Bermuda Triangle of booze if Giant gets a Liquor License
Someone asked me today what did I think of Giant at Lincoln Court in Frazer getting a kind of liquor license to sell I guess beer and wine in that store. That’s on Route 30 in East Whiteland Township.
I actually didn’t know until today it was a possibility. So I looked it up.
My thoughts include: Why?? and No.
It would be like the Bermuda Triangle of Booze – PA State Store next door (Fine Wine & Good Spirits #1512), a great store called The Beer Store across the way (also a small business and they sell beer & wine) and oh yes, an Alcoholics Anonymous clubhouse at the end of the shopping center with a door around the side right there.
Malvern Center where AA Meetings are held.
It’s quite a redundancy isn’t it ?
Soon everyone can park in the fire lane!
They resisted boozifying this store until now and there is already the Giant Exton location on Swedesford that has it. It’s a much bigger store and much more parking.
Parking in Lincoln Court is a constant issue, why add to it? Can you imagine all of the illegal fire lane illegal parking if Giant gets a liquor license?
East Whiteland should have said no, but they did not as far as I have heard they approved it at some point late this past fall of 2023.
I would be curious to know where the license is coming from other than Caln (looks like it is coming from a place that was/is called Teazers or Appeteazers?) and if Giant has all of this money for liquor licenses do they think they could also clean up and modernize that store? It’s pretty depressing inside.
I am also amused by the lawyers letter which is a file saying LTR City of Bethlehem.
License Number: R12656. GIANT #6477. LID Number: 120955. It says it expires March 31, 2024 and I don’t know what that means, probably means it expires or becomes permanent? I went through meeting minutes and couldn’t find a reference so maybe nothing has happened yet? There are upcoming meeting dates for the PA LCB but no agendas posted yet:
Public meetings of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board begin at 11:00 AM in Room 117 of PLCB Headquarters in the Northwest Office Building, Harrisburg, Pa. Meetings are open for in-person attendance, and meetings are broadcast via Microsoft Teams over the internetOpens In A New Window and telephone (267-332-8737, code 240 679 670).
All public meetings feature at least two opportunities for public comment. The first happens early during the meeting. The second happens at the conclusion of agenda business. If a license that is listed on the agenda is recommended for non-renewal during the meeting, the Chairman will ask for comments about that specific license before a final vote is taken.
If you are interested, I think those are the meetings to watch for agendas on. We can, as members of the public, join the meetings via online or go in person.
If you wish to email the PA LCB about this, I think the email addresses look like:
ra-lblicensing@pa.gov ra-lbconsumer@pa.gov
To me this is about redundancy. There is a PA state store there already and a beer store. The beer store is a small business. How much booze in one corner of a strip shopping center is necessary especially in one instance they would be removing business from their own state store?
These are tough times to be a small neighborhood. I am writing today about a neighborhood just up West King Road past Weston in West Whiteland Township. The street is Old Phoenixville Pike. It’s a little neighborhood on a tiny road that is a dead end street. And to me, in my opinion, it’s potentially under siege.
This is a sweet neighborhood I think. Little houses, maybe not so Chester County farmhouse historic, but important to their owners, nonetheless. It’s a narrow dead end street. So when unusual things happen, like trucks you don’t normally see, people notice.
So in the fall I guess it was, I started hearing about this neighborhood when the Weston Tract on West King Road was being discussed. Why? The neighbors back there have been on alert because of a developer sniffing around.
There were many West Whiteland residents who spoke up that recent December night, when Weston was discussed. Among them were the residents over on Old Phoenixville Pike who are also trying to figure out exactly what a developer is doing back behind their neighborhood since somebody keeps doing perc tests or something. Some poor older gentleman spoke about getting his property torn up every time they send an excavator through, and I think that’s horrible. No plans have been filed and that’s what the John Weller from West Whiteland Township said that December night, but obviously something is going on if a developer is doing testing.
John Weller also made a comment that evening about Phoenixville Pike being narrow where those former helicopter warehouses are. BUT…the other side of West King, where those people in that small neighborhood on Old Phoenixville Pike also have a very narrow street, perhaps not even as wide as Phoenixville Pike across King. Another thing to note is neighbors are also concerned there about development happening because the land that’s being tested apparently also has 5 acres that are actually in East Goshen.
A little bit before this all occurred, a West Whiteland resident had reached out about this:
There have been surveyors galore on Old Phoenixville Pike telling residents they plan to build homes or something on the old farming area behind their homes. Supposedly, there is only one way into that property due to an easement the farmer produced back in the 1970s and no other entry or exit around the perimeter. It’s kind of crazy they would put so much traffic on a no outlet road…seems like it could be a safety concern. A developer has been reaching out to residents about drilling back there, but the township claims they haven’t heard anything. Guess it’s time to keep an eye on those agendas!
~ Old Phoenixville PIKE resident November 2023
What I learned then was some neighbors were getting outreach from this developer. There were surveyors all over and maybe some notices or something? (I haven’t personally seen any notices or anything but this is what I was told.) And then came what must have been boring or digging for those perc tests or whatever since you have to perc properly before development occurs, yes? That meant excavators. Big equipment in a tiny neighborhood. If this development goes through, the street is so tiny, existing residents are not only concerned about car lights in their windows constantly, but losing land because (again) the street is tiny narrow. It’s like 14 feet wide maybe?
How would development work? Or would it only work if the developer acquired more land and how would they do that if no residents want to sell? Would West Whiteland stick up for existing residents?
Then around the beginning of December a resident heard pec test number 1 was a fail, but number 2 was OK? I don’t know from perc tests but it struck me as potentially curious.
A percolation test (known as a perc test) is a test to determine the water absorption rate of soil (that is, its capacity for percolation) in preparation for the building of a septic drain field (leach field) or infiltration basin. The results of such a test area a must to properly design a septic system or decide if something goes public sewer. A perc test consists of digging one or more holes in the soil of the proposed leach field to a specified depth, presoaking the holes by maintaining a high water level in the holes, then running the test by filling the holes to a specific level and timing the drop of the water level as the water percolates into the surrounding soil. There are various formulas I am told for determining the required size of a leach field based on the size of a development, the percolation test results, and other parameters.
For leach line testing, test holes are drilled or dug. I read these should be drilled to different depths from three to six feet below the surface. Testing of these holes will result in a value with units of minutes per inch. This value is then correlated to a predetermined county health code to establish the exact size of the leach field.
Testing for horizontal pits typically requires five to eight test holes drilled in a straight line, or along a common contour, from three to ten feet below the surface. Testing is identical to leach line testing, though the result is a different type of septic system, established through a different calculation.
Recently I was told West Whiteland Supervisor Brian Dunn did meet with residents back there and walked their neighborhood. I was not privy to that, but I can tell you the residents were so grateful to him because literally an old timer said in 50 years no one ever came back there to listen to them or visit. I think that’s a disgrace, but with what West Whiteland has been dealing with the couple of years or so cleaning up after old managers and administrations, can you say it’s no wonder?
So West Chester University was given this land by the former landowner it seems?
I received a message on New Year’s Day….as in a holiday, a holiday around the world. The message I was sent was that supposedlysome lawyer or someone for they think West Chester University called some neighbor on New Year’s Day about a shed on an easement I think it was? If true who does that on a holiday? Bully much? It could not have waited until a business day?
Old Phoenixville Pike residents are also constantly bringing up that part of that acreage potentially at play is in East Goshen. That means whenever this whatever pops will it be presented in East Goshen or West Whiteland or both?
Of course this all makes you wonder what is going to happen with the rest of the Schiffer Farm, doesn’t it? Isn’t this a tail end of it? Because if I read the names on the deed right, same names as farm on Morstein with all those wonderful horses, yes? And that’s in two townships too, right? And East Whiteland is right next door over a fence literally.
So the neighbors of Old Phoenixville Pike are extremely concerned with the flooding of their neighborhood. They don’t want to become the storm water run off dump off to new development, either so they are legitimately fearful, aren’t they? With development planned for Weston, and whatever is going on on those West Chester University acres behind them on Old Phoenixville Pike, in 2024 West Whiteland needs to start helping them out sooner rather than later, right?
Post storm photos shared with me come next – from a few different storms. Essentially just like Meadowbrook Manor in West Whiteland. When it rains it can be a problem.
Also back in that area I have to ask, is that a legit landscape or wood business we drive by on 1377 Phoenixville Pike? I thought that was zoned residential but when I asked another person I know from around that way they said always full of trucks and a lot of noise. Also West Whiteland.
But I digress.
Back to Old Phoenixville Pike.
West Chester University could do something other than flip gifted land to a developer. They offer environmental degree programs correct? Why not use this gift for good? So it’s what? 15 acres of nature as in environment? Couldn’t they actually do something related to nature and the environment with the land and NOT sell to a developer? Build an arboretum? Or sell to a nature conservancy perhaps? I mean hello Chester County has a few right?
My entire life I have loved small neighborhoods and open space. You can actually combine small neighborhoods and open space.
Well that’s all I have got. No one seems to really know what’s going on, only that something obviously will happen given the activity onto these acres behind the small neighborhood on Old Phoenixville Pike. Those West Whiteland residents matter. All of the residents in multiple townships in that area matter. Between this and Weston and who knows what else, it’s an area to watch closely. After all, life happens while you’re making other plans.
Happy New Year. Let’s do more in 2024 to preserve where we call home.
Just in time for Christmas the residents of this apartment building feel uneasy because their complex just changed hands.
This has been a year with this place. People have been complaining a lot about conditions in some buildings, downed trees blocking W. King Road, and and orange tax notices being posted.
So they might call it Eagle Rock now, and Frazer Crossing two days ago, but they’re still the William Henry Apartments and they need more than absentee landlords jacking the rents, right?
I hope East Whiteland Township goes in and inspects since new ownership should hopefully trigger inspections , because there are so many people that have so many problems living there they might finally get addressed. East Whiteland also doesn’t have a rental ordinance, which might help address ongoing problems with apartment complexes etc if they did.
It is no secret that I love Loch Aerie Mansion. I love Addison Hutton architecture and this house is just magical! The difference from way back when I started photographing her. Here are some photos to illustrate the remarkable restoration:
Loch Aerie opened her doors today for a Christmas open house. All that was asked of her visitors was to bring a new toy for Tpys for Tots or non-perishable food for the Chester County Food Bank. In return, we got to soak in the beautiful Christmas spirit of Loch Aerie all restored, take photos with Santa and enjoy some holiday goodies along with cocoa and hot cider.
There were a whole bunch of adorable children, taking photos with Santa! My friend was the Santa and he had a great costume!
Loch Aerie should be awarded all sorts of awards for historic restoration and adaptive reuse that works. I loved this open house this afternoon. Enjoy the photos!
Loch Aerie is in East Whiteland Township, Chester County.
If you are interested in Loch Aerie as an event or wedding space it is located at 700 Lancaster Avenue, Malvern/Frazer PA 19355. Their website is www.lochaeriemansion.com
Well last evening’s West Whiteland Planning Commission regarding the Weston Tract was a revelation for sure. And sometimes being at one of these meetings you feel like a squirrel up in the tree watching. In this case, watching so as a resident you can get your comments in. Which is not as easy as you think if you are an affected resident of a neighboring township.
First were the planning commission members who were essentially saying that they should just be able to decide things not the supervisors, and the supervisors were essentially idiots for not approving the zoning changes for HIGH density housing on the Weston property just up W. King Road which would detrimentally many. That was astounding to me and out of line. The Planning Commission also acts as an advisory body, not end-game decision maker.
What surprised me even more is that they were not checked on this running commentary by the supervisor who was present, Raj Kumbhardare because although merely a conversation, they should have been at least corrected as to their role that they signed up for. But in fairness to Raj Kumbhardare, it could have been a pick your battles thing, but to me the comments also smacked of arrogance and ego and that’s not why you supposedly sign up for these committees.
Then there was Weston’s lawyer who was saying essentially high density is what the market wants blah blah blah and that of course just makes you wonder because he is representing Weston the seller not the developer buyer?
I wasn’t rude but this is what I said:
My statement and sentiments are simple. I know nothing is being decided tonight and this is a discussion, but I am also not naïve as to how things work.
The Weston Tract being developed is inevitable. I wish it was otherwise, but I am being realistic.
This development won’t just affect West Whiteland residents, it will affect East Whiteland residents, and given the connectivity of roads off of West King, will also affect East Goshen residents and perhaps even West Goshen residents.
Municipalities do not exist as independent island nations. We are interconnected.
This development will need a traffic signal at West King and Weston Way no matter what.
Also just so you get an idea of just a regular few days of traffic, I asked East Whiteland if they could do an informal study next time they had the you’re- speed up on West King near my road. The time frame was between October 25th and October 30th and for that time frame specifically and most simplistically they counted 31,000 cars in total over 6 days which is about 5000 cars per day, fairly evenly split at 2500 in east direction.
That is not insignificant traffic and it can be and has been heavier. We know, we live here.
Please say NO to high density housing. This is not the location for it.
And you also all probably know that in West Whiteland there is a developer who was doing something like perc testing maybe behind houses on Old Phoenixville Pike and correct me if I am wrong but isn’t it the guy who is the reason thee is the mess on Ship at 30 adjacent to the new couplet which is also a mess? All that one does is high density, correct? And you don’t want data centers or hydrogen hubs.
If this gets developed, it would be great if it was a school because that would mean a use that wouldn’t harm the area as much. But if it is residential how about single family, 1 acre and ½ acre lots? As in both. They do sell although developers prefer cram plans because they care about only their bottom lines, not the communities they disrupt.
You are a municipality who is getting the short end of the development stick and like everywhere else it’s all too dense and looks the same. Apartments and townhouses contribute to a more transient society as they are more likely to either be all rentals or have a lot of rentals.
You have the chance to guide a developer to do something better. And if this area gets zoned Residential with 1 acre and ½ acre single family, that would be beneficial to across King where Johnson Matthey has that chuck of land for sale, and possibly it could better protect your residents on Old Phoenixville Pike because in my humble opinion if that went high density, you would be potentially looking at another Meadowbrook Manor situation.
Thank you.
The planning commission member who could indeed inspire the public to be rude because he is so unctuous is Mark Gordon. Mark Gordon WAS also the paid zoning / codes guy in East Goshen and well I think he was asleep there half of the time there but he sure likes to be king of his anthill on the West Whiteland Planning Commission. Ironically he lives close to Weston, so one would think he would care more about how this affects people. I remember him from when East Goshen was trying to take part of the Hicks Farm via eminent domain for private gain for the trail to nowhere. And another planning guy who gives me pause? Raymond McKeeman who for years worked for West Goshen as a facilities manager/zoning officer. He also lives close to Weston so what’s his horse in the race that he’s pretty non-supportive of the residents near Weston?
I mean, I guess you could say one connection for both of these planning commission members is the law firm representing Weston also used to do the solicitor work for West Goshen and East Goshen and I think they’re back at West Goshen, so is it all just too cozy on this bus? Should these two planning commission members actually recuse themselves when this law firm has things before the planning commission? I’m neither inferring or stating any impropriety, but it’s often the appearance of things which are worse than the actuality isn’t that correct? And yes as an American under the Constitution I am allowed to ask these questions aren’t I? I’m allowed to question government and have opinions, correct?
Now I know this is the planning commission set in place by the dearly departed township manager, who is now in Montgomery County, correct? So are a lot of the current members of the West Whiteland planning commission shall we say strategic to whatever was going on before?
When it comes to politics and local government , I don’t necessarily believe in coincidence.
And something else I want to address that was brought up by Mark Gordon the planning commission guy in West Whiteland. He interjected the West Whiteland tax increase into the conversation about development. First of all the reason West Whiteland has a tax increase is because of things like all the development over the past multiple decades, as well as 30 years of prior administrations playing kick the can down the road with regard to taxes, correct? And he said something along the lines that the tax increase is 300%. It’s not, it’s actually more like 180% because no increases occurred in about 30 years. What that comes out to on average is about $150-$200 a year so it’s about $10-$12 a month. And for the record, nobody likes a tax increase, but sometimes you can’t avoid it, especially when prior administrations weren’t looking after residents the way they should have been, right? If you look at neighboring municipalities, all this increase does is bring this up to the level of neighboring municipalities.
Does Mr. Gordon of the Planning Commission in West Whiteland think development and the cost of development are free long term to municipalities and residents? If so, what’s he doing on the planning commission? Part of the reason they need to do a tax increase has to do with infrastructure, and a lot of that infrastructure is the human variety as in first responders, etc. so is Mr. Gordon saying they don’t need police and fire in West Whiteland?
Also, curious as to how Mr. Gordon thinks more than one ingress and egress out of this development onto W. King Rd. is going to work? Especially because he lives near there? The one good thing about the Weston property being developed is Weston Way the road in and out of Weston is wide. It needs a traffic light for sure, but they don’t need to open up the back of the property onto other little streets or add more ins and outs on W. King Rd.
I think the West Whiteland Planning Commission needs to remember that they are an advisory committee which means they are acting in an advisory capacity. They should be there to work in the best interest of the township and residents as a whole, not developers, right? They aren’t the decision makers and dealmakers. And last night as they were lamenting the fact that the board of supervisors didn’t agree with what they had suggested was very eye-opening to me. They don’t make the rules, but they want to make the rules? And given relationships on that board to other factors in this plan, I really think we should all be grateful that the supervisors actually are the ones who are the decision-makers.
There were many West Whiteland residents who spoke up last night. Among them are the residents over on Old Phoenixville Pike who are also trying to figure out exactly what a developer is doing back behind their neighborhood since he keeps doing perc tests or something. Some poor older gentleman spoke about getting his property torn up every time they send an excavator through, and I think that’s horrible. No plans have been filed and that’s what the John Weller from West Whiteland Township said last night, but obviously something is going on if a developer is doing testing.
John Weller also made a comment about Phoenixville Pike being narrow where those former helicopter warehouses are. The other side of West King, where those people in that small neighborhood on Old Phoenixville Pike also have a very narrow street, perhaps not even as wide as Phoenixville Pike across King. Another thing to note is neighbors are also concerned there about development happening because the land that’s being tested apparently also has 5 acres that are actually in East Goshen.
These people on Old Phoenixville Pike are worried and justifiably so. Car lights right in their windows where that never existed and traffic turning at the tangent point of their road close to driveways, more stormwater issues, etc. Right now they have a developer being inconsiderate dragging equipment in and out and tearing up their yards like the pipeline people have in other neighborhoods, so you know that doesn’t bode well for whatever is to come if that developer proceeds right?
This West Whiteland residents and residents from other communities were abundantly clear about development NOT being high density. And it is also clear that no one from any township that lives back near Weston wants apartments townhouses, or carriage homes. What fits the area and is suitable for the area if it goes residential are single-family homes literally on half acre and 1 acre lots.
If a school came in and they didn’t have to change the zoning for Weston, that would be great but you still have to worry about who would buy the Johnson Matthey land across from Weston (and one would hope they would do significant environmental testing on that parcel), or what might get shoehorned in behind those homes on Old Phoenixville Pike.
The residents from multiple municipalities should be proud of the way they turned out last night, and I hope they keep the momentum going. Because the more people go to meetings on issues like this the better the conversation. That way my hope is whatever happens on that tract of land doesn’t actually hurt the community that Weston is in.
I am sure this issue will pick up again in the new year. And hopefully at that point, the planning commission won’t be shaking their heads “no” when residents were speaking which is disappointing, dismissive, and piss poor decorum. And I hope the planning commission in West Whiteland learn that their personal taste (or lack thereof) is not necessarily what matters here. I was on zoom, and people were messaging me this who were in the audience. Residents had a right to speak, and they did speak. And for the most part, they were a lot nicer to that planning commission than certain members of planning commission deserved. With the exception of the lady named Mary Fran, or Mary Frances. She was fair and thoughtful in her comments.
Stay vigilant. After all these are our communities, not the developers. We live here. We have a right to be heard and we have the right to want to preserve where we call home.
Good job once again, residents. Planning Commission in West Whiteland? We’ve got your number on this project.
Look, we all got together last time and did a great thing and the supervisors said no to re-zoning. We need to make sure as residents of East Whiteland and West Whiteland we are protected here. And that means SHOWING UP FOR EVERY MEETING ABOUT WESTON! No excuses. Don’t just leave it for other people. You can attend in person or on Zoom.
We do NOT want high density housing here. No apartments, townhouses, carriage homes, clustered density.
We do NOT want a hydrogen hub or data center here.
A school moving in might work. Or residential zoning BUT ideally 1 acre lots. They sell. Less houses = less burden on all of us, infrastructure, schools.
Whatever happens, the Weston property has one way in and out. We need a traffic signal. That should be non-negotiable.
Developers CAN think outside of the box, but mostly they don’t want to put the effort into plans that actually fit in a community. And anything that happens at Weston affects residents in TWO municipalities IMMEDIATELY.
Be a part of an actual solution. Be a part of this meeting. I have very mixed feelings about this planning commission as currently comprised in West Whiteland. I also am uneasy with John Weller who is the West Whiteland Director of Planning and Zoning Officer. He is quite competent, BUT he is too pro-development and not necessarily residents first. He won’t like my opinion, and I am sorry, but I look at what has been approved in West Whiteland over the past few years, and I have to ask, am I wrong?
Also to be considered with regard to this plan? The Ship Road couplet and development disaster area. The other side of Ship Road leading back to West Goshen and all of their development that affects traffic over here and at the Ship Road and West King Road intersection – Greystone for one.
And also something no one is talking about. What? Don’t know but there seems to be a development plan or concept brewing behind the neighborhood on Old Phoenixville Pike. I have been told neighbors have been getting letters? That the developer is the guy who started the nightmare now building way too fast on Ship Road? I hear they have been doing something back there already? Perc testing maybe? The red circle on screenshot below shows you where. This would be on the border of East Goshen, so how many East Goshen residents would be affected as well? Old Phoenixville Pike leads to West King Road.
Development doesn’t exist in a vacuum. This all affects where we call home. And lest you all forget that Johnson Matthey has a chunk of their land across West King Road for sale. So when I say residents have to pay attention, it’s the truth. And another thing we can’t forget? It has been a year plus of residents around the dangerous intersection of Ship Road and West King Road asking for simple stop sign improvements. It’s December 1st and they are still waiting. Between PennDOT and West Whiteland you would think they could follow up? Get it done? Not yet. And it is a simple ask.
Residents participating where they live matters. And often very important things get shoved through during slow times like the dead of summer, or the holidays/end of the year.
Look we can’t sleep here. If lawmakers won’t update the Municipalities Planning Code, then we have to go to meetings and make ourselves known and how we feel. We live here. We matter.
Illegal fire lane and sidewalk parking in Lincoln Court Shopping Center in Frazer, East Whiteland Township is so obnoxious. And it’s posted and the police ticket ALL OF THE TIME.
This eagle lives around W. King Rd. near Immaculata. It will actually hang out in my woods some days. Amazing bird that takes my breath away.
A friend took this video for me and to me this is yet another sign of why we don’t want heavy infill development up W. King Rd. on the Weston property just over the East Whiteland border in West Whiteland.
More eagles, less development please.
This is Chester County. Remember this majestic creature, the bald eagle. This has been our national symbol since 1782.
West Whiteland Township Supervisors voted UNANIMOUSLY last night to DENY the zoning amendment request of the developer for the Weston Tract on West King Road.
Yes, they said NO.
There were quite a few on social media being just negative with all the why bother saying anything about the issue at a meeting? The keyboard tiger opiners club and guess what? They are wrong.
Sometimes the public can get something they seek when it comes to development. But it only happens when people go to the meetings even if you don’t speak in a meeting, packing a board room and letting a governmental body know that this concerns you or flat out upsets you, matters. And today if you can’t get to a meeting for some reason you can participate on Zoom.
The other problem, of course is a lot of times the Municipalities Planning Code which guides all the zoning throughout the state. It hasn’t been updated comprehensively since 1969 so a lot of times when elected officials actually want to say no they can’t legally and won’t take a risk. This however was an instance, where they legally could say NO, and they did. They listened to the residents in multiple townships. Weston is located at almost the edge of West Whiteland, but anything done here in this area affects residents in East Whiteland, the edges of East Goshen, the edges of West Goshen along with the West Whiteland residents.
No, it doesn’t happen often and even I was surprised. But pleasantly surprised.
However…,people packed that board room last night in West Whiteland Township and there were also a lot of people on zoom.
This is a reminder to everyone that the voice of the people does matter. Just like your vote. But you have to step up and be heard.
This issue is not over, and I do believe this property will be developed. But what West Whiteland heard loud and clear last night is people don’t want high density developments everywhere every five minutes and here in this location a high density development would be a disaster.
Good job residents!
Thank you supervisors.
Thank you even to outgoing Supervisor Theresa Hogan Santalucia, and I will note that I agree 100% about a need for affordable housing. It would be great if people could actually afford to age in their communities, as well as successive generations coming back to raise their families where they were raised. However, you’re not going to get affordable housing here on a site like the Weston Tract because single-family detached homes and LOW DENSITY is what would be best for this location and area, and what Theresa was talking about in her comments last night were essentially twin homes. Twins are not low density.
We do desperately need affordable housing in our communities. And it’s not the section 8 horror show that people imagine, it’s much simpler than that as I previously stated even in this post. Affordable housing is giving people the ability to start out in the community where they were raised or downsize and end their days in a community they have called home for decades. that’s a very human need and desire and something we should want for our communities. But it’s never a priority for new Tyvec cities.
And while we also need affordable housing, we also need lower density housing. We live in a county that was known for its vistas and open spaces and farmland. And too much of it has been replaced by high density developments of townhouses and “carriage homes” which are just townhouses by another name and apartment buildings. We need a less is more approach for our communities.
If you look at the mid century single family homes through the 70s and 80s that were developed in just Chester County alone, you will see something that you don’t see in new developments: space, trees, individuality. This is why those homes are still a pretty hot real estate market, and desirable.
Last night was an unexpected victory for the people who live here. We need more of those and we need developers that actually hear what we’re saying and give a damn. Quality of life matters.
I hope some more of you can see today after this decision which (again) was unexpected, that public participation, where you live matters.
