East Vincent Advocacy's mission is to raise awareness of township issues, empower residents to better understand and become involved in their municipal government. We organize to ensure that our rural way of living can continue.

We created a slideshow to highlight our outstanding achievements and thank those who made our WINS possible...including you, our dedicated members!!
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Learn More about Us
Our mission is grounded in a simple principle: communities deserve informed, persistent representation when facing complex and high-impact development pressure.

Who We Are
EVA was founded by East Vincent residents in response to increasing development pressure and the recognition that large, complex proposals often exceed the capacity of ordinary civic engagement alone.

We are volunteer-driven, locally grounded, and deeply experienced in:
•    Zoning and land-use regulation
•    Pennsylvania’s Municipalities Planning Code (MPC)
•    Public hearing and evidentiary processes
•    Long-term advocacy across election cycles

EVA does not replace Township officials, boards, or commissions. Rather, we serve as an independent, resident-based line of defense, ensuring continuity, institutional memory, and community-centered advocacy when it matters most.

Why EVA Exists
Large development proposals are rarely decided in a single meeting. They unfold over years—through ordinance changes, zoning interpretations, hearings, litigation, and appeals.

Developers arrive with teams of attorneys, engineers, and consultants. Communities often do not.
EVA exists to ensure that:
•    Residents are informed and prepared
•    The public record is complete and defensible
•    Long-term community interests are not sidelined by short-term pressure
•    Decisions reflect the intent of zoning—not just the ambitions of applicants
Without sustained advocacy, harmful outcomes often occur quietly—and permanently.

A Proven Record of Impact
Over more than six years, EVA has demonstrated that disciplined, resident-led advocacy works.

EVA’s efforts have helped protect zoning integrity, agricultural land, environmental resources, democratic process, and transparency in Township decision-making. Many of these successes resulted in—projects altered, withdrawn, or stopped before irreversible harm occurred.
A detailed summary of EVA’s accomplishments is provided in Attachment A: EVA Impact at a Glance, which documents specific outcomes and community-wide benefits.

Current Focus: A Defining Moment
East Vincent Township is now facing unprecedented development pressure, including a proposal for a hyperscale data center development, at the historic Pennhurst campus.

These facilities raise serious concerns related to:
•    Proximity to residential neighborhoods and vulnerable populations
•    Massive energy and water demands
•    Noise, air quality, and environmental impacts
•    Long-term industrialization of rural landscapes

EVA’s position has been clear from day one:
Any large-sized or hyperscale data center does not belong near residential communities—here or anywhere.
These impacts are permanent. Once approved, they cannot be undone.

Why Legal Defense Matters
Decisions of this magnitude—affecting our environment, veterans, and neighborhoods—must be made on a complete, defensible record, not by default.

Land-use decisions are legal decisions. They are governed by evidence, expert testimony, and strict procedural rules—not by public sentiment alone. The upcoming Conditional Use hearing on the proposed Data Center at Pennhurst will be decided based on the zoning ordinance and the expert testimony entered into the record.

This is a critical moment for residents to be meaningfully represented. At this stage, we do not know whether the Board of Supervisors or the Planning Commission will present a substantive case. What we do know is that the landowner’s attorney will. We cannot allow a project with such significant environmental, infrastructure, and community impacts to proceed without a strong, independent defense. Too much is at stake to leave this to chance.

Effective community advocacy requires:
•    Legal counsel
•    Technical and environmental expertise
•    Sustained participation in hearings—and, when necessary, appeals

Publicly disclosing legal strategy or the sequencing of expert testimony would undermine these efforts and advantage the very developer residents are seeking to hold accountable. Transparency of purpose does not require disclosure of litigation strategy.

What Your Support Enables
Contributions to EVA support:
•    Expert review and testimony
•    Legal analysis and representation
•    Participation in zoning, Conditional Use, and appellate proceedings
•    Continuity of advocacy when municipal action alone is insufficient
While EVA is supported by its members, the benefits of this work are township-wide, protecting all residents and the long-term public interest.

A Commitment to Integrity and Public Benefit
EVA is a registered nonprofit organization committed to ethical governance, responsible use of funds, and respect for legal process.

We welcome good-faith engagement and collaboration. At the same time, EVA remains focused on substance, evidence, and outcomes—not internal disputes or distractions.

Call to Action
If you care about:
•    Protecting residents and vulnerable populations
•    Preserving farmland and rural character
•    Upholding zoning integrity and environmental safeguards
•    Ensuring communities are not outmatched by corporate development

We invite you to:
•    Donate to EVA’s Legal Defense Fund
•    Volunteer your time or expertise
•    Participate in public hearings and written comment

Prepared communities win—and preparation requires resources. Your support makes that possible.

 
Learn More about EVA Accomplishments & Impact 

Protected Our Rural Character and Environment
EVA successfully opposed developer-authored zoning amendments that would have enabled exponential residential growth, including a proposal for more than 200 homes at the Ruth Farm site—located in the headwaters of Stony Run, a Pennsylvania–designated High-Quality Stream. After EVA presented detailed objections with expert testimony before the Board of Supervisors, the proposed zoning change was withdrawn.
This outcome prevented overdevelopment and sent a clear message that residents were prepared to stand up for environmental protection, rural character, and quality of life in East Vincent Township.
Why it matters: Once density increases are approved, they cannot be undone.

Defended the Township in Court — and Prevailed
When the Ruth Farm developer (Artisan) pursued legal action to reinterpret zoning density provisions for private gain, EVA was THE line of defense and participated in the proceedings with legal counsel and expert testimony. Despite the initial municipal alignment with the developer, EVA’s advocacy helped ensure that the Township’s zoning ordinance was upheld—multiple times.
The matter remains under appeal by the developer, but EVA’s efforts have affirmed the integrity of the zoning code and protected residents from precedent-setting overdevelopment.
Why it matters: These decisions safeguard zoning township-wide, not just a single parcel.

Upheld Democratic Process and Good Governance
EVA played a key role in identifying and challenging improper political reappointments that attempted to extend influence beyond expired terms. As a result, lawful process was restored and public accountability reinforced.
EVA also exposed a situation in which a Township Supervisor no longer residing in Pennsylvania failed to resign, preventing the seat from being filled through the normal electoral process. Following public scrutiny, the Supervisor resigned, restoring democratic integrity.
In addition, EVA has:
•    Advocated for higher standards and accountability on Boards and Commissions
•    Supported the creation of the Environmental Advisory Committee and Open Space Committee
•    Raised concerns about development-biased assumptions embedded in the 2018 Comprehensive Plan and continues to press for its reassessment
•    Advanced government transparency, including continued use of Zoom meetings, public posting of recordings, complete development applications, and advance public notice
Why it matters: Strong governance and transparency are essential to earning and maintaining public trust.

Prevented Unnecessary Sewer Expansion
During the height of COVID, EVA helped stop proposed public sewer expansions at two locations that would have opened large areas of agricultural and rural conservation land to intensified development pressure.
Why it matters: Infrastructure expansion often precedes—and enables—irreversible land conversion.

Preserved Agricultural Zoning Protections
EVA successfully defended agricultural zoning multipliers that are central to preserving working farmland and limiting sprawl. Through informed testimony, legal insight, and follow-up engagement with experienced land-use and legal professionals, EVA helped prevent weakening of these protections.
These zoning safeguards remain a cornerstone of East Vincent’s rural landscape.
Why it matters: Agricultural zoning protects land that cannot be replaced.

Strengthened Zoning Protections for People and Nature
When a proposal for large-scale data center development at Pennhurst emerged, EVA was the first to act—educating officials, advocating for expert review, and pressing for stronger safeguards to protect residents, veterans, and environmental resources.
While not all recommended protections were adopted, sustained advocacy significantly strengthened the final draft ordinance, even though it has since been set aside by the Board of Supervisors:
•    LEED-certified green building requirements
•    Closed-loop water systems
•    Prohibitions on private well draws
•    Lower allowable sound levels
•    Increased setbacks from residences and sensitive receptors
•    Preservation of forests and woodland buffers
•    Additional safeguards to reduce long-term environmental and community impacts
Why it matters: These protections did not exist before residents organized, engaged, and persisted.

A Pattern of Results — Not One-Time Wins
Many of EVA’s most important successes stopped harmful outcomes before they became permanent.
Many of EVA’s most important successes resulted in: projects altered, withdrawn, or stopped before irreversible harm occurred. While EVA is supported by its members, the positive impacts of this work are township-wide, benefiting all East Vincent residents and protecting the community as a whole. These outcomes rarely make headlines—but they permanently shape the future of East Vincent Township.
We invite you to:

1. Donate to our Legal Defense Fund

2. Volunteer your time or expertise

3. Participate in public hearings and written comment

These outcomes reflect sustained civic stewardship—protecting East Vincent not just for today, but for generations.