Commissioner Jane Dellheim, Ward 8 - Ardmore/Wynnewood

A. The Lower Merion Township Planning Commission unanimously determined, based on its review of various facts and the law, that Historic Ardmore should properly be designated as blighted. I understand that "blight" is a technical, legal term. An area may be "blighted" if any one or more of the following is true:
1. It has unsafe, unsanitary, inadequate or overcrowded conditions;
2. It is inadequately planned;
3. It has excessive land coverage of the buildings on it;
4. It lacks proper light, air and open space;
5. Either it or the buildings thereon are defectively designed and arranged;
6. The streets and lots on it are laid out in a faulty manner;
7. The land uses are economically or socially undesirable.
For example, downtown Philadelphia remains legally blighted, even though it is in many ways economically healthy and property values are high.

Had I been a member of the Township's Planning Commission, I would have examined each of the seven items listed above in detail and reached a decision as to each. It is difficult for me to presdict what conclusions I would have reached, although I think it unlikely that I would have reached a decision that was contrary to the unanimous view of the Planning Commission, at least with respect to some parts of the Redevelopment Area. For example, Anderson Avenue currently runs perpendicular to Montgomery Avenue, offset from Mill Creek Road. This snarls traffic trying to go from Mill Creek Road to Anderson Avenue, which should connect, because they are running in the same direction. However, it is impossible to align the roads without passing through the Ruby's parking lot. Becasue the current street plan creates increased congestion at an already-busy intersection, it constitutes a faulty lay out of streets and lots.

I also appreciate that to the surrounding neighbors, this legal designation carries an emotional insult, one to which I am sensitive.

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