It's always nice to hear when the little people get a break, or in this case a temporary reprieve. And good for this North Wayne neighborhood! Keep it up! See what you can accomplish together? And those doubting Thomases who thought average Joes and Josephines have no rights? You do!

As previously mentioned on this website, this development issue in Radnor Twomnship for 236 N. Aberdeen is indicative of what is wrong around here: even in a real estate market that is falling apart, there is still a rush to development. Where do all these people think all of these people are going to come from? How do they think our aged infrastructures are going to handle all of this development in the future? Our school systems? Where are all the cars going to go? Will they find a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow or a bucket of pyrite? ("Fool's Gold" for the trivia minded)

Anyway, had feedback from those at the meeting:

The end result is it appears this issue for 236 N. Aberdeen has been tabled for the time being and the developers are supposed to go to FEMA?

Apparently the developer's expert engineer was using really old FEMA flow rate data from 1993 for the basis of the hydralogic study they trotted out, which was part of the basis previously for the Radnor Township Engineer passing this plan this far along to begin with? (as an aside, that seemed a hot topic with some commissioners - whether or not this apparently common practice with the township engineer should really be a best practice?)

Neighbors successfully pointed out that water flow is MUCH heavier then 1993 (duh). Things like a neighboring township building the Church of The Savior and other development added terribly to the impervious surface coverage and resulting water issues, along with other factors?

The 1993 or older flow rate studies are flawed by design? Perhaps. Will the developer have enough extra scratch to have flow rates comprehensively studied? Is this project worth enough to them?

Will new best practices be developed within Radnor Township to better evaluate plans including the township people actually coming out to these potential development sites when they know plans are going to be submitted to start checking things out prior to dumping these things at the feet of the commissioners? Wouldn't that be a good idea?

And what of the current parking issues? On nights and weekends the cars from North Aberdeen wrap the corner back onto Radnor Street Road literally. And some park on Willow. Should the people on Willow Avenue (also a tight street) be responsible for impact of additional storm water issues and additional cars? That street can barely handle it's cars now. (and it needs a speed hump)

So, last night was a small victory, and now the township and developers know this neighborhood is interested in having a say in the future. And in case it wasn't mentioned, it's not like this developer has shown any interest in the surrounding neighborhood really, have they? Did they make any efforts since the planning commission? When they reach out to neighbors it will be the first time, and at this point they won't be doing it because it's the right thing to do on their own, it's because they were pointed in the direction...

So, will Radnor Township do right by a small neighborhood? After all, don't these residents have private property rights too? And what of the prior claims that this developer applicant was going to live in one of the new homes? Is that like "oh yeah, here we're selling shares in the Brooklyn Bridge too"? How long according to the IRS does someone have to live in a home to claim it as primary residence? Should these realtor-developers stick to McMansion peddling in the high rent district and just leave this neighborhood alone?

Stay tuned....this has gotten interesting....