And so it continues - up on the www.lowermerion.org Township Meeting Hit Parade comes the news they are not letting the dust settle ...so sorry, in this pro-development-seeming township, was that a tad sarcastic? Bummer...but then again we are members of the National Sarcasm Society (like we need your support)...just a little joke to lighten the seriousness of how quickly this is progressing.

Folks, the details are below and we urge you to show up if possible...It's not just one road at risk here. Don't let another community be destroyed, especially this community...if this all happens, then no historic designation in this township is safe, and well it doesn't exactly set a steller example for the rest of Pennsylvania either. It is time to start saying no to development again.

Git R' Done people and don't accept being told there is nothing that can be done or the Municipal Planning Code says otherwise, blah, blah, blah:

Lower Merion Township/Township Meetings:

BUILDING AND PLANNING COMMITTEE
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
7:00 p.m. (Approximately)
Chair: Commissioner Elizabeth S. Rogan
Vice-Chairs: Commissioner Cheryl B. Gelber,
Commissioner George T. Manos,
Commissioner Mark E. Taylor

CERTIFICATES OF APPROPRIATENESS

Consider accepting HARB’s determination that the most historically significant building construction on the site is represented by all floor levels of the c. 1880 and Pre 1896 portions of the main residence, including the roof platform, as represented in the building footprint included on page 18 of the Historic Resource Impact Study for 254 Righters Mill Road, Gladwyne, private residence.

The Board passed a motion indicating their concern about the proposed development which includes the construction of three new dwellings behind the main house. HARB believed the proposal to be inappropriate in the context of the Historic District as related to density, citing the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation, numbers 2 and 9:

The historic character of a property will be retained and preserved. The removal of distinctive materials or alteration of features, spaces, and spatial relationships that characterize a property will be avoided.

New additions, exterior alterations, or related new construction will not destroy historic materials, features, and spatial relationships that characterize the property. The new work shall be differentiated from the old and will be compatible with the historic materials, features, size, scale and proportion, and massing to protect the integrity of the historic property and its environment.

The portion of the application for the actual demolition permit to remove and replace an accessory building, demolish a detached garage, demolish rear portions of the three-unit apartment house and erect an addition and three additional dwelling units, was tabled. (Exhibit “E”)

PUBLIC COMMENT