Tag Archives: delaware county

old school dirty radnor doings: will it be eminent domain in wayne?

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Wake up Radnor residents! Monday, October 28 it’s more tricks than treats on the schedule for the commissioners’ meeting at 6:30 PM. These commissioners with ONE exception do not know their arses from a hole in the wall. The one exception is Commissioner Jake Abel who had the courage of his convictions to say NO to eminent domain as Radnor Township’s arsehole purported “negotiation” tactic….with a church.

That “negotiation” tactic is eminent domain against Wayne Presbyterian Church because they had the temerity to want more money after faithfully renting their land to Radnor since circa 1954. That means they went decades without really wanting much more, correct ? I mean that’s really nice isn’t it?

But noooo, Radnor Commissioners, seemingly led on an eminent domain field trip by cranky unpleasant to the plurality commissioner with an odd looking pallor, Jack Larkin, who seems to have morphed into a cold unfeeling jerk who seems to wish to punish the world and why is that? Is his life outside of being a commissioner a little messy? And why does his bio at Radnor still say how many years later he is still at a certain law firm yet LinkedIn and elsewhere indicates somewhere else? Does he not want people to know about working for that billboard company?

Oh and Radnor and commissioners? I am entitled to my opinions.

I think potentially Radnor hasn’t been so sleazy since the days of Bashore, and I am not even sure most of these commissioners actually know what happened then because most of them seem to know so little about Radnor’s political and other history as in the past 30 – 40 years since that matters just as much as the historical origins of the township.

The board sat there at the last meeting and were kind of horrible to a church and their members. They all tried to say eminent domain is a “negotiation” tactic. It is not. It’s a greedy, nasty, bullsheit bully tactic. And the Wayne Business Association is supporting stealing from a church? If this happens you betcha a lot of people will boycott Wayne.

radnor township want to exercise eminent domain for private gain over wayne presbyterian church. that’s bollocks.

Radnor, I know first hand what eminent domain for private gain does to a community. I was part of a group that fought it until we won in Ardmore PA with the help of the Institute for Justice in Washington, DC. And this might be something that you try to couch as eminent domain for public purpose, but since you’re doing it really for the Wayne Business Association businesses, isn’t it really eminent domain for private gain? My opinion is it is. And actually, it doesn’t really matter what it is categorized as, it’s still wrong. That is the beginning and end of it.

And Wayne Presbyterian Church? The lawyer who you really want for this is Philip Rosenzweig. Phil is the one who as a newly elected commissioner wrote the resolution in Lower Merion to end eminent domain in Ardmore.

And Radnor residents, that’s the other thing that we at the Save Ardmore Coalition did because of the threat of eminent domain: we replaced half of the board of commissioners in one election cycle because of it.

Radnor residents you have the power you don’t use enough, and I suggest you get busy and replace some of these toadstools at your earliest opportunity. You deserve better commissioners and a better manager. Who would think after years like 2010, Radnor Township would find itself in odd situations again?

Oh and for those who live near the center of Wayne do you know to add insult to injury regarding the upcoming development involving that AT&T lot is also on the agenda? I mean, imagine the parking you might have available in Radnor in Wayne if this site was not going development? (Just sayin’)

So here’s the link to Radnor’s agenda:

Click to access 8b293b7ae08e9bd1f931ec5546490a0b0.pdf

The meeting starts on Monday, October 28h at 6:30 PM.

Stealing land from a church is just so ugly.

#StopTheSteal #NoEminentDomaininWayne

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

back to school (off campus) and party houses everywhere it seems?

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It’s back to school with off campus student party houses…still Villanova for the most part and still in Mount Pleasant in Tredyffrin and surrounding area. Tredyffrin, Radnor, and Upper Merion all involved last night….

The scanners tell snippets of the tale and last night and again it was Tredyffrin PD, Upper Merion PD, and Radnor PD.

Upper Gulph Road, Old Eagle School Road, near Woodland School, West Valley Road, Mount Pleasant, Upper Gulph and Arden Roads and tell me again are these new dorm locations or just Villanova University off campus student animal house rentals?

So will these municipalities pretend that there is no problem, especially Tredyffrin?

Only time will tell.

Residents are fed up already and it is not even Labor Day.

It’s always the same old story. People understand that college kids want to have fun, except the college kids that rent these off-campus student rentals, seem to have a distinct lack of respect for the surrounding area. And it’s kind of sad because it would take so little effort for them to get along with their neighbors and just be a temporary part of the community that gets along with their neighbors, instead of causing problems. And Villanova needs to be more on top of this as well.

However, it’s not just the kids and the school which need to be held accountable. You must include the rental slumlords, who own and are renting these houses who also need to be held accountable by these municipalities. I am always amazed how all these houses pass rental inspections aren’t you?

All threats on this topic are reported to police and Villanova’s own security department. Just like last year.

runaway

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Runaway. It’s not just a song…and I found three videos of 3 artists with the SAME song title: Bon Jovi, OneRepublic, and Galantis. It is also the theme of a candidate for PA 160 apparently. What am I talking about? Here is a snippet:

So Barry and WCHE were covering the rally this past weekend in West Chester called United Against Project 2025/Agenda 47. I think it’s important this is covered. Before I get to that a thing no one is talking about in this that really bothers me – it’s the farming thing in this:

But back to candidates who hide. Elizabeth Moro is running for PA 160. It’s a state house seat held by Craig Williams, a Republican. It’s a partially Delco seat which is why I think it has been a GOP stronghold.

Anyway, Elizabeth Moro ran for congress in 2018 and then dropped out of the race. She was if I recall correctly, originally in the 7th and then the districts were redrawn for a change (heavy sarcasm, it’s a definite PA thing around here), so then she was a candidate in the 6th and subsequently dropped out and Chrissy Houlahan became the nominee for the Democrats and is now my Congresswoman.

But I don’t understand WHY Elizabeth Moro ran from a host of a local radio show when she is seeking people’s vote this fall? Barry Dee will tell the whole tale this Friday at 11 AM on WCHE.

Now I have found Elizabeth to be a nice woman. I actually was at the Brandywine in White event at Chadds Peak Farm in 2015 when she met her husband Vince. I remember her because I truthfully loved her dress. And that was a super fun event. That farm is awesome and such a beautiful setting. We were all Facebook friends for a couple/few years after that until we weren’t. Amusingly I was dropped by them. Guess I didn’t fit “the brand.”. Macht nichts or matters not, because it really didn’t. They were nice, but when I was no longer going to their events, although I liked them, I fell off the radar. But in all fairness, how many events can you go to and then keep repeating them?

Then she and her husband Vince were involved with the fight to save Crebilly Farm. Their group was Neighbors for Crebilly . They weren’t the only group, however, and to this day a lot of the heavy lifting was done by Mindy Rhodes and Crebilly Farm Friends.

Anyway, I always thought Elizabeth Moro to be a people person, yet she RAN away from Barry? I mean it doesn’t compute: wants to be elected to state office, yet can’t speak to a host of a local radio show? That’s ridiculous and her husband Vince snapping photos essentially of the pores on Barry’s nose? (I have seen the whole video so that is why you wish to tune in to All Politics are Local on Friday at 11 AM.)

And what’s with all of the political Greta Garbos this election season? Republican AND Democrat? All of these politicians are so handled these days you can’t interact unless you are a beautiful person (and massive campaign contributor.) Yes the world has changed, but still.

Barry has been keeping track of who won’t respond. I find it appalling. I find it appalling because if any of these politicians or handlers have listened to Barry’s show, there have been zero gotcha moments. It has been a polite platform allowing Chester County voters who are just regular peeps who don’t go to rallies and fundraisers to learn about candidates…even if they are not your cup of tea.

Cocky Craig Williams the State Rep currently in the PA 160 has also been playing dodge ball with Barry. Barry is his political people and he still ignores the outreach. Which is also just rude. I am going to ask Barry for a list of the game players. They are plentiful and include Grandma Charlotte Valyo head of the Chester County Dems who has cancelled twice after agreeing, claiming vacation, yet has time to send a poorly crafted statement recently to the Daly Local. But as I told Barry, she is no great loss and a yawn of a speaker anyway. So in that case, she’s doing voters a favor.

But back to Elizabeth Moro. She has been cultivating a public image. It seems to mostly line up with who she is so what is she afraid of? She had an ad out a couple of years ago, but people want to hear her in real time and if she can’t do a simple radio interview how is she going to get ahead in her district? Here’s hoping she talks to Barry and doesn’t play pass the pump at Brandywine in White this August 25th. It’s supposedly the last one and it will be at Crebilly Farm. I am not going to attend. I like the event they do, it’s lovely, but I am just over white parties and if you do it right, it is a lot of work. And if I am going to donate to something that ultimately benefits a non-profit, I prefer that my donation be tax deductible, and they do good things but they don’t have their own non-profit. But she does own the Centreville Place Cafe & Market, which is a lovely spot especially if you are a Francophile.

And Elizabeth? Rethink WCHE. Barry doesn’t bite and in fact his father was the first Democrat elected a supervisor in Upper Uwchlan, Ramsey DiLibero. And this family donated family land to Upper Uwchlan to keep open space alive there in a sea of often bad development. So yeah, Elizabeth, that’s a little more about what Barry is about. And if you are really nice, maybe he’ll take you on a balloon ride. He owns America One and it’s a flag shaped balloon and I rode in it on an anniversary of 9/11. You can also visit him at ASC Title and Tags in Chester Springs. And how we became friends? When he worked to save Ludwigs Corner Horse Show grounds with other residents and politicians from eminent domain for private gain. So now you know about Barry other than WCHE. You won’t need to run away now…but your red patent wedges were super cute!

drama in wayne pa? what did she do? and then a jaunt to prospect park….

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It’s Delco Day. I will start with Wayne which is in Radnor Township which is in Delaware County….

Now look, I don’t live on the Main Line anymore, so there’s a lot that goes by that I miss. But when you see a letter like this posted on social media on a Monday morning, you have to ask: what did she do?

https://www.sierraclarkphoto.com/

All of her social media, except for Pinterest is down. Her website is up, but business says closed on Google.

Is she OK or did she post political things she shouldn’t have? I just have never quite seen anything like this, so I’m asking again what did she do? Drama in Wayne that doesn’t have to do with Radnor Township.

Next up Prospect Park also in Delaware County….guess there is something in the water in Delco and I really wish people would not stress themselves out in this heat…this is all I have got….other than just stop. Please.

meanwhile…apparently in delaware county extreme hoarding is ignored in glen mills? seriously concord township?

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I have zero clue who this person is. I don’t really know many people down in Glen Mills. However it is sadly obvious that this woman is reaching out for help, and I can’t even imagine how hard it is to put this on social media. And she says it is family.

I have a friend who does things like specializes in hoarder clean outs, and we all know from years of that sad TV show “Hoarders” that it’s based in mental illness and life traumas. So is there truly NOTHING Delaware County can do? Or State Representatives or State Senators?

I guess this just illustrates how many things having to do with mental illness are overlooked in Pennsylvania?

As this was publicly posted on NextDoor I am putting it out there maybe someone can help. I am guessing that Concord Township knows exactly where this house is so if you are a government official interested in helping maybe talk to them.

This is obviously a dangerous and tragic situation, and I hope someone from Delaware County can help this family.

maybe radnor should spin another fairy tale about how wonderful all of the development gobbling up wayne is?

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I liked it better with the old growth garden plants and trees and the beautiful Wayne Bed & Breakfast. Now it will soon be a naked acres homogenous row of McMansions. Location is Strafford Ave. and Eagle Road.

Radnor Township should wake up, but they won’t. None of these municipalities wake up until it’s too late. It’s the same situation on Radnor Street Road where the land is stripped bare for another homogenous row of McMansions. Every time I drive by I am astounded at the rape of the land. Beautiful and old trees just bulldozed away.

Add to this the planned development of downtown Wayne. Between what is being proposed for Lancaster Avenue and then the AT&T lot, every bit of what makes Wayne special is getting developed away.

It’s so very sad.

skullduggery afoot in garrett hill (again)

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I think I need to open this post with a good AC/DC song. Because maybe it’s the one that applies here? There is a lot of chatter in Radnor Township and Garrett Hill about folks who have lived in rental units on Conestoga Road across from Rosemont Beverage and being told that leases are not going to be renewed?

So the property / properties changed hands it looks like in March 2023.

A post appeared on Nextdoor and now there’s chatter on Facebook.

I would think it was just idle social media chatter except I’ve heard about it in the real world too and I don’t even live in Radnor Township. Anyway, is it true these people are losing their leases, and the leases won’t be renewed and supposedly it’s going to go to student housing? and then people are also talking about notices being banged on doors of rental properties on Rockingham as well within the past few weeks?

Do you all believe in coincidence?

Is there a connection to the Conestoga Road properties and the Rockingham Road properties that people are talking about?

Are there other properties that seem to be ejecting tenants in Garrett Hill?

And what about the big huge rumor not about Garrett Hill but about Radnor Township in general concerning the use of Cabrini campus and property once Villanova takes it over 100%? People keep saying that they think Villanova is going to put a new stadium complex on Cabrini’s campus? I mean, if that actually happened what would happen to the magnificent old buildings of historic import on that campus as well as all of the trees?

I will note I am not asking about anything that people aren’t already talking about and you are allowed to ask questions about rumors. When it comes to Garrett Hill what is the 7th Ward Commissioner saying and does he care?

Is Garrett Hill slowly being made to disappear?

Is Radnor Township supposed to be the Catholic Happy Valley? If so, does that mean that the nonprofit university is going to pay any more taxes?

So these properties on Garrett Hill appear to have been bought by an LLC?

If you backtrack the address and suite for the limited liability corporation on Google it goes to a viable website doesn’t it?

I feel really badly for the people in Garrett Hill because it’s like they have to keep their eyes open every single second. Looking all around every five minutes. It’s like you can’t relax where you live because you don’t know what’s going to happen next.

I always have a soft spot for what I like to call front porch neighborhoods. And Garrett Hill used to be that and a lot of it still is. I have written about Garrett Hill before.

Garrett Hill deserves to be what the residents want it to be and it always seems like somebody’s trying to change it doesn’t it? Also, if it is one of the few areas in Radnor Township that has anything resembling affordable housing these days, what does that say about a township that’s not taking care of all residents equally?

I also thought there was a student housing ordinance? Is it followed?

I have nothing but questions on this, so hopefully somebody will be able to provide answers.

How many times is Garrett Hill going to have to be saved before people leave it alone?

garrett hill residents are you awake over there in radnor township?

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Oh Garrett Hill. Time to stand up and fight again. First of all check out the oddness from the recent planning commission meeting which occurred August 7th, 2023:

What you need to pay attention to is Wentworth Lane (again) and then scootchy forward to sidewalk dining in Garrett Hill on Conestoga Freaking Road which is fakakta level insane. Don’t let Farhy do your talking. He is dead wrong about sidewalk dining.

Wentworth Lane is also fakakta screwballs with a preliminary plan that wasn’t a preliminary plan but was it a sketch or a figment of our imaginations? And what is the planning commission or township attorney who was there talking about as far as litigation on that site? Who is suing whom and where? Something about clear title needing to be proved before plans get submitted?

But please for the love of all that is holy, listen to both the sidewalk dining and Wentworth Lane of it all and wonder if Garrett Hill needs to storm the Radnor Township proverbial Bastille again? I kind of think so.

And while we are talking Radnor Township, how many lawsuits is the Township of Radnor embroiled in at present?

I will start – I found this still active:

Case NumberCV-2022-002234TitleMNG 2005, INC. d/b/a CBD KRATOM et al v. Township of Radnor et al

Anyway, have fun Radnor residents in general. You are living in times more screwy than the Bashore years. Have fun. You elected them.

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flooding!

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@eightyeghtkeys Twitter photo.

From @eightyeghtkeys on Twitter. Crazy flooding in Wayne, PA (Radnor Township).

South Wayne Avenue and Runnymede Avenues. Next is a Google shot of the area when it is normal as in not a monsoon:

The water was like that here yesterday too. And we expect more rain and there have been more thunder and lightning.

We are on a flash flood watch and friends tell me that there were crazy straight line winds yesterday in Paoli:

My friend’s photo two hours ago

Charging my phone up at Starbucks. Heard the chainsaw though out the night still no electricity. Not sure what happened but it was a straight swoop from Darby-Paoli to the back of the Paoili Acme. Maybe just high winds but giant trees taken out. Thank goodness no one got hurt as it happened around 5:00pm yesterday.

~ friend post this morning
@eightyeghtkeys photo from Twitter

Yesterday in my neighborhood the water was crazy and some of my smaller trees bent into U shapes, but fortunately did not break. A friend of mine had their tree split in half.

@eightyeghtkeys photo from Twitter
@eightyeghtkeys photo from Twitter

I really wish that municipalities, as well as Harrisburg would look at climate change in action and see how the storm events are affecting us. Because this is yet another reason why development needs to be slowed down. But hey, I’m just a mere mortal and a female.

Stay safe and dry today.

Yesterday my photo