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This starts around 7- 7:15 p.m. Attendance is not mandatory, but people really should turn out for this one. Ending time only a guestimate.

www.lowermerion.org
MEETING NOTICE
TOWNSHIP OF LOWER MERION
ZONING HEARING BOARD
Notice is hereby given that the Zoning Hearing Board of Lower Merion Township will hold a meeting as required by Lower Merion Code Chapter 155, as amended and codified by Ordinance 1802, at the Township Building, 75 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, PA., on Wednesday, August 8, 2007, at 7:15 p.m., at which time there will be a hearing on the following cases:
Appeal No. 4089
Applicant: SW Land Associates, LLC
Property: 130 Cricket Avenue and 24½ School Lane, Ardmore, PA 19003
(Election District #4). R 6A Residence District
The applicant proposes to consolidate the rear portion of 24½ School Lane with 130 Cricket Avenue, demolish the dwelling and accessory building on 130 Cricket Avenue and seeks a special exception under §155-50.2 to build a three-story 37-unit subsidized apartment house (with a minimum of 19 subsidized units) with underground parking. The applicant also seeks to the extent required, a variance from §155-50.2 E to allow the subsidized apartment house within 1000' of the subsidized apartment house for the elderly at 75 Ardmore Avenue (The Ardmore House).

Related article: LM zoners to tweak affordable housing rules
By Cheryl Allison

With some of their strongest words yet for a controversial development proposal, Lower Merion commissioners last week took a step to tighten zoning provisions for subsidized or affordable housing.Acknowledging that the issue needs continuing review, the board voted unanimously July 18 to adopt an ordinance narrowing the list of programs that can be used to qualify for a bonus of greater density. Another part of the ordinance states explicitly that a requirement setting a minimum distance between projects developed with the bonus includes both elderly and non-elderly housing.
In recommending the code amendments, Building and Planning Director Bob Duncan said more comprehensive changes still may be needed to address affordable housing provisions that appear in various sections of the zoning code.
"We will come back and put them into one set of standards," he told commissioners. "Before we do that," he said, "we want to consider this ordinance as a stop-gap" to ensure that developers use the provisions as the township intended. In the application that sparked the changes, he said the developers are seeking "a substantial density bonus for what does not appear to be a long-term commitment to affordable housing."
Supporting the ordinance - and putting it more bluntly - Commissioner Phil Rosenzweig said it is "clearly one step toward preventing future perversions of our intent" that "don't contribute to any meaningful purpose to affordable housing."
In other action, the board agreed to authorize township solicitor Gilbert High to attend the Aug. 8 zoning hearing board meeting at which testimony will continue to be presented on a proposed condominium development at 130 Cricket Ave. in Ardmore.