Undoubtedly there are some in Radnor who wish that the topic of 236 N. Aberdeen would just disappear....but it won't. IF 236 North Aberdeen is developed, it could negatively impact not only the immediate vicinity of North Aberdeen Avenue, but one cannot discount the potential impact on Willow Avenue across the creek, right? Willow Ave is the low side of the creek, right? Of course, will the homes most directly across the property boundaries/lines of 236 N. Aberdeen have the potential for most direct impact? Maybe someone should ask Radnor Township and FEMA?

*Oh* If you have an interest in this site not getting supersized, here is the information for contacting the commissioner over there:*

Harry G. Mahoney, Esq.

215-587-9400
President, Ward 1

(If you write the commissioner, you might want to let that reporter over at the Suburban who is covering this issue know your thoughts: )

So...back to the regularly scheduled program in progress: This property was passed along like a loser prom date with a super wimpy rating by the Radnor Township Planning Department on May 5th, 2008. It was discussed in caucus by the Radnor Township Board of Commissioners at the May 12th meeting.

And speaking of the May 12th meeting, even though there was a LOT of testimony by neighbors from Willow Avenue (who always seem to get the short end of the stick), the meeting notes described the issue of 236 N. Aberdeen thusly:

TOWNSHIP OF RADNOR-Minutes of the Public Meeting of May 12, 2008:

"Kenneth Taylor and Lesley Bowes addressed the Board regarding subdivision and land development plans on Aberdeen Avenue and Eastern University that were scheduled to be discussed in caucus after the public meeting.

There being no further business and on a motion duly made and seconded, the public meeting of the Radnor Township Board of Commissioners was adjourned at 10:27 PM.
Respectfully submitted,"

People should read ALL of the meeting notes of that meeting and wonder WHY it is that this issue was so sketchily reported? Were they the ONLY neighbors to speak, those mentioned above? Uhhhh....nope according to neighbors and others at the meeting...Uhhh, if this was such a NON issue, would the newspaper have devoted an entire article to it?

Look, Radnor has this weird wrinkle in how they apply things. It may be that if the Board of Commissioners does not take FORMAL action after a certain prescribed amount of time, what the Planning Commission did might have a chance of just taking effect by default, right? History aside, the very thought of flood plain lines being moved from like 40 or 50 feet from a natural water source to like 10 feet or less is very troublesome, right?

Here is the article written in May:

Suburban and Wayne Times: Posted on Thu, May 15, 2008
Development comes to ‘Little Chicago,’ where change is seldom
The recalculation of floodplain lines key to subdivision
By Sam Strike

On paper, stormwater is all about calculations.

But in real life, it’s a subject of inch-high anecdotes and soggy stories of the worst kind of neighborly offense: problems that flow from multiple sources.

In the North Wayne neighborhood long nicknamed Little Chicago, where a number of people are second-generation residents, a proposed two-lot subdivision is causing concern over density, neighborhood fabric and of course stormwater.

The property in question is on the 200 block of North Aberdeen Avenue, a partially one-way street, where half of the homes (most with front porches and no driveways) have properties that slope down to Gulph Creek.

Across the creek are the back yards of homes on Willow Avenue.

There, a little more than a century ago, was the Wayne Natatorium, a fresh-water pool created there by damming the creek. Today, that history is still evident in soggy yards, flooding basements and an eroding streambank.

The proposed subdivision would cause the teardown of the 1888 home of Jonathan D. Lengel, a builder who constructed many homes and well-known buildings in Wayne during its first naissance.

What the would-be developers want to replace it with are two twin homes, both with two-car garages, which would double the impervious area on the property. To those on Willow, this brings fear of increased flooding. To some on North Aberdeen, it means a large structure with no architectural similarity to the majority of the neighborhood homes and the loss of at least three needed parking spaces.

.....What makes doubling the impervious coverage possible in this dense, waterlogged area is the adjustment of floodplain lines originally established by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

In this case, the proposed change to the line moves it about 40 feet towards the creek bed, nearly in the creek bed....The township’s zoning code requires plans to be sent to FEMA in order for the floodplain line to be moved.

The subdivision could be approved contingent on the FEMA review. However, it seemed like the commissioners felt it should be sent to FEMA first.

One neighbor had asked the Radnor commissioners to do that, saying that the “flow rates” used in the reconfiguring must have changed since the last time it was done due to more water runoff in the creek.

The commissioners were presented with the proposals, and its opponents, Monday at the caucus section of their meeting, where no votes are taken.

This issue has also been discussed on other blogs like Round Radnor:

Round Radnor: Tuesday, May 13, 2008
May 12 Commissioners' Meeting Report

....In caucus the subdivision of 236 North Aberdeen was reviewed. I had previously blogged about this case so I won't rehash the details except to say that the proposed project is too large, totally out of character with the neighborhood and will exacerbate an already bad parking situation. Many neighbors showed up to give their input to the Commissioners. Many of these folks have lived in "Little Chicago" all their lives. It is that kind of neighborhood. The issue was raised concerning the revision to the 100 year flood line. The proposed development needs the line to be moved so that the impervious coverage limits can be met. The Commissioners recommended that the folks get the relocation approved by FEMA before the project moves forward. This will take 60 to 90 days and will provide an opportunity for the developer to meet with the neighbors and better understand the concerns.
I was somewhat surprised that the "developer" never spoke but rather allowed their engineer to do do all the talking.

Round Radnor:Monday, May 05, 2008
A prisoner of our own rules. North Aberdeen

Tonight I attended a Planning Commission Meeting. The item of interest for me was Number 3

S.D. # 2008-S-06 (Final) of David Buckley & Sherrie Burlingham
to subdivide property into two (2), raze existing dwelling and
construct a twin home with a residence on each lot at 236 N.
Aberdeen Ave.

This was approved. I must say that I would have voted differently.
The design was predicated on a revised Flood Plain Delineation, not the FEMA flood line. It was pointed out by one of the neighbors that this was not according to Code. The Commissioners (or FEMA) must approve any change and the authority is NOT delegated to the Township Engineer. The case was made that the Commissioners will approve this at some time in the future since the Township Engineer is the person who advises them. Isn't this putting the cart before the horse? I believe the SD should have been denied or tabled until the Commissioners approved the flood line changes.

Some folk will undoubtedly get their knickers in a twist over this. Get over it. It's the beauty of the first amendment: you can say you think a plan is garbage that shouldn't be ignored....