Marion Township

Marion Township is a municipal government serving a rural section of western Berks County, Pennsylvania. The township office is located at 4023 Conrad Weiser Parkway in Stouchsburg, with the township building and park grounds situated at 420 Water Street in the same village. Residents and property owners can reach the office by phone at 610-589-2860.

As a second class township under Pennsylvania law, Marion Township handles the day to day functions that most directly affect property owners: road maintenance, zoning and land use administration, building code enforcement, on lot sewage management, stormwater regulation, recreation facilities and local tax collection. The township contracts with outside professionals for several technical roles, a common arrangement among smaller Pennsylvania municipalities that allows access to specialized expertise without maintaining full time staff in every discipline.

Governance and Administration

The township is governed by a three member Board of Supervisors, the elected body responsible for setting policy, adopting the annual budget, enacting ordinances and overseeing township operations. The Board holds regular monthly meetings along with workshop sessions, and agendas and minutes are published through the Agenda Center section of the township website. Records generated before 2025 are archived in the Document Center, giving residents access to a multi year record of township decision making.

Supporting the Board are office staff, a road master who oversees the township road system, township solicitors, a township engineer, a zoning officer, a building inspector who also serves as Uniform Construction Code enforcement officer, a sewage enforcement officer, an emergency management coordinator and an elected tax collector. Several of these positions are filled by outside firms. Kraft Municipal Group, Inc. performs zoning officer duties as well as building inspection and UCC enforcement, while JB Environmental Services, LLC handles sewage enforcement.

Volunteer boards and committees round out the township's structure. The Planning Commission reviews subdivision and land development proposals and advises the Board of Supervisors on planning matters. The Zoning Hearing Board considers variance requests, special exceptions and appeals of zoning determinations. A Building Committee also meets and posts its agendas and minutes publicly, alongside those of the Board of Supervisors and Planning Commission.

Zoning, Land Use and Development

Marion Township administers zoning for agricultural, residential and commercial properties within its borders. Non-residential zoning applications are available for agricultural and commercial uses, and the township zoning map can be accessed through the online document library. Applications that do not fit within standard zoning requirements proceed to the Zoning Hearing Board for review.

Subdivision and land development activity is governed by the township's Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance, Ordinance 1991-2, with review conducted by the Planning Commission. A published fee schedule for subdivision and land development submissions is posted online so applicants can estimate costs before filing. Building activity falls under the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, with permits and inspections administered by the township's code official. Properties in designated floodplain areas are subject to additional building permit requirements under Ordinance 1989-2. Stormwater controls for new development are regulated under Ordinance 2002-4.

Sewage Management and Act 537 Planning

Because much of the township relies on on lot septic systems rather than public sewer, sewage management is one of its more active program areas. The township operates a Sewage Management Program (SMP) that uses the Terra Tracker system to track septic system maintenance and pumping records. Registration in Terra Tracker is open and free to septic pumpers and haulers who wish to operate within the township, and registration must be completed before program forms can be submitted. This arrangement creates a consistent record of system servicing across the township and simplifies reporting for contractors.

Longer range planning for sewage facilities is carried out under Act 537 of 1965, the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act. The township's Act 537 plan document is available through the online document library, allowing residents, developers and consultants to review how sewage capacity and planning have been addressed locally.

Roads and Public Works

Township road maintenance is overseen by the road master. Services include general upkeep of township owned roads, administration of road occupancy permits under Ordinance 1974-5 for work performed within township rights of way, and processing of deeds of dedication when private roads are offered for township acceptance. The township also enforces sidewalk snow removal requirements and posts speed limits on local roads, including a 25 MPH limit on Forge Road. Property owners planning driveway work, utility connections or any excavation affecting a township road should contact the office about occupancy permit requirements before beginning work.

Trash, Recycling and Household Waste

The township provides trash and recycling information for residents, including details on county level programs. Berks County electronic recycling events and tire recycling programs are publicized through the township, giving residents a route for disposing of televisions, computers, monitors and scrap tires that are not accepted in regular curbside collection. Dates and locations for these county events change periodically, so the township website and news notices are the practical place to check current information.

Marion Township Park and Gazebo

Marion Township Park sits across from the township building at 420 Water Street in Stouchsburg and is open from dawn until dusk. The park includes a ball diamond that is used during the summer months by the Conrad Weiser Athletic Association for its youth baseball program, tying the facility directly into local school district recreation activity. Visitors should note that restroom facilities are not available at the park.

Public Records, Alerts and Emergency Management

Marion Township accepts public records requests under Pennsylvania's Right to Know Law using a request form available in the website Document Center. The document library also houses ordinances, zoning maps, subdivision and land development materials and fee schedules, making many commonly requested items accessible without a formal request.

Residents can create a website account to subscribe to Notify Me email and RSS notifications, which deliver meeting announcements, news flash items and township newsletters. Emergency management for the township is coordinated by Emergency Management Coordinator John Sileski. Local tax collection for general revenue purposes, authorized under Ordinance 1987-1, is handled by elected Tax Collector Eileen P. Heydt.

Practical Information

• Township office: 4023 Conrad Weiser Parkway, Stouchsburg, PA 19567
• Township building and park: 420 Water Street, Stouchsburg
• Phone: 610-589-2860
• Park hours: dawn until dusk, with gazebo rentals arranged through the office

Residents with questions about permits, septic requirements, road work or meeting schedules are generally best served by contacting the township office directly, since several functions are administered by contracted professionals whose availability is coordinated through staff.