No one wants to be factually incorrect and one of our members asked we preface this post (which isn't anything other than a post - it's not a position - it's a post) with these comments sent to them:

...This ordinance will have absolutely no impact on Ardmore or Haverford residents.

In an absolute worst case scenario, at some future time, there is a possibility that one or two apartment buildings in Bryn Mawr could have student occupants. In those limited cases, if the students misbehave, the college can proceed with disciplinary action, the same as they would for on-campus student problems....This would only apply to dwelling units in an apartment style building, and only to apartment buildings in an R-7 zoning district. The apt bldg must be within 700' of the school campus and if more than one property is to be occupied by students under this ordinance, the properties would have to be 1500' apart. The units would have to be leased or owned by the college and the rules applicable to on-campus housing would also apply to these units.

When you apply all these restrictions, here are very few apartment buildings in the Twp that will have the ability to be leased to a college or university.

You should send out another email to this group and inform them of these restrictions so they have all the facts about this ordinance. Your email will only promote many comments that are not relevant to the terms & impact of this ordinance. Once residents have the facts, if they decide to attend meetings to voice their concerns, we welcome their input."

Now that we have that out of the way, the last comment before original post is that this is still a bad idea. Ok back to our regularly scheduled programming...

To most, co-existing in a neighborhood with students (college and graduate) is like living with "do you want beer with that". Ask any of the small neighborhoods who have been plagued for years in Bryn Mawr, Ardmore, and even Haverford. We are sorry to say "plagued" because not all students misbehave, but can it be said most do because well, they are young and this is the last hurrah before job reality? College students are unfortunately transient residents, which means in English: they are young, and in the long run they don't care about neighborhoods because nine times out of ten they aren't sticking around.
So why does Lower Merion Township want to monkey around with this first we heard in Bryn Mawr? On this Wednesday January 9th which means that if it doesn't get knocked out then, under the "new rules" it will get passed lickety split with not very much of a howdy do? We assume this is near Bryn Mawr College? But how can it end there once the door to Pandora's Pencil Box is opened?

Want to see in another township what student housing has wrought? Take a jog off Lancaster Avenue onto Penn Street in the Haverford Township side of Bryn Mawr - right past the sport fishing supply store and where Platoon Fitness is (same side of street)are a bunch of student rentals in a row - they are utterly unkempt properties with chronic trash issues. In Radnor Township, drive down Bryn Mawr Avenue as if you are headed towards Newtown Square. Take a look on your left just after you pass the WaWa - student houses are right there with more behind - the houses sort of "front" Brook Street, and there is other student housing on surrounding streets we can't name off the tops of our heads, as well as back tracking into Bryn Mawr near Yang Ming and Bryn Mawr Hospital (as well as those halfway houses). Drive by those and decide if that is what you want the house next door to you to look like. Drive through some of the neighborhoods in West Conshohocken and Conshohocken, and ask people in downtown West Chester if they like quite so much student housing in their midst?

And in Lower Merion? Well Lower Merion has quite enough student houses already - the small neighborhoods in South Ardmore and Bryn Mawr are chock full of these houses which for the most part always have more students residing there then they should, and more cars hogging parking then they should, and that is when the kids aren't having parties. And not to be mean spirited, but when they party, why is it so hard to remember that full time, year round permanent neighbors don't want to hear them, have to pick up their beer trash, or have to step over piles of puke occasionally on the sidewalk? And why is it the property owners of student houses can't keep them up to the same levels they would if non-students or families resided there?

And the thing about student housing is this: what do the colleges and universities do for the neighborhoods and communities? If they are allowed in Lower Merion to have carte blanche to have off campus student housing in one area of the township within 750 feet (we think that is what we heard) of an institution of higher learning, what are they giving US back in return? Are they giving some of their land back for a universal community use? And if we allow this in one area of the township (we heard Bryn Mawr?)what will preclude this from occurring in other areas of the township that have institutions of higher learning in them? What of St. Joe's University moving into Merion at the old Episcopal Academy campus? What about Harcum in Bryn Mawr? And say this ordinance is enacted, will it be specifically for say Bryn Mawr College students or can say Villanova, St. Joe's, Harcum, Cabrini, Eastern, or whichever college or graduate students want to live in these neighborhoods that may have a higher education facility other than their own? If R7 exists in any of the aforementioned places then theorectically couldn't this happen to them?

Where do we draw the line with student housing? Shouldn't it be the responsibility of the colleges and universities to house their own population on their own campuses? How do Lower Merion residents really feel about the prospect of more babysitting?

And how do the full time apartment and home dwelling residents of Bryn Mawr (because isn't this being considered to be applied to those buildings along Montgomery Ave?) feel about students as immediate neighbors? Say you all are paying two grand a month for an apartment in a decent building, do you want students next door?

Sorry college and graduate students, we know this post is going to upset those of you who are decent community members, but many of your brothers and sisters have spent years wearing out your welcome.

From www.lowermerion.org:

BUILDING & PLANNING COMMITTEE
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
7:00 p.m. (Approximately)

STUDENT HOUSING AMENDMENT

Consider for approval authorizing the Township Secretary to advertise a notice of intent to hold a public hearing and adopt an ordinance amendment on February 20, 2008 to amend the Code of the Township of Lower Merion, Chapter 155, Zoning, Section 155-54 to permit student home dwelling units within an apartment building in an R-7 Zoning District, subject to compliance with separation requirements and regulations applicable to student occupied units. (Exhibit C)

PUBLIC COMMENT

Lower Merion Township should say NO to this.