Merck can now move forward with its plans to sell the 150-acre Siemens site on Sumneytown Pike unimpeded after the board of supervisors killed a controversial new zoning proposal affecting the site that Merck argued would have severely restricted its marketing campaign for the property.

Three of the five supervisors — Edward Brandt, Richard Booth and Kathleen Hunsicker — voted in favor of killing the proposed zoning ordinance. The remaining two supervisors — Chairman Stephen Paccione and Mark Grey — abstained from the vote, writes Rob Heyman for Digital First Media. 

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Dec. 12’s vote took place after a second scheduled public hearing on the ordinance, which in recent weeks had garnered significant public interest in the Lower Gwynedd community.

It also comes in the wake of the sudden resignation of the township solicitor, Michael Savona, who has advised the board on the ordinance and now is the subject of a criminal investigation in Lower Southampton Township. Savona represented the firm Eastburn and Gray.

According to township officials, the ordinance, introduced last month, was part of a larger effort to cleanup up ambiguities in the overall township zoning code. The problematic section in this case, they noted, is in the F-1 Limited Industrial Zone where the Siemens property sits.

“Siemens will be remaining in Montgomery County and plans to occupy a new office space in Harleysville after the New Year,” said Annie Satow, a spokesperson for Siemens. “The move coincides with a lease expiration and will allow the company to reduce commutes for many employees while reaffirming Siemens’ commitment to the region.”

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