oakwell is for real and forever saved- it’s done and dusted!

Posted on June 18, 2026 by carla

The other day I received a press release. I’m finally taking a minute to share it because it’s important and it’s wonderful, wonderful news.

This is from our friends at Natural Lands. It’s about Oakwell and Stoneleigh together again.

I knew this was coming long before it was announced, and I am thrilled that there is finally the presser out on it.

This is an amazing thing that is happening in great part thanks to the Haas family and the Wyncote Foundation, all those wonderful volunteers who fought for Oakwell (and some of them are very dear friends), and Natural Lands which I love as an organization.

Sadly, as soon as Natural Lands announced this formally, and in spite of all the write ups already out there, you have people jumping in to start raising alarm bells when none are needed. Reading comprehension is a big problem for a lot of people it seems these days, especially on social media, and they should just in this instance here, say thank you.

People don’t seem to get, it’s ALL safe. The house/mansion is being retained and preserved by the Wyncote Foundation and the rest joins Stoneleigh. All ultimately thanks to the wonderful Haas family, one of whom was in my class at Shipley. These are a family which always done the right thing because paying it forward is simply what they do.

Here is the press release:

Natural Lands Expands Stoneleigh: a natural garden in Villanova, PA

MEDIA, Pa., June 15, 2026 – Natural Lands today announced the acquisition of 10 acres of the historic Oakwell property from Lower Merion School District (LMSD). The land is immediately adjacent to Stoneleigh, Natural Lands’ beloved public garden and, in fact, was once part of the estate in the early 1900s. The land protection success marks the culmination of years of community advocacy, partnership building, and a shared commitment to preserving one of the region’s most significant cultural landscapes.

In a separate transaction, an additional three acres of the property, which includes the Oakwell mansion, was purchased by and will be carefully restored and preserved by the private Wyncote Foundation.

In 2018, LMSD purchased two parcels—collectively known as Oakwell—as a site for athletic fields for Black Rock Middle School. As development plans progressed, public concern grew. Over a period of years, community members campaigned for preservation of the property and its towering trees, historical structures, and horticultural legacy.

A turning point came early in 2024, when ongoing conversations between LMSD and Natural Lands led to a conservation solution. In August of that year, the two organizations announced an agreement: LMSD would sell 10 acres of Oakwell to Natural Lands to expand Stoneleigh and the remaining three acres to a separate entity whose use will be complementary.

Today, that agreement is reality.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to preserve all of Oakwell and to grow Stoneleigh for the benefit of residents and visitors from the entire region. We are immensely grateful to our generous funders, the community, and the leadership of the school district for making this possible,” said Oliver Bass, president of Natural Lands. “It is not an exaggeration to say that this is the culmination of years of work by our staff, our supporters, and members of the Lower Merion community.”

“None of this would be possible without the exceptionally generous support of the Wyncote Foundation,” Bass said. “Additional leadership support is being provided the William Penn Foundation,” he added.

Although Oakwell will require a period of preparation before opening to the public, its addition significantly advances Stoneleigh’s mission: to celebrate the beauty and importance of the natural world and inspire the cultivation of native plants for the benefit of all.

Dr. Frank Ranelli, LMSD superintendent, added, “We hope that this agreement, which came about after years of public discussion and collaboration with the purchasing parties, will enhance the quality of life for members of the Lower Merion community, which is so supportive of our schools. We look forward to future collaborations that might allow our students to explore and learn at Stoneleigh.”

A new Master Plan for the expanded Stoneleigh outlines a vision for thoughtfully weaving Oakwell and Stoneleigh together while creating inspiring new garden spaces, expanding educational capacity, elevating guests’ experiences, and honoring the properties’ historical significance.

“We are honored to reunite Oakwell with Stoneleigh in a way that pays homage to their shared and distinct histories while also incorporating new garden features,” said Ethan Kauffman, director of Stoneleigh. “Oakwell is a magical place with some truly spectacular trees and beautiful buildings, and we can’t wait to share it with the community when it’s ready. Honestly, I have to pinch myself to believe this opportunity is real.”

Highlights of the Master Plan for Stoneleigh include:

Creating new garden features that honor the landscape legacy of Oakwell while furthering Stoneleigh’s commitment to showcasing the beauty and ecological function of native plants and habitats.

Preserving healthy, mature trees that are a hallmark of the Oakwell property.

Thoughtfully restoring historical buildings, which include a complex that once housed the greenhouses for the Stoneleigh estate, a former caretaker’s cottage, and a garden feature known as the Tea House.

Constructing a new Welcome Center to greet and orient guests year‑round.

Removing physical barriers like fencing and driveways to reunite the properties while also improving circulation and accessibility.

Expanding educational programming through new indoor and outdoor classrooms.

Enhancing community connections via gathering spaces, programs, and partnerships.

“Stoneleigh is growing in so many ways,” added Bass. “We look forward to the day we welcome everyone to experience all the joys of our expanded 52‑acre public garden.”

Stoneleigh will continue to welcome guests, free of charge, Tuesdays through Sundays from 10 AM -5 PM while work on the expanded portion is underway. To learn more, visit www.natlands.org/growing.

Natural Lands is dedicated to preserving and nurturing nature’s wonders while creating opportunities for joy and discovery in the outdoors for everyone. As the Greater Philadelphia region’s oldest and largest land conservation organization, Natural Lands—which is member supported—has preserved more than 137,000 acres, including 40+ nature preserves and one public garden totaling more than 23,000 acres. About five million people live within five miles of land under the organization’s protection. Land for life, nature for all. natlands.org.

Please note: “Natural Lands” is the organization’s official operating name and should be used instead of its legal designation (Natural Lands Trust, Inc.).

east whiteland data center goes to court

Posted on June 4, 2026 by carla

Today the East Whiteland Data Center had its court debut. This case:

I am about to share exclusive court recollections by an East Whiteland resident who sent me a report:

June 4, 2026 – Hearing to request court to stay any work on site of foote mineral/data center

Mr Schneider began by reading a prepared brief and going through 18 exhibits. Judge early on asked him if he had any witnesses or any case law to support his brief. Andy said no because the language of the law speaks for itself. Judge admonished him for that and said there should be case law to support his position. Then proceeded to let him read his testimony and go through the 18 exhibits as he went. Andy’s arguments were consistent with things he had presented at township meeting on data center. Argued that two entrances meant one entrance right across from Malvern Hunt would have to be built first and would be used by machinery to move earth and cause dirt to be blown around into Malvern Hunt. Andy quoted EPA website to claim that site is not finally remediated. Judge asked if he had witness from EPA and other exhibits along the way. Andy also mentioned that the plan that was approved expired 90 days after it was approved and court should find subsequent actions invalid because plan was already expired.

Mr Colagreco started by asking the hearing to be dismissed and the judge denied his request. Mr Colagreco then stated that he had submitted a brief to the court so he wasn’t going to read the brief and the judge said that the court had already read both briefs prior to the hearing. Mr Colagreco then argued that for the first time in history there is no case law to support a section of code that was in dispute and tried to cast doubt on Andy’s reading of the code. Mr Colagreco also mentioned that there was no harm in allowing them to proceed with moving dirt because Mr Schneider had not presented any evidence to this effect and had not presented any evidence at all other than his legal brief. Also said that the time for Mr Schneider to appeal was within 30 days of the 2024 approval and that he can’t appeal any longer because he missed that window. Mr Colagreco also said they are under a 2 year deadline and that time is ticking and that any effort to delay via multiple lawsuits from Mr Schneider could harm them because it could cause them to miss this deadline if they aren’t allowed to start work. Judge asked Mr Colagreco if they had started any work on the site since 2024 and Mr Colagreco admitted they had not so Judge observed they could have been working all that time if it was important to them.

Judge then heard the township lawyer who is paid by supervisors Directors and Officers insurance it appears. That lawyer, I don’t remember his name, said that he agreed with everything Mr Colagreco said on behalf of Sentinel. Didn’t say much other than that.

Judge allowed Mr Schnieder rebuttal and Mr Schneider said that events in March 2026 created need to appeal and that no criteria existed in 2024 to appeal because the events in March 2026 created the need to appeal. At the end of this, judge offered Mr Schneider the opportunity to submit his exhibits into evidence. After some back and forth, Mr Schneider did accept the Judge’s offer and submitted his 18 exhibits into evidence.

Judge then closed the hearing.

– Recollection of East Whiteland resident Tim Caban during the hearing.

No, those two captioned screenshots above are two other court cases. They are pending. I don’t know in what order they will be heard or what will happen.

No decision was made today. I found that interesting. I’m taking that as a positive.

Someone else is an observer of this mess for lack of a better description said to me today (and I quote):

You get to the hearing stage, arguing for a dismissal is almost a waste of time…The guts of the argument is whether or not townships can make it up as they go along, and effectively rewrite the statute through bad process.. which is a denial of due process to the community.

I found that interesting to ponder.

Tonight is the environmental advisory council meeting a.k.a. EAC. Ironically on their agenda this evening is Foote Mineral. And of course, this is also the site for the data center. I’m going to share a document I was sent today relative to that and interesting.

It ain’t over and Captain Green Fig must be twitching, no? It makes you wonder if his snazzy New York developer investor will stick around long-term doesn’t it?

This is the Foote Mineral thing I mentioned. I will also note that this person who wrote this and sent a message. I’m about to share is an environmental lawyer. Next is the message and following that his attachment and that is the end for today for me on my reporting of this ongoing issue.

Message:

John’s message

I have attached the Comments I plan to file before COB on Friday June 5, 2026 with US EPA Region 3 in Philadelphia. If upon your review you agree with the content of the Comments, and you would like to join in the Comments, please let me know by email, stratred14@gmail.com. Send me your name, street address and township. I will add you to the list of Commenters. I will send an updated list of Commenters to the EPA, as needed, over the next two weeks.

For those of you who do not know me, I am simply a concerned citizen, like you. I am not being paid by any entity for this work, nor am I a member of any group that has formed in opposition to this or any other data center project. My career has been in environmental law, so I am familiar with the Superfund process, and redevelopment of brownfields. Hence the arcane nature of my comments.

Thank you for your consideration.

John P. Judge
stratred14@gmail.com

2026-06-03_JohnJudge_CommentsToEpa Download

yass developers are not listening hard enough

Posted on May 25, 2026 by carla

***A photo sent to me during recent civic association meeting…***

I spy with my little eye a new Inquirer article on the 19035. No not about the grifters currently visiting Club Fed or wherever that the civic association didn’t want mussing up their “vibe” but the article is about the equivalent of the hypothetical company town owners.

https://www.inquirer.com/real-estate/gladwyne-redevelopment-new-buildings-green-space-jeff-yass-20260525.html

(Inquirer article has a pay wall and you have to subscribe to read it, unless they are still allowing people a few free reads a month?)

What do I say company town owners? Easy. In part this reminds me of our history when it come to factory / mining / mill towns when they were first settled (think 19th century.)

These company towns were controlled by the owners of the factory / mining / mill towns. They built the houses, school, local store, etc. etc. (Related aside: Gladwyne already once was a mill etc. town once upon a time, so is that the rich man poor man vibe the developers are going for again?)

Anyway these company towns had the ability to control every single person. They had literally a monopoly on everything. Workers and their families were dependent upon the owners of factory / mills / mines for their survival, which was a great way to control these people yes? Of course, history refers to boom and bust cycles with these towns which is why tourists visit ghost towns out west to this day, yes?

If you are interested in learning more about these types of towns see:

The Earliest Mill

The Mills Of Lower Merion

Corridor Company Towns

https://www.killinglyhistorical.org/museum/village-vignettes/life-in-a-19th-century-mill-town

About

https://www.easttown.org/m/newsflash/Home/Detail/385

Yeah I know you think I am off on a tangent but the origin of the Gladwyne Village is HELLO a MILL TOWN. Do the upwardly mobile of nouveau 19035 really want to be owned again in a sense? Sociologically it’s a fascinating point to ponder.

Gladwyne

So the article also talks about the mythical green space that is so fake sounding I can practically feel the sickly sweet taste.

Here is a link to what they presented to HARB at the beginning of May, which is what they presented to the 19035 gated community errr I mean Gladwyne Civic:

https://app.sharebase.com/#/document/281645/share/166-goqbZQoneNCIbX2j2C4VBgk3MX4

(I will tell you that Lower Merion Township’s website sucks, it’s as if it was designed to hide things, but I digress.)

So once again they are with the green space and fakakta gazebo with parking butting up against existing residents’ homes like it’s a city and WHY? Do they not see the big assed park that is 14.8 acres DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET?

I mean I am told that developer guy Andre worked in the village as a kid before he became an Andre? Does he have selective male Alzheimer’s or something? Are they literally BLIND as to the amount of green space, open space, natural water features, etc etc that ALREADY FREAKING EXIST IN GLADWYNE FOR ALL TO ENJOY? Are the residents also green blind?

Literally WTF in Gladwyne?

They don’t need a developer manufactured pocket park in essence….there is one across the street that is HUGE. Then there is Rolling Hill, Saunders Woods, Flat Rock Park, need I go on?

So these people and Lower Merion Township are either not listening hard enough, not caring enough to hear, or are just freaking green blind aren’t they?

Do the historic preservation and adaptive reuse. Rebuild the Gladwyne Pharmacy etc building, as that was probably just a favor for some pal that Walter Durham designed it in the first place because he designed houses, not mini malls. But leave the zoning alone which will threaten a well established historic district that is recognized on a local, county, state, and federal level. (Unless of course they plan to add a Trump Arch like planned for Washington DC?)

Listen harder and hear developers.

Don’t tart up the village. Do better, be better.

If these developers want their legacy in the 19035, they need to respect the legacy that already exists. Right now they are merely paying it lip service in my opinion.

yo’ gladwyne be grateful for the charm that exists: no need to tart it up.

back to the 19035 and the “plan” that still appears problematic….

BIG meeting for gladwyne civic tonight?

things that make you go hmmmm

Posted on May 21, 2026 by carla

Once upon a time until but a year or so ago that was this cute stone rancher, (or maybe it was just stone faced rancher) for sale in Tredyffrin.

I remember the listing because I had a friend that was interested in it and then all of a sudden it was off the market. At that point in time it had been a little overpriced, but it was a super cute house. However, it’s drawback to my friend, (which is why they hesitated) was the location. Old State Road and Contention Lane.

Sorry not sorry, it’s odd right there. When I first went back there years ago to photograph a historic property near there for a house tour, it just felt kind of cut off, like a place people only occasionally pass through. And a little isolated.

We all know it now that this was the location of where nurse, mom, friend, sister and wife Megan Nieberle was murdered in cold blood by Steve Jahn.

https://people.com/man-allegedly-shot-nurse-after-telling-cops-people-following-him-11924583

Slightly off of the beaten path, highway adjacent. Yet some interesting houses. Modest and historic and older developments.

But this rancher? Cute and on a generous corner lot. It’s sold at a sort of bargain basement price only to be knocked down.

It’s quite a big house. With oddly small windows.

What’s happening is quite interesting at 809 Contention Lane (UPI 43-5Q-9) in my opinion.

Tredyffrin has NOTHING online easily found except a note from a 3/24/26 EAC meeting mentioning issues of equipment within 5-10 feet of stream in the floodplain and a request for code enforcement to go out. Has code enforcement gone out? What was the result?

How was this approved? Was this truly by right? Why doesn’t it seem like Tredyffrin doesn’t put their land development plans online?

It just seems really big considering what used to be there.

lament for a lost love

Posted on May 20, 2026 by carla

What a sad country to celebrate America 250 in. Our founding fathers are rolling over in their graves.

‼️ Warning, if you’re from the other side of the aisle and still think a man who kills a rose garden is fabulous, DO not leave a comment. I am not interested. Leave it to YOUR space, not mine.‼️

Our founding fathers fought blood and died for our freedoms, not so freedoms could be abused and be subjective, depending on who you were and how much money you had that’s part of why they left Great Britain in the first place.

This isn’t a post about Democrats are all good and Republicans are all bad (or vice versa) especially because I am an Independent not that it’s anyone’s business but my own. The politics of extremism continue to ruin this country. That is a simple truth.

I cannot in good conscience support elected officials who never served in the military playing war. They should’ve had more G.I. Joes and stayed in the sandbox.

I cannot in good conscience always just sit with my mouth shut while people who are the least bit different from the person next to them are ridiculed, reviled, harassed, and berated for who they are or even just an opinion that somebody else doesn’t like.

I remember being a kid and being so excited for the bicentennial. And we did cool things thanks to our parents like ride in a covered wagon to Valley Forge Park. We met reenactors of the continental Congress – politicians from both sides of the aisle, who came together for the greater good and remembered why our country was founded. Most of those people are now gone. I keep hoping more like them will step forward.

As part of the next generation approaching and attaining retirement at present, I am terrified of the future that there will be nothing left, (even though we’ve all worked our entire lives) to have basic things like Medicare and Social Security. more and more people every day are in dire financial straits and you can’t just say “oh it’s their fault.” These aren’t people looking for a handout. These are people who worked hard and this country is deserting them as businesses fail, and we have false bravado about an economy that quite frankly sucks.

My country ‘tis of thee, Sweet land of liberty should be more than song lyrics.

We are not experiencing the best of times as propaganda would have you believe, we are literally experiencing kind of the worst of times and it makes you wonder how people felt just before the Civil War doesn’t it? Or how they felt before either world war, or even what it was like in 1930s Germany.

I speak for no one else. These are just my random thoughts. They’ve been bubbling in my brain for a while.

Again, if you don’t agree with me, or you feel the need to educate me, quite simply put: don’t.

welcome to east whiteland: litigation station over data centers has begun…

Posted on May 13, 2026 by carla

***Courtesy of those amazing East Whiteland residents protesting data centers***

Welllllpppp…the litigation trains have left contemplation station. Residents have filed against East Whiteland Township. The topic? DATA CENTER planned for Swedesford.

Can’t say I am surprised but I bet the township is. Wake up over there on Conestoga Road in the township building. It’s never too late to do the right thing for residents is it? Mebbe Captain Green Fig can move the data center to his back yard in Willistown?

Sarcastically yours while telling East Whiteland I told them so. I told them this was a bad plan…..around 2018 for the first time….and continually since….

#saygoodbyecharlie

#nodatacenter

well lookee there tredyffrin, a BIG article about mount pleasant and what residents have been dealing with for decades.

Posted on May 12, 2026 by carla

Has a rainbow come to Mount Pleasant in Tredyffrin? Not sure exactly, but a mighty fine centerpiece article from The Philadelphia Inquirer has arrived.

I am so happy for the very beleaguered residents of this small historic neighborhood. I am honestly really happy that a bona fide reporter listened to what the residence had to say and wrote about it fairly.

See Tredyffrin? Told ya.

See Villanova University? Others do care about Mount Pleasant, even if your off-campus students and student rental slumlords there do not and just out of curiosity how many of those student rental landlords are alumni?

https://www.inquirer.com/news/pennsylvania/chester-county-villanova-cabrini-student-housing-20260512.html

Yes there is a paywall but I actually know someone who subscribed today just so they could read this article. Tredyffrin’s inactive chickens are coming home to roost in Mt. Pleasant with this article. A reporter, the photographer to look into what has been even documented on social media.

This is a large article and I hope the message has been received that it is time to stop offering lip service, and deal with this.

As for Tredyffrin Supervisor Carlotta Johnson-Pugh who was quoted? She really shouldn’t dance. She should just say what the residents tell her: if this wasn’t a historically black neighborhood, people would care more. THAT is the truth and reality.

I don’t know where half of these Tredyffrin Supervisors were years ago when the original student housing ordinance was coming in to play, but I remember quite clearly how much it took them just to get around to doing an ordinance. It was somewhat disgraceful it took so long. And maybe the police department only has a certain number of calls on the books for the school year 2025 to 2026, but I have to ask were all of the calls investigated? Are the residents taken seriously?

This is what one neighbor said in the article:

📌 “When the parents aren’t getting on them, the college is not getting on them, the police are not getting on them, and then you got the neighbors, and all we can do is make a little fuss, but there’s not a lot we can do,”📌

This is a centerpiece article IMHO. The curtain has been lifted beyond a curtain raiser. Tredyffrin’s zoning officer is lazy at a minimum and could be doing more.

The township manager wasbrought up by Dave Bashore in Radnor before Tredyffrin (https://patch.com/pennsylvania/radnor/scoop-what-happened-to-dave-bashore) is a Tredyffrin RESIDENT (https://www.mainlinemedianews.com/2018/02/15/main-line-banter-meet-tredyffrin-township-manager-bill-martin/) so he should care more about a lot of things than he does. He can be a part of the solution. These residents have deserved better than what they have received for YEARS.

Carpe Diem. Tredyffrin supervisors and staff need to walk the walk not just talk the talk.

https://www.inquirer.com/news/pennsylvania/chester-county-villanova-cabrini-student-housing-20260512.html

Allow one more (brief) quote from the Inquirer article today from Villanova University:

📌“Students are subject to the University’s Code of Student Conduct whether they are on- or off-campus, and the University follows up on all reports it receives from local municipalities,” the spokesperson said in a statement.📌

Ok good to know based upon this familiar email. I say familiar because I’ve been told people have received variations on the same theme:

Now to be fair, in the past I have found Villanova’s security folks helpful to residents to the best of their ability. But heavier lifting needs to come from Villanova University decision makers. I think they promised to be better during that meeting last year with residents once they acquired Cabrini?

hey villanova officials have you actually been to mt. pleasant?

A lot of schools in this country have directories on file for where all of their off-campus students are residing correct? Why can’t Villanova do this? I think I’ve been asking this for like over 20 years haven’t I? Why can’t they have a better grip on where these kids are living and how they are behaving vis à vis their policies they have in place for their students in general?

https://www.villanova.edu/university/offcampus/information-for-undergraduates.html

You know when you talk to these residents, they understand the college students want to have fun because a lot of them were college students once upon a time. However, these are literally animal houses that Mount Pleasant has been dealing with for far too long. And there needs to be palpable culpability on the part of the property owners who are renting these houses, perhaps?

I think this is a big stay tuned thing because I think this is a story that’s going to keep growing until the problems are solved in Tredyffrin like in Mount Pleasant.

Here is past stuff:

https://www.tehistory.org/hqda/html/v12/v12n1p002.html

https://pattyebenson.org/2010/03/25/need-for-college-student-rental-ordinance-not-just-a-mt-pleasant-issue-this-is-a-township-issue/

Mt. Pleasant Neighborhood. . . How Can We Help?

Tredyffrin planners against subdivision

Housing issue resolved in Tredyffrin

when is it enough in tredyffrin?

let’s talk mt. pleasant in tredyffrin.

follow up for the no-no queen of tredyffrin zoning re: mt. pleasant

hey villanova officials have you actually been to mt. pleasant?

hey tredyffrin: remember mt. pleasant in the panhandle? it’s blue tarp party season.

romper room in tredyffrin ?

nothing like a couple of obnoxious notes from a nice catholic on st. patrick’s day

dear residents of mount pleasant in tredyffrin’s panhandle

ties that bind in honey brook township and more tales of the politically pathetic?

Posted on May 11, 2026 by carla

Oh Honey Brook Township Liberty Biberty mush mouth Steve-O 🤣 is at it again (must’ve lost his binky and needs attention) and he really shouldn’t give up his day job, but nobody’s really sure what it is right now because he’s doing all this stuff again, right??

It’s all of the same lame arguments that they tried to apply to Valerie Shultz before she beat the pants off of him (frightening mental visual BTW) in the fall election as a Republican.

There is even a pathetic attempt to resurrect the kids are unsafe issue because Scott Stilson as a Republican committeeman asked a school if they would consider being a polling location because the polling location that serves their precinct is outgrown for the most part. That’s common and happens all across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania every year and all across the country, and it doesn’t mean the kids aren’t safe. That is a fear mongering lie, and it’s like the other lies.

You know it’s all being spread thicker than pig manure on a cornfield out there because they are THAT desperate.

And then when blather hoodie wants to talk about his close personal friend, Gary McEwan who’s been on the school board for how many decades at this point (is it like 33 years?) and involved in politics for how many decades at this point like his dad before him and that’s a reason for term limits is it not?

And then Steve mentions John Burdy the toady (his wife is Laura Burdy the toady who is a supervisor and isn’t it all so cozy?) who is running for Republican committeeman who is also just a yes man warm body for the status quo on the Twin Valley School Board along with Sally Dee Gee’s son Baby Nicky (or maybe he still wants to go by his sock puppet account on Facebook called Jack Wilson?) who is a college student, so they want to set him up not only on the school board where he’s just a warm body to say yes to whatever the school board president wants, but then they can set him up to keep the political control going of Tammy Hall in the cornfield in Honey Brook, right?

People, is time for change in Honey Brook and this is a small but important opportunity to keep that mission going.

Be the change you want and don’t vote for any of these people. I mean, come on they’re even slashing political signs and destroying them, which is something that they swear they don’t do right? And then there’s the whole question of debate, this time they asked for it and now apparently they’re not doing it?

Be the change. End Tammany Hall style politics in Honey Brook.

the song remains the same in honey brook and dangerously obsessive much?

PS to address one of drama hoodie’s erroneous claims of last week was insinuating that there was something wrong with the Honey Brook Township Manager leaving? No state secret, just MONEY…

https://amp.centredaily.com/news/local/community/state-college/article315653930.html

yo’ gladwyne be grateful for the charm that exists: no need to tart it up.

Posted on May 10, 2026 by carla

Gladwyne is a wonderful place with a historic village. The nouveau and uninformed see it as this money-laden Main Line place to be conquered. Yeah, so they have done that enough in general to the Main Line, but there are some places that they should just leave alone. That includes the literally historic village in Gladwyne.

Yesterday was Azalea Day at St. Christopher’s in Gladwyne. It was the 73rd year.

I went to Azalea Day from the time I was 12 pretty much until I moved to Chester County. It was and is a perfect example of the magic of the village and surrounding environs which just don’t need tarting/messing up.

Historic preservation and adaptive reuse YES.

A zoning change and development circus? NO.

Gladwyne doesn’t need to be other than it is. Maybe people can’t stop Lower Merion from approving horrible out of place LEGO infill development McMansions, nor keep predatory development out of Ardmore with BS plans every few years for Schauffele Plaza, etc., but Lower Merion needs to be proactive with stopping the madness in the 19035.

It’s like Groundhog Day in Gladwyne every few years when a bad plan arises. The only thing now is that they neither have a civic association with people willing to protect the historic village, nor elected officials who are willing to do so and did you ever think Gladwyne would be in this predicament? Honestly, I did not because all of my observing prior to this was admiration for Gladwyne sticking up for Gladwyne.

Historic preservation and adaptive reuse YES.

A zoning change and development circus? NO.

Now there are still some people on Gladwyne Civic who were part of the magnificent years where they STOOD UP and fought for Gladwyne and the historic village. But they are the minority and probably tired. And my so much civic “leadership” yet where IS the leading? Oh I am sure they don’t care for my opinions and they even tossed me out of the closed Facebook group started by a friend. They have social climbers from Chester County in the group, but I am a threat. They tried once before this to remove me unsuccessfully.

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So I am out of the group now, which is no great loss as it is quite the insipid government ass kissing shadow of the group it once was….and civic it once was.

They will say that I am talking about this because it is merely sour grapes and no it’s not. If they kept such close tabs on my activity there before the co-prez removed me, they would see that I really did not visit much as the involvement of my friends lessened. That and knowing that I could not keep my mouth shut over the insipid nothingness that was being posted. Gold foil stars for all, and the nerve of that horse for not picking up its poop!

I had posted about what was happening in the historic village district because THEY WERE NOT. And it was and IS important. But now I realize WHY they aren’t and it’s sad that I realized it’s in my opinion a combination of a lack of spine and it would mean actually working for the community, right? For these people it’s easier to have a “greenspace” and gazebo that is not needed and for the historic village district to lose protections with a zoning change and an overlord they can bow and scrape to isn’t it? And if this goes through like this, history in my opinion, will not remember them fondly.

Again, for the cheap people in the expensive seats: historic preservation and continued adaptative reuse is a GREAT thing. Creating a fake narrative and a Peddlers Village/Disneyesque landscape is NOT. Potentially changing the zoning, tearing down houses and undoubtedly trees is also a BIG MISTAKE.

I can indeed have these opinions. My opinion remains the same: yes to historic preservation, tree preservation, and adaptive reuse. No to zoning changes and the ensuing circus. It’s still supposed to be a historic 18th/19th century crossroads village and THAT is ok.

The Gladwyne Civic needs to recover where they left their collective balls.

Lower Merion Commissioners need to not sit on their hands.

Residents can’t depend on either the commissioners or civic association here and they should go to every single meeting possible to save the village.

Historic preservation and adaptive reuse YES.

A zoning change and development circus? NO.

Vanity projects can be useful, this project has many problems. The developers here should use their big money for good….if they are really listening, that is?

Historic preservation and adaptive reuse YES.

A zoning change and development circus? NO.

https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=146338

back to the 19035 and the “plan” that still appears problematic….

why aren’t municipalities here following the lead of maine and ohio over data centers?

Posted on May 1, 2026 by carla

This isn’t going to be a long post. These are my thoughts based on a conversation I had with a friend in another part of Southeastern PA, who isn’t being targeted by data centers, but happen to be at a meeting talking about other things where data centers came up.

So in Maine and Ohio with regard to data centers, officials are starting to ask companies to have like a security bond – not escrow – with the purpose to cover potential issues – pollution that affects humans and livestock – cover issues with energy/utilities, decommissioning buildings etc.

As of May 2026, both Maine and Ohio have moved to implement rigorous financial and environmental “guardrails” for large-scale data centers.

Legislators in these states are shifting away from simple escrow accounts toward security bonds and comprehensive accountability frameworks to address potential negative impacts on residents, livestock, local infrastructure, etc.

We’re talking about (in Maine) accountability councils/ committees, resource protection (which includes things about noise pollution, discharge of warm contaminated water into waterways which WILL affect livestock and humans and wildlife and potentially domestic pets, water shortages), utility safeguards (energy costs and straining energy grids).

In Ohio (maybe Wisconsin too?) also the things mentioned above about security and infrastructure bonds. These bonds cover all sorts of things like if a data center becomes decommissioned and land use things around these data centers. Also measures about pollution and the reason these things are coming out in these states is to protect residents from having to clean up after data center developers essentially.

Now this is why you’re seeing in some of these states that these developers are walking away because they’re realizing it’s going to be too expensive for them to do what they want isn’t it?

Also in pending (?) legislation in Kentucky (HB 593), Colorado (SB 26-102), and elsewhere aims to ensure that data centers pay for their own energy. As in all of their own energy it seems?

As of April 2026, in addition, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, and Virginia are considering or have filed statewide moratoriums or strict regulations. Now realize in Pennsylvania that there has been similar legislation, but none of it has teeth does it? It’s all still aimed to cater to the data center industry isn’t it? And why is that? Two words: Josh Shapiro.

I think data centers will very well be Josh Shapiro‘s political Waterloo. He will undoubtedly get reelected as governor because Marg Simpson, err Stacey Garrity just isn’t going to beat him. but I have to wonder if this will keep our governor from his loftier political aspirations in the end?

So why aren’t we doing it here now? I know it was bought up at one of the East Whiteland meetings by the Supervisors Chair Scott Lambert that he wanted some kind of financial measures in place to cover some of these things and the data center developers lawyers basically were like no are you crazy but was he crazy? Because this is what’s being proposed in other states isn’t it?

Some of my biggest concerns and some of these municipalities, including East Whiteland is elected officials don’t realize that they can say no, but do they have the courage to do so? You will get responses like along the lines of they have to do what counsel instructions them, but do they really? These elected officials were elected to represent the people. Therefore, all of these other people, lawyers and township staff included work for them and the residents, don’t they?

It’s finding the courage to say no.

Sorry, not sorry but my humble opinion (which I am allowed to have) is we don’t need these in our communities. Developers want them in our communities and all they are is the new apartment building, the new condo complex, the new kind of warehouse. It’s about their profit and nothing to do with us. F ‘em.

Learn elected officials, please learn.

https://www.billtrack50.com/billdetail/1979309

https://www.bdlaw.com/publications/maine-could-ban-new-data-centers-and-what-it-means-for-everyone-else/

https://ohiohouse.gov/news/republican/ohio-house-passes-bill-establishing-the-ohio-data-center-study-commission-142643

https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/maine-could-ban-new-data-centers-and-2375560/

https://mainemorningstar.com/2026/04/06/maine-house-advances-data-center-moratorium/

https://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0113&item=3&snum=130

https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/maine-legislature-approves-first-us-moratorium-big-data-centers-2026-04-14/

https://www.nrcm.org/blog/four-ways-maine-can-address-energy-impact-data-centers/

https://earthjustice.org/press/2026/legislation-introduced-to-ensure-common-sense-guardrails-on-data-centers-in-colorado

https://www.lpm.org/news/2026-02-12/gop-bill-seeks-guardrails-for-new-data-centers-to-pay-their-own-way-in-kentucky

https://www.wrdw.com/video/2026/02/06/south-carolina-senate-proposes-guardrails-data-centers/