Phoenixville Council Accepts Easement for 13 Acres Along French Creek

Phoenixville Borough Council voted 7-0 on July 14 to accept an easement over approximately 13 acres of unimproved land along French Creek, a move officials described as a step toward extending the borough's trail network and expanding open space.

The two parcels sit behind the Phoenixville Plaza shopping center on Nutt Road, which includes a Giant supermarket, Tommy's Express Car Wash, and CubeSmart Self Storage. The parcels are owned by an affiliate of the owner of the shopping center properties, according to Borough Solicitor Scott Denlinger. He said the owner offered to grant the borough an easement over the entire area for trail, recreational, and open space purposes, except for a small section containing stormwater management improvements.

One parcel spans both sides of French Creek, backing up to the Westridge Gardens apartment complex and connecting to the storage center. The second parcel runs along the southern side of the creek behind the Giant.

"This is probably the first big domino to fall," Denlinger said, describing the easement as a foundation for future projects.

He explained that the immediate goal is to extend the French Creek Trail from its current endpoint near the Phoenixville Fire Department on Paradise Street toward the area behind Phoenixville Plaza. Denlinger noted an existing portion of trail built by the landowner already runs behind part of the shopping center.

There could eventually be a trail and bridge crossing French Creek to connect to Veteran's Park, though Denlinger acknowledged that bridges are costly and that the borough would need to pursue grants over several years.

Denlinger said the borough is still working to secure additional parcels that will be required to make a potential trail connection work, and he expects the easement will demonstrate to other landowners involved that the borough is committed to developing the trail connection.

Councilor Brian Moore, whose Westridge Gardens home overlooks the wooded area on the north side of French Creek, said the easement will help establish a green corridor in a densely packed borough.

"It's really great that we're going to be able to make that as active as we can," Moore said, while noting the area would remain largely wild.

Denlinger credited borough staff with developing the easement opportunity before it reached him. Council President Jonathan Ewald mentioned the effort had been under discussion for at least a dozen years.