submitted complaints are evaluated and, where warranted, acted on under the applicable Township ordinances and regulations.

Hunting permits for the 2026-2027 season are available at the Township Office during regular office hours. Permits are issued to Township residents, with one guest permitted per registered resident, and applicants must present a valid photo ID along with a hunting license.

Public Works and Roads

The Public Works Department maintains 33.01 miles of Township roads, covering routine upkeep, drainage work, signage and winter snow and ice control. Under contract, the crew also plows designated state roads within the Township, with the exception of Ben Franklin Highway, Route 422 and Route 562, which remain the responsibility of PennDOT. Mowing along state roads is performed twice per year. Roadmaster Harold Wagner can be reached directly at 484-415-7536 regarding road conditions, plowing questions and maintenance concerns.

Police Services and Community Safety

The Township Police Department provides local law enforcement and several resident services designed around everyday safety needs. Residents leaving town can submit a vacation notice, and officers will keep an extra watch on the unoccupied property while the household is away.

Two additional programs operate out of the Township Building. A secure medication drop box allows residents to dispose of unused or expired prescriptions and over-the-counter medications safely, keeping them out of household trash and water systems. The parking lot at 1068 Douglass Drive also serves as a designated internet purchase exchange location, a monitored meeting spot for online marketplace transactions. The area is covered by 24-hour video surveillance, giving buyers and sellers a neutral, well-observed place to complete a sale.

Taxes and Billing

Tax Collector Mary Kay Heimbach collects Berks County, Township and Boyertown Area School District real estate taxes and can be reached at 610-367-6693 or Heim82@aol.com. For 2026, the Township rate including fire tax is .00555 mills, and the county rate is .009013 mills. Payments are accepted by cash, check or money order; credit cards are not accepted.

Sewer customers can pay bills through an online payment portal, an alternative to mailing payments or dropping them off at the Township Building.

Trash, Recycling and Other Resident Information

Douglass Township does not operate a municipal trash collection service. Residents arrange curbside pickup directly with private hauling contractors. Recycling options are available through the Berks County Solid Waste Authority and at the Delaware Valley Landfill in Earl Township.

Blue reflective house number signs are offered as a fundraiser by the Amity Fire Company. The signs measure 18 inches high by 6 inches wide with 3-inch white reflective numerals, helping ambulance, fire and police crews identify addresses quickly at night or in poor weather.

For elections, the Township is divided into two voting districts. District 1 residents vote at Mountain View Chapel, 68 Old Douglass Drive, Douglassville, and District 2 residents vote at the Township Building, 1068 Douglass Drive, Boyertown.

Public Records

Douglass Township operates under an open records (Right to Know) policy adopted by the Board of Supervisors on September 9, 2024. Requests for Township records are handled by Open Records Officer Kaleena Breitbarth, who can be reached at 610-367-8500. The policy outlines how requests are submitted, the timeframe for response and any applicable fees for copies.