Hello SAC members!

The Zoning Hearing Board meeting for the proposed development of 130 Cricket Avenue in Ardmore is scheduled for this Thursday (September 6th) at 7PM at Merion Fire House on Greenfield Avenue in Ardmore. This should be the final hearing - the matter has been going on for many months without a determination. The meeting is your opportunity to speak out about the prosed development - the demolition of a Victorian home, the bundling of parcels, the building of a condominium 3x the size of the current zoning limitations premised on the pretense of affordable housing ( one bedroom units selling for over $300,000 counting as affordable).

What follows is Commissioner Maryam Phillips' recap of the last zoning hearing board meeting - she has been a vocal opponent of the proposed development.

From: Maryam Walker Phillips
Date: Tue, 04 Sep 2007 21:07:36 -0400
Subject: 130 Cricket Continues 9/6/07

Neighbors,

The application for 130 Cricket Ave is scheduled to continue on Thursday, September 6th at 7 pm in the Merion Fire Company (due to meeting room conflicts at the township building). If you had to leave early from the last hearing date, the applicant continued to put on its case with witnesses: civil engineer returned, their Fair Housing expert witness was actually more of an academic with experience in ADA
accessibility, and not fair housing practices in PA, and their architect testified it was not possible to state their application would /not/ meet state and federal guidelines for building designs required by law because there was not enough detail on the plans.

There was quite a bit of discussion about the separation requirements, this time between the Spring and Simpson Condo project and theirs. Anticipating that, the applicant re-designed the placement of the apartment building to push it as far to the rear of the property as possible to achieve a 1,000 foot separation. The question still remains, however, whether the separation is based on building to building length or lot line to lot line length. If the ZHB upholds lot line as the basis, 130 Cricket cannot work. The ZHB was disturbed by the applicant's plan changes and lack of notice to the Board and opposing counsel - for this reason, every witness that testified last Thursday will be subject to recall by opposing counsel Thursday night.

It is every intention of the ZHB to wrap up all testimony Thursday night. This includes the final witness for the applicant (traffic study) and opposing counsel witnesses and public statements. I remind everyone to focus on specific issues that affect health, safety and welfare (is there a school bus stop nearby that will be affected by increased rush hour traffic? I recall the SEPTA bus runs hourly down Cricket? etc.) They do not want to hear this application is going to get some poor pedestrian killed due to the extra traffic, for example. Be aware that the applicant's counsel may wish to ask you questions if you testify/raise public comment. You can bring pictures if they are relevant; just stipulate you were the one to take them and when. Even if you do not testify it is important for the community to show up.

I am sending all this info because I will be in Harrisburg for a meeting I must attend for my regular job. I will be out of town Thursday and Friday this week. The township solicitor's office will attend though. Please forward this info to anyone you think will be interested. Here is the notice from the township web site.

Maryam Phillips

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 *Merion Fire Company of Ardmore*, 35 Greenfield Avenue, Ardmore, PA 19003, on *Thursday, September 6, 2007, at 7:00 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 applicants propose to consolidate the rear portion of 24½ School Lane with 130 Cricket Avenue, demolish the dwelling and accessory building on 130 Cricket Avenue and seek 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.

Anyone interested in reviewing the applications and plans may review this information in the Building Regulations Division at the Lower Merion Township Building, between 8:15 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Anyone requiring special accommodations to participate in this meeting should contact this office at 610-645-6172.

By Order of the Zoning Hearing Board
Michael R. Wylie, Secretary