Category Archives: Local business

why neighbors don’t like short term rentals….

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So I was sent these photos. Obviously I didn’t take them I don’t live down there, and this is Chadds Ford. This is the Air BnB that is the subject of consternation with neighbors located at 1465 Smithbridge Road. And the date showing that the photo I guess was taken is 2024, so is this house still active as an Air BnB? I mean what happens? Does the township building close up shop on the weekend and then people rent this house? And yes, I can ask that question. After all April 19, 2024 was a Friday and that looks like evening, right?

to air bnb or to bnb in chadds ford…that is the question

Here’s another photo:

Again, this phone had a date of April 19, 2024. In this photo, you can see lights on in one of the buildings which meant it was towards dusk, correct? I just am interested to know if this is after the cease-and-desist letter of like a year earlier, how was it still looking like a short term rental?

And then this is the same property that’s supposedly scheduled at the end of this current month (if the Zoning hearing occurs) that now wants to be a Bed and Breakfast Inn?

Now for the record, I don’t object to bed and breakfasts. I think they are a good adaptive reuse for often otherwise quasi-obsolete historic homes. I also like bed-and-breakfasts, because I think they have more character and charm than hotels a lot of the time. But if this property has a conservation easement with the Brandywine Conservancy how would this work? Can you just stop having a conservation easement or is that forever?

I actually think if this property had just been a long-term rental with like a normal family in it, or had been introduced from jump as a bed-and-breakfast with on-site ownership running it, you wouldn’t be here with this house on this property, but that’s not how it has played out is it? But again, where is the Brandywine Conservancy on this? Can properties like this with easements that have language about no commercial things going on ever have a use like this?

Look at all the photos of all those cars. How would you feel if you were a neighbor? Would you trust these property owners going forward? Did these property owners ever try to really interact with the full-time neighbors and work things out with them? And by really interact I mean, did the actual property owners sit down with neighbors ever do that or just their representatives? That makes a difference.

In Radnor Township, in Wayne, there used to be the Wayne Bed and Breakfast Inn. It was gorgeous. It has since been torn down for hideous development, which is criminal. But the original owners of the Inn, not the people who subsequently sold to a developer, went out of their way to be good neighbors. And I remember when they were initially trying to get approval for what they wanted to do and it was a tough row to hoe. I know because I followed the meetings.

Couple challenging Radnor bed-and-breakfast zoning
Video: Bed & Breakfast marks a first for Wayne

Above are just a couple of the articles that were written about the now, but a memory Wayne Bed and Breakfast Inn. They have a date of 2021 on them but it’s not actually 2021 that’s just when the website was updated and they reloaded those articles. The Inn actually opened around 2012.

And I know someone else who owns a bed-and-breakfast inn. There is no delegating to random people, they live on site. They take their stewardship of their historic property quite seriously. and it’s beautiful. But part of being an innkeeper I think is how you get on with your neighbors and if you started as an Air BnB that had lots of party weekends can’t you just understand why neighbors are not trusting? And I still can’t seem to find the answer that Chadds Ford Township knew this was an Air BnB before neighbors told them it was an Air BnB can you? I can’t find it in the Inquirer article, I couldn’t find it in like meeting minutes for Chadds Ford, so did they know or they didn’t know until neighbors said something?

https://www.inquirer.com/real-estate/short-term-rental-zoning-fine-airbnb-20240409.html

Anyway, it’s obvious that communities including Chadds Ford need to look at their zoning and have conversations about short term rentals and whether or not they want bed-and-breakfasts in certain areas but not in others, or what the criteria is etc. it’s also apparent that it would be helpful if the Municipalities Planning Code was also updated for more fleshing out of these uses state-wide.

I will close with screenshots from when this Chadds Ford place was on Air BnB. The dates on the screenshots indicate 2023. Below that, my noodling around about Air BnBs in general based on what’s listed.

Here’s hoping a resolution to this thorny issue can be achieved. Just like the property owners have rights so do the neighbors. And Chadds Ford needs to hear all, equally. And I really hope the Brandywine Conservancy can clear up how they feel about this situation, don’t you? The Brandywine Conservancy does amazing things, but they can’t continue to play possum with this issue in my humble opinion.

Happy Sunday.

just HOW MANY houses on the main line are air bnb???
and then you noodle around some more looking at how many air bnb and vrbo short term rentals are available elsewhere

to air bnb or to bnb in chadds ford…that is the question

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Chadds Ford, PA is actually Delaware County, PA but to me has always felt more Chesco than Delco. Chadds Ford has beautiful twisty roads, some gems of homes and estates, and used to be quite understated. I say used to be, because like every other slice of heaven between Devon and Wilmington….there is development.

Anyway in April, 2024 an article in the Philadelphia Inquirer by a reporter whom I respect and follow caught my eye:

Owners of a Chadds Ford home once owned by the du Ponts have been fined $17,000 for renting through Airbnb

Short-term rentals remain a thorny issue for many towns.

by Frank Kummer

Published April 9, 2024, 5:00 a.m. ET

Well…noise travels, doesn’t it?

Then the Philadelphia Inquirer had another article in the form of a newsletter in the same month of April, 2024. By another reporter I follow:

Real Estate

$17,000 in fines for renting estate as Airbnb | Real Estate Newsletter

And ‘million-dollar’ Pa. communities.

by Michaelle Bond

Published April 11, 2024, 6:20 a.m. ET

Smithbridge goes to court novDownload

So it looks like Smithbridge Partners (or maybe their lawyers since do we think the owners will go to court?) has put off their court date until after their zoning hearing board hearing event which looks like October 22? Now zoning hearing was put off from September, correct? When I last looked they were supposed to go to court this week on the fine stuff, and now the dockets read November?

And what is it to be at zoning October 22nd? If it reads like September 4th which was postponed it will be “1465 Smithbridge Road – Appeal of Zoning Code Enforcement/Variance to operate B & B”?

So are the owners going to be ON PREMISES to run a B&B AKA Bed and Breakfast Inn? It’s kind of 24/7/365 as I have known people who have operated B&Bs and one who still does? As a matter of fact, one person I know operates a B&B in PA and has a separate Air BnB in another state which is professionally run by a real estate company with strict rules.

So how come that Air BnB became such a mess? Did the property owners think neighbors would just give up their personal reasonable expectations of quiet enjoyment for the profit of others? I mean if there is the money to do things right, why not do just that?

https://delco.today/2024/04/chadds-ford-airbnb-citations

https://www.suburbanrealtorsalliance.com/news/2024/04/12/delaware-county/chadds-ford-fines-owners-of-former-du-pont-home-17k-for-renting-through-airbnb

https://www.the-sun.com/news/11049874/fined-17k-after-renting-home-airbnb

So would you want to be known as the people who purchased part of a former Du Pont property and then was all over media for this? Supposedly, these folks own about 400 acres of land in Chadds Ford between Smithbridge and Ridge Roads? Below is what I found on various properties under or affiliated with this entity:

Now with regard to the Air BnB at 1465 Smithbridge Road I have to ask, what is currently going on? Is it now empty or is it still being rented out as an Air BnB? Another wrinkle is a conservation easement on the property perhaps? It is (and already was when they bought it) under conservation easement with Brandywine Conservancy, correct? The easement states, “No industrial or commercial activities shall be conducted or permitted on the Property, with the exception of agricultural and livestock activities.” The conservation easement is copied below.

1465Easement copyDownload

How is either an Air BnB or a B&B not a commercial activity? What does the esteemed Brandywine Conservancy say about this? And if there is an easement, can you use the easement as in is there a trail? if so, is it maintained and by whom? I ask not because I know anything suspect, I ask because we have all heard of properties out here with conservation easements and I am guessing someone does maintenance so they can be used the way they are supposed to be used, right?

So the Air BnB of it all got a cease and desist letter in 2023:

Violation_Letter 2023-04-11Download

So what is the end game with the thing going to zoning later this month about being a Bed and Breakfast? Is this just to wiggle a door back to Air BnB? And given the other properties they own are any of them regular rentals? If so why can’t 1465 Smithbridge just be that? Or don’t they have any relatives who could live there and just let it be a normal property in a beautiful area with a conservation easement? And again where is the Brandywine Conservancy on this?

Now I asked around to those who know more than I and they came back with a famous court case that seems similar. There’s is interesting and relevant legal precedent for this case. The “Slice of Life” case was heard by the PA Supreme Court in December of 2018.

In its opinion, the Court concluded that even though the applicable zoning ordinance did not specifically prohibit the short-term rental of residential homes, such use was nonetheless prohibited. The Court stated that prohibited uses of real property do not have to be expressly excluded on a zoning ordinance.

The critical inquiry for the PA Supreme Court was the interpretation of the term “single housekeeping unit.” Past court decisions in PA have consistently applied this functional standard in its analysis to cases with similar facts. For example, courts have allowed the use of a residential home by a homeowner to provide lodging, meals, and care to physically and mentally disabled persons in their home. Conversely, courts have determined, under the same standard, that a residential home is not allowed to be used as a half-way house or a group home for foster children. These decisions turned on the fact that the average stay at a halfway house (2-6 months) and at a group home was too short to be compatible with the single-family concept.

Slice of LifeDownload

Now the Slice of Life of it all came up again in a New York Times article this past spring about a community in the Poconos. I have been to one of the fancier of the cabins/lake of it all communities up there years ago now. It was beautiful and closely held to keep out short term rental issues. It was so beautiful and natural. It was a delight. And tiny Medford Lakes, NJ has legislated against Air BnB type short term rentals in their community to preserve it’s character.

Here is the New York Times article:

FOLLOW THIS LINK TO READ

Air BnB rentals have created controversy in all sorts of communities in Southeastern PA, and in Chester County I can think of West Vincent and Willistown and West Chester Borough. I still do not know who is on first where.

Now one of the other properties these Smithbridge People own is of interest to me. And octagonal house.

https://chaddsfordlive.com/2023/02/07/from-a-schoolhouse-to-church-to-a-home

Has anyone been by this lately? What’s the current condition? Now that could make a great long term cottage rental couldn’t it?

I don’t really have much else to say on the topic. I definitely don’t have a horse in the race, except I have to say while I would not mind a traditional actual owner operated Bed and Breakfast Inn in my neighborhood, I can say the big old no to the Air BnB of it all.

This is still a situation to watch. I will be curious what happens to 1465 Smithbridge and the cool little octagonal house.

Thoughts?

BREAKING: hershey’s mill golf club for sale

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Thank you to a friend of mine and her eagle eye because I didn’t see this in the Philadelphia Business Journal:

https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/news/2024/08/16/hersheys-mill-golf-club-for-sale-99-million.html

Chester County golf club hits market for $9.9 million

Emma Dooling,  ReporterAug 16, 2024, 12:43pm EDT

https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/401-Chandler-Dr-West-Chester-PA/32640539/

Well there you have it. That sure is interesting.

maybe it is time for the brickette to deal with overflow parking?

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Every single time I bring up this topic I get abuse or just comments that are nasty. I think these people need to grow up and realize that the reason the signs went up is based on immediate neighbor complaints to West Whiteland regarding the people attending events at this bar creating dangerous situations on the roads.

It really is that simple. And when the problem was first discussed, people did ask the bar owners or managers (can’t say for sure whom because I wasn’t there) about helping them get an arrangement for a satellite parking lot so they could have a shuttle or a valet, and they said it wasn’t necessary in essence.

Well obviously it is necessary. And if they are indeed keeping to their actual capacity inside, they need more parking outside.

A comment I received recently:

That’s sad. They have an event that is so popular on Monday nights that the parking lot over flows out onto the street. Folks travel from out of town to participate. Now where will they park. I say residents should not call and let a business thrive….

You see that photo taken recently after the no parking signs went up? It was taken the evening of July 12. I would think it was safe to assume that this business is thriving enough that the owners of this bar who also own other bars in West Chester Borough, and are getting ready to open something else would have the resources for valet parking and a satellite parking lot, and or a satellite parking lot with a shuttle.

The Brickette to my knowledge has not had residents file complaints against them as a nuisance bar with the PA LCB. And all it takes is an anonymous phone call to their hotline:1-800-932-0602 or you can submit a complaint online: https://www.pa.gov/en/agencies/psp/contact-psp/bureau-and-office-directory/liquor-control-enforcement/report-a-violation.html

Instead, all the residents are asking is to be treated with respect. And it’s to be treated with respect predominantly by the bar patrons, and those same bar patrons should also treat the no parking signs with respect unless of course they’re viewing the parking tickets as paid parking costs?

I do think that the Brickette is trying in some areas to do the right thing based on a very recent (July 3rd) Instagram post:

What they say is:

Policy Update:

Hello everyone, we wanted to make you aware of an update to our policy regarding minors.

1. No one under 21 unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian, per PA State Law – 40 Pa. Code ss 5.321

2. No one under 21 years of age after 5 PM – NO EXCEPTIONS.

This includes all live music and events, such as cornhole and line dancing.

As of yesterday, West Whiteland also put up No Parking signs on the part of Sorber Drive that is in their municipality. That is 200 feet. The rest of Sorber is the responsibility of West Goshen Township, and they only seemed concerned lately about threatening residents with police removal at meetings. (Yes that happened, check their meeting recordings right?)

West Whiteland also has NO PARKING signs on BOTH sides of 100. Residents are urged to call the police if they see people parking in defiance of the signs because West Whiteland is a big township, and the police cannot be everywhere at once although they do drive-bys here.

Now back to the people who don’t like when I write about this. One person is an engineer in who does a lot of work for developers, and while not naming names, you see them on the bottom of plans submitted at public meetings in many townships.

This person is very big on having their opinion heard, which I don’t have a problem with, but this person instead seems to be making a hobby out of social media platform hopping to essentially harass me for my opinion on anything else I might write about as in not just this.

That is not just exercising “opinion”. Behavior like that is distinctly uncomfortable because you have to scratch your head with the attention on me as just one woman, don’t you? Why not just scroll by anything he sees that I might write since he knows he doesn’t like my opinion?

And then there all the other opinions on this topic. And a lot of it is derogatory attention directed at me personally when I didn’t originate the problem.

I am writing about the problem because I have lived in small neighborhoods which have faced issues from neighboring commercial communities that were not resolved until there was a crisis point.

All West Whiteland is trying to do (and the state for that matter) is protect the neighbors and the patrons of the Brickette Lounge. People might think it’s benign to just park all over the place like this, but it actually isn’t. What is being attempted here by the signage is to avoid accidents, harm or loss of human life and that’s not a bad thing. it’s actually a really good thing.

And I can see by that post from July 3 that this bar posted that they are trying to follow the law, and that is also a very good thing. But now what we ask of them is to truly get a satellite parking lot that they can do valet parking or shuttle parking with. That will handle the overflow and keep people from parking where they should not park and keep everyone hopefully safe. I see this all the time where they don’t have much room for parking.

Thanks for stopping by. If you don’t like my opinions, that’s fine you can read someone else with whom you are more comfortable.

at the brickette, no parking signs are for other people…

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Friday evening

Apparently to Brickette Lounge patrons, “No Parking” signs are for other people.

A resident just sent me this who lives near The Brickette. They are calling West Whiteland Police now. Photo was taken at 10:15 PM I guess.

As was the case on Wednesday evening, West Whiteland police is sending someone out now, and these people will be ticketed.

West Whiteland ticketed on Wednesday as well. Those cars you can see in the photo that will be at the very bottom of this post.

The neighbor who saw this tonight said they just can’t believe how blatant it is that they are just parking in between the “no parking” signs.

Of course recently the company which owns The Brickette (3 West Hospitality) was in the news chatter again about their next place called Jolene’s, opening soon. So maybe (just spit balling here), just maybe, 3 West Hospitality could hire a valet service and/or a satellite lot with a shuttle?

It’s becoming more and more obvious that whatever the capacity is inside, isn’t matching the parking outside. And they need to come to a solution. Or they should want to come to a solution.

West Whiteland Police are there now. And no, I didn’t call them.

Thanks for stopping by.

Wednesday evening

face palm moment in front of the brickette on route 100.

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D’oh

The other day I posted one West Whiteland was putting up the NO PARKING signs on Route 100. It’s pretty simple: it’s not about depriving small businesses of anything, it’s common sense and safety.

(Besides if you own three or four other bars, are you still a “small business”?)

Anyway, the amount of ridiculous commentary from what can only be described as a great intelligentsia blaming it all on me (of course), when all I’ve done is write about it, made me think well some will just ignore the signage. Of course, human nature, dictates it would be sooner rather than later note the photo above. I understand they were ticketed.

But for these people, no parking will always be for other people.

The “No Parking” signs are
pretty hard to miss

So I’m sure soon as I hit publish on this post the comments will all start again about me being on American and horrible etc. People? I don’t work for West Whiteland Township. I don’t work for West Whiteland Township. Police. I don’t work for the Pennsylvania department of transportation, either.

And interestingly enough, the types of comments always being left about this and people wonder why middle school kids are harassing and torturing teachers on TikTok? Yep, but I am sure someone will blame me for that too since it is always easier to blame the blogger or whomever thinks your comments are ridiculous, right?

But back to The Brickette. This bar if they wanted to come to some kind of an arrangement for satellite parking and a shuttle/valet service on these super busy nights. Even if it’s as busy as this every night, they could still come up with something, they are choosing not to.

And for the residents on Sorber Drive behind The Brickette, I don’t believe you are in West Whiteland Township. I believe you are in West Goshen Township which means you have to go to your township and speak up at a public meeting and ask them to do something about the parking. But don’t hold your breath, West Goshen isn’t proactive for residents, are they?

Now I am going to ask a basic thing about The Brickette. What is their actual capacity? I ask because there was an article in the Daily Local they were getting ready to open.

Honky Tonk Brickette Lounge reopens in West Whiteland

By BILL RETTEW | wrettew@dailylocal.com | Daily Local News

PUBLISHED: November 4, 2022 at 12:56 p.m. | UPDATED: November 4, 2022 at 1:26 p.m.

WEST WHITELAND — With a nod to the past, and a two-step leap into the future, the classic Texas-style Honky Tonk joint called the Brickette Lounge, is back.

Historically, the Brickette Lounge, at 1339 Pottstown Pike, leaned country, with weekly line dancing, live music and DJs. All that will return.

Temporarily closed in July, the “Brick” is leaning even further to all things Texas, with the addition of two massive stick-fired BBQ pits built from decommissioned 1,000 gallon propane tanks.

The menu will be fairly simple with six meats, all cooked over oak and sold by the  pound, along with six sides. As the smell of cooking BBQ wafts over the new patio, with the addition of new picnic tables and two seater tables outside, the game corn hole can be enjoyed. A custom fabricated fire pit will give visitors a chance to congregate and watch the sun set.

The interior is decorated with vintage beer signs, lots of neon, pool tables and a 1940s antique shuffle board table.

While the Brickette Lounge no longer sells breakfast, the new owners proudly display on a wall a menu from 1963…The Brick reopened Friday night. 3 West Hospitality also owns the Square Bar and Slow Hand restaurants, in West Chester.

The honky tonk can seat 38 at the bar and has approximately 70 seats overall.

So what is the capacity here altogether? And please *note* before everybody jumps down my throat I am not saying they are over capacity because I am not saying that. I am only asking what the entire capacity of the place is? Does the number of parking spaces available match capacity?

I think the reason I’m asking about the capacity is perhaps that is even more of an argument given the success of the business that they spring for valet or remote parking with a shuttle?

Anyway, that is all on this for today.

Aesop says if you park where it says “No Parking” you will get a ticket. That has nothing to do with “hurting” a small business so some people need to grow up.

giddy up brickette patrons: no parking on 100 now in place

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A few months ago now I posted the above photo showing where people were parking for the brickette lounge on Old Route 100 / Pottstown Pike.

I have written about this topic before, because I thought the parking was nuts, and the residents on Kirkland and surrounding streets can attest to this craziness because they live it.

So the first, no parking zones went up on Kirkland. As of early this morning, the signs went up on 100.

I hope this helps the residents. If you see 100 all parked up, you can call the police now. If you see Kirkland all parked up, you can call the police now as everyone already knows if you see Sorber all parked up that is I think West Goshen and they have to deal with it.

in other local news…

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It’s really sad but a lot of businesses, even local ones are getting hacked on Facebook.

Facebook tries to talk a good game but they really suck at protecting accounts. This latest hack is of the Flying Pig Saloon. The last one I knew of recently was Sugartown Strawberries.

It’s sad to say that the Flying Pig Saloon‘s Facebook page has literally been taken over by flying pigs objectifying women.

Please take a moment to report this page now to help a local business. Hopefully they will be able to retrieve their page or shortly start a new one.

You would think with all that money Zuckerberg has made with this platform that he would be able to protect our accounts and small business accounts and users in general better. But hey, they’re all obsessed with AI data rewriting our posts and hovering over every word we say.

Again, not criticizing a local business but I am criticizing Facebook.

it was blues & bbq at farm boy in malvern last evening.

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Blues & BBQ last evening at Farm Boy BBQ at 625 N. Morehall Road Malvern, PA 19355 was super fun! It was BYO if you wanted an adult beverage, and some people did and some didn’t. It was a great mix of people of all ages and families.

Home

We had a great meal and it was fun to have a great summer BBQ meal and listen to music. We had steak, which is kind of a weekend thing there.

It was totally civilized. And really enjoyable! Thanks Farm Boy!

We hope they do more of these weekend Blues & BBQ so I will be keeping an eye on their social media.

local artisans are the best!

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I treated myself to two lovely towels for my powder room or half bath or whatever the current politically correct room description is. They are from a local Chester County artisan, Susan Allabashi from Billington Designs. I have hydrangea curtains from Vermont Country Store for the window and fell in love with her feed sack towels when I saw them!

Billington can be found at the flower show and other events.

Here is their website:

https://billingtondesigns.com/

Their prices are so reasonable and the craftsmanship amazing! And they ship! Plus, they offer other design services as well.

Love what’s local and support local artists and artisans.

I purchased my towels like anyone else and am receiving NOTHING for sharing this artist and business. I am merely paying it forward.