Heidelberg Township

Heidelberg Township is a second-class township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, with its municipal office located at 11 Tulpehocken Forge Road in Robesonia. The township serves a population of roughly 1,741 residents across a largely rural landscape of farmland, woodlots and scattered village settlement in the western portion of the county. Day-to-day municipal functions handled from the township office include permitting, zoning administration, road maintenance, stormwater management, tax collection, code enforcement and the publication of public meeting records. The office can be reached at 610-693-3197.

History

Heidelberg Township was established in 1734 as the first subdivision of the Tulpehocken Settlement, making it one of the older municipal entities in Berks County. Conrad Weiser, the Pennsylvania colonial interpreter and diplomat who lived in the Tulpehocken region and played a central role in negotiations between the colonial government and the Iroquois Confederacy, took a leading part in the township's creation. The name was drawn from Heidelberg, the university city in southern Germany, reflecting the origins of many of the Palatine German families who settled the Tulpehocken valley in the early eighteenth century.

Over the following centuries, portions of the original township were separated to form neighboring municipalities, which is why the area today includes several townships sharing the Heidelberg name. The agricultural character established by those early settlers has persisted: the township remains known for its scenic countryside and for well-maintained, productive farms that continue to define much of the local landscape.

Location and Service Area

Heidelberg Township is bordered by Marion Township to the west, North Heidelberg Township to the north, Lower Heidelberg Township to the east, South Heidelberg Township to the southeast and Millcreek Township to the southwest. Mail for the township is addressed through Robesonia, PA 19551. The township contains 38.48 miles of roadway in total. Of that figure, 23.55 miles are township roads maintained by the township road crew, and the remaining 15.11 miles are state roads maintained by PennDOT. Residents reporting a road concern are advised to determine which agency has jurisdiction over the roadway in question, as responsibility is divided between the two.

Permits and Zoning

The township office administers a full range of construction and land use permits. Downloadable applications are available for commercial, residential and manufactured home building permits, as well as electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits. Additional permit categories cover alternative energy installations, sheds and accessory buildings, and fences.

Land development and zoning matters are handled through a set of published forms and ordinances. These include minor and major subdivision applications, zoning hearing board applications and the Western Berks Joint Zoning Ordinance, which governs land use in the township. A downloadable zoning and street map is available for residents, contractors, surveyors and prospective property buyers who need to confirm district boundaries or road names before beginning a project.

Work that involves opening or occupying a township road right of way requires a separate approval. The township publishes the road occupancy and road opening permit application together with the governing ordinance and an escrow agreement, all of which must be completed before excavation or occupancy begins.

Public Records and Communication

Formal requests for public records are made under Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law using the township's RTK request form. Nicole Werner serves as the open records point of contact for the township.

Heidelberg Township participates in TextMyGov, a free opt-in text message notification service. Enrolled residents receive alerts about storm warnings, road closures, garbage collection delays and power outages. To enroll, residents text HEIDEL to 91896 and reply YES to the confirmation message. Enrollment can be cancelled at any time by texting STOP.

Minutes from monthly board meetings are published as downloadable PDF files, with an archive covering every year from 2013 to the present. The archive gives residents a continuous record of board decisions, ordinance activity and municipal spending discussions going back more than a decade.

Trash, Recycling and Taxes

Curbside trash and recycling collection is provided by Casella, which can be reached at 717-949-2363. Preparation guidelines differ by material: paper must be bagged in brown grocery bags or bundled, while rinsed aluminum cans, glass bottles and plastics numbered 1 through 7 may be placed loose and commingled in the recycling container.

Property taxes are collected by Treasurer and Tax Collector Janet Thumm. Payments are accepted in cash or by cashier's check and are due by December 31. Payments may be mailed to P.O. Box 217, Robesonia, PA 19551, or delivered in person at the township office during posted sitting hours. Residents who want a receipt should include a self-addressed stamped envelope with a mailed payment.

Stormwater and Environmental Programs

The township maintains an MS4 stormwater program with supporting documentation available to the public. Core materials include Stormwater Ordinance 132 with its 2017 amendment, Ordinance 175 covering the Tulpehocken Creek Watershed and the 2018 Pollutant Reduction Plan. Residents who observe a suspected illicit discharge can file a citizen complaint using the posted form, and water quality hotline listings are provided for reporting pollution concerns to the appropriate state and county agencies.

Dog Licensing, Code Enforcement and Police

Pennsylvania law requires all dogs three months of age or older to be licensed by January 1 each year.

Code enforcement covers ordinances addressing loitering, snow removal and parking, outdoor burning, junk vehicles, animal waste, nuisance or dangerous structures and disruptive conduct by rental tenants. A resident complaint form is available for reporting suspected violations.

Police protection is provided under agreement by the South Heidelberg Township Police Department. The non-emergency line is 610-670-9885, and 911 should be used for emergencies.

Getting Involved

The township periodically seeks residents to fill volunteer appointments, including openings on the Recreation Board and the Environmental Council. These positions give residents a direct role in shaping recreation programming and environmental initiatives. Interested residents can contact the township office for details on current vacancies and the appointment process.