Tag Archives: west vincent

yikes in west vincent

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New e-mail from Chickenman – he found a new website:

Birchrun Hills (Ken Miller) EPA Report

 

Hi
So, as everyone digests the PA Department of Environmental Protection report on Birchrun Hills Farm, owned by Ken Miller (Chairman of the Board of Supervisors of West Vincent Township) and his wife Susan, who are the producers of Birchrun Hills products such as Veal and their much touted cheese such as Birchrun Blue, I promised more to the story.
It seems that the Feds decided to take a look at what Ken Miller is doing at his farm. I have been forwarded a a website that contains a brand new report from the EPA. I will refrain from comment for now, just take some time to read the documentation, all 140 pages of report with photos. It will shock and amaze. Good reading!
http://kenmillersepareport.blogspot.com/
More to come……….
To see my previous mailings please click on http://tinyurl.com/westvincentinfos  As usual, if you want to be on or off my list, or have some comments or suggestions, or know someone who would like to be on the list, please let me know.  Feel free to forward this email on to anyone you think might be interested.   Especially though, if you don’t want to continue to receive my mails, please tell me, it will be done.  Just hit reply to this email or write to chestercountynews@gmail.com
Best wishes
Chickenman

uncle chickenman needs YOU

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No man nor chicken are an island.  I don’t know who Chickenman of West Vincent is, but ya’ know what?  He puts it out there.  He seems to get from my estimation from afar that the truth is his best defense.  Chickenman also gets the joke that people only have as much power over you as you allow them to.  That goes for local government types too.

So I am going to post his latest West Vincent Infos e-mail below.  So why can’t some helpful citizen help a chicken out?  Surely someone maybe has or can take some photos from a public viewpoint about this manure runoff and send them to the Chickenman?  You all seem to be better for his courage, so help a chicken out.   I don’t have the lay of the land, so it needs to be a West Vincent regular.

He puts it on the line for all of you and the betterment of the community, right? So help a chicken out.

Of course the easiest thing would be for this Supervisor Miller to fix his poo piles and lead by positive example, right? But I am naiive to these pooing doings in West Vincent, so am I hoping for too much?  Or he’ll just say there are no poo problems at all?  Or maybe Lower Merion transplant Supervisor Brown could encourage the end of the pooing doings by just getting it done? I mean didn’t some of you tell me some of the land farmed on by Supervisor Miller is in a sense owned by We The People of West Vincent?

Here’s what he is clucking about today:

Hi
Continuing with the DEP Report on Ken Miller:

The report mentions a storm drain near the exposed manure pile that appeared to be clean of any contamination. Whether contaminated water makes it into that drain or not does not mean that the water isn’t flowing downhill.

Whenever it rains, there is runoff from the Miller Farm that flows across the street (Horseshoe Trail). This has been observed in any heavy rain. This runoff from the manure pile and Miller’s barn area carries the contaminants to the downward sloping field across the street (where Miller’s veal calves are located). That effluent then goes DIRECTLY to the Birch Run at the bottom of the hill, entering the “exceptional value stream”. There are ways to resolve this issue but apparently Ken Miller doesn’t feel it is necessary, even while he is embraced by the environmentalists.

The report states: Discussions with Mr. Miller included the possible construction of a manure storage facility in the location of the pile that would be under roof and bermed to prevent exposure to stormwater runoff.


Followed by: Mr. Miller stated at the time of the inspection that he did not have a conservation plan and a manure management plan. Both plans are required for the storage of manure onsite.
Note where I have underlined. REQUIRED is the important word. It isn’t “recommended” or “like to see”, or “hope Miller would be a team player and do us a favor”. The word is REQUIRED. Why are these plans REQUIRED? To protect people downstream. That would be all the Birchrunville supporters. Again, Miller is delivering exactly what he thinks of you.

This report does not mention that Miller was in violation for the EXACT SAME THING between 12-18 months before. He is a repeat offender.

I noticed recently that there was a Conditional Use hearing for a resident (I believe the name was McKenzie) that wanted to install a pool and there was great concern that during a pump down of the pool water, there would be an issue of the chlorinated water getting into the Birch Run. Isn’t it funny that the greenies prefer raw sewage to chlorine? Sounds like a good shot of chlorine is just what the Birch Run needs to help clean up Miller’s contamination. Isn’t anyone living alongside this creek getting a bit concerned? Clare? Pam? Oh, that’s right, neither lives next to the Birchrun, so it doesn’t matter to them.
There’s more on this subject to come.
On a lighter note, here is a touch of chicken humor: http://www.improbable.com/airchives/paperair/volume12/v12i5/chicken-12-5.pdf

To see my previous mailings please click on http://tinyurl.com/westvincentinfos  As usual, if you want to be on or off my list, or have some comments or suggestions, or know someone who would like to be on the list, please let me know.  Feel free to forward this email on to anyone you think might be interested.   Especially though, if you don’t want to continue to receive my mails, please tell me, it will be done.  Just hit reply to this email or write to chestercountynews@gmail.com
Best wishes
Chickenman

eyes rolling in chester county

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I love it when things get cute , don’t you?  Why else would Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show Grounds now be having an environmental dance of some sort with the state over skeet shooting?

State investigates contamination complaint at Ludwig’s Corner

Published: Wednesday, January 25, 2012

By SARA MOSQUEDA- FERNANDEZ, smfernandez@dailylocal.com

WEST VINCENT — The state Department of Environmental Protection is investigating complaints concerning the Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show Grounds.

The investigations are the result of a neighbor of the grounds filing separate complaints with the state about possible lead contamination and with the Chester County Conservation District regarding stormwater runoff.

“The DEP is looking into whether the debris from the (skeet) shooting constitutes a waste and whether or not the debris presents an environmental concern,” said Deborah Fries, community relations supervisor for the DEP’s southeastern regional office.

According to Fries, the state is investigating both the plastic and clay pigeons and the increased runoff from the newly constructed horse ring….According to John Jacobs, president of the association’s board…..the state is mistaken in thinking that there might be contamination from the skeet shooting’s pigeons, and he said the sport was unpopular with the site’s neighbors.

“They don’t like it from a noise standpoint,” he said.

Does West Vincent have anything quiet to do with this because they want to kill the things that happen at Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show Grounds to try to use that as a back door angle to get paws on land after that eminent domain for private gain gig failed at the end of 2011? (And oh, yes, I can indeed ask that question – funny thing about inalienable rights.)

Or is this complaint just the end result of some new McMansion dweller in Chester County who doesn’t want to hear skeet shooting or smell horse manure?  If that is the case, why did you move out to Chester County with your giant luxury SUVs?

It seems to me that some of the very ways of life that made Chester County so appealing are constantly being threatened.  What is next?  Outlaw farming, country fairs, antique shows, and horseback riding?  Lordy are these the same people who have issue with deer culling even though Chester County is starting to look like parts of Long Island it is so overrun with deer?

Now circling back to farming and the DEP, it seems to me I recall seeing something on the Chickenman’s site about some groady violations having to do with stockpiling manure and Birchrun Hills Farm?  Just curious but was this covered with as much fanfare in The Daily Local? If it was, could someone post a link to the corresponding article?

I am sorry but wow, Chester County sure has some happy horse manure going on.

I personally have been in close proximity to skeet shooting.  It’s not THAT noisy and most places hardly go ALL day.  Geez.  I think the sounds of cars whirring by on a highway are more annoying and find the sounds of video games far more offensive.  And of course that is the irony, isn’t it?  People see no problem with all the fake weapons noises on video games, some of which are quite violent, yet they yammer on about skeet shooting.  This cracks me up as much as seeing people in riding togs who don’t actually ride, it’s just an outfit.

Eyes rolling.

Now – back to Birchrun Hills Farm Cheese for a minute and a question.  My question is this: Birchrun Hills Farms appear at all these Farm to City Markets and other places sitting side by side with organic food, are they certified organic?  Or are their products just raw?  I did purchase their products in the past because I wanted to support the Bryn Mawr Farmers Market, but after the whole Ludwig’s Corner Eminent Domain thing, I will look to other farms.   No matter how folksy that supervisor sounds in those PBS videos loaded on their website.  I won’t boycott the markets they appear at, because that is unfair, but I do choose to buy other Chester County cheese, dairy, meat, and poultry now.

I passed through Ludwig’s Corner and Birchrunville a few days ago and noticed looming in the back off roads some pretty icky development.  It reminded me of certain places I pass on the Main Line where horses and cattle used to graze, and now there are planted McMansions and more.

I don’t get it.

And every year more and more land gets gobbled up.  Once it’s gone, it’s not coming back, and neither is the life and customs surrounding it.  It’s the country, not Disney Land, people.  If you want Disney Land, then by all means go to Disney Land.  But please, let some of the integrity of Chester County remain…or seriously, it will become something you won’t appreciate in 20 years.

UPDATE:

In order to be fair and to try to be a good citizen journalist, I feel I should post this comment I received from someone who shoots regularly (I don’t know that they have ever gone skeet shooting at Ludwig’s Corner, however) – but fair is fair, and this is not anti-Ludwig’s Corner:

Not to put too fine a point on this but there is no way the DEP would be investigating this over the clay pigeons. The real issue with any skeet shooting range is the tremendous amount of lead shot that accumulates over a period of time on the ground surface. Any shooting range should be aware that this is an issue and there are companies that come in and vacuum the shot off the ground surface. I’m not sure but I believe there’s a specific schedule for the cleanings and the gun club in question has to provide number of shooters times number of days shot for just this reason. If that shooting range hasn’t been cleaning they are screwed…

meanwhile, back in west vincent township

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It seems that in West Vincent Township, it’s still a cloudy day?  I have this e-mail from ChickenMan which also contains part of an interesting update from the Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show Folks which I also received.  Wow talk about murky and no sunshine.

Are these people for real? And how come they can’t produce a lease for the taxpayers to review if this Township Supervisor Ken Miller (who makes that cheese I no longer buy from Birchrun Hills Farm) rents land from the township? Doesn’t that make in some sense the residents/taxpayers of West Vincent his landlord? And he does this (rents this land from in essence the taxpayers), yet he thought it was a good idea to seize Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show Grounds via eminent domain for private gain?  And if West Vincent owns all this land and is so hot to trot on a “plan”, why not use the land they already own before looking to seize privately owned land?

And who is this Pam Brown, other than she seems to be part of French and Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust?  Call me crazy, but damn that non-profit seems to have issues or am I imagining that?

And what’s up with this zoning issue?   Shouldn’t residents be able to discuss any potential changes in full sunshine even  typos?  That seems to be the norm for other municipalities in Delaware, Chester, and Montgomery Counties doesn’t it?

Also, why is it again this Clare Quinn can’t get benefits on COBRA from her former employer and it is such a good idea for the taxpayers of West Vincent to pay for her health benefits?  I would love for someone to pay my health benefits, but I live in the real world and pay my own. Just sayin’.

Anyway, read on from ChickenMan:

Hi
This came in to me from the Friends of the Horse Show and I am copying it here for you. 

West Vincent Township BOS meeting update
Dear Friend,
Once again interested residents of West Vincent Township packed the township building anxiously awaiting the zoning hearing that was postponed in December. Once again, the residents of the township were turned away, as the zoning hearing was postponed yet again.  The hearing is now set for January 23, 2012.   Explanation:  They sent the “insignificant changes” (one change and a few typo’s)  back to the County, because the County could determine that they were “significant changes”.  That’s right folks, I couldn’t make this stuff up, it’s double talk at its best!
To refresh your memory, the zoning hearing is to approve major changes to the township zoning ordinance.  The changes to this ordinance are vast, and will certainly change the look and feel of West Vincent Township in the future.   Even more important than the depth and breath of the changes, is the fact that the changes proposed will attempt to right the zoning violation that occurred when Pam Brown was permitted to built her accessory dwelling on her deed restricted property.
Frustration levels were high as the residents of the township voiced their displeasure in the manner in which the zoning changes are being handled.   They are complicated, difficult to read, and cumbersome, yet the supervisors and township manager along with solicitor do not intend to hold a town meeting or provide a plain language document for residents to better understand the future effects of the changes.
Since the township website makes it difficult to locate documents referred to at the meeting,  I have provided you with the links to follow along.  Get cozy and read along.

Click here to see the changes to the amendments.

Fast Facts taken from the meeting:
  • The meeting once again required two attorneys working on behalf the supervisors.  During the budget approval meeting of December 27, 2011, the supervisors said they were going to control the expenses of the attorneys in 2012,  I wonder when they will start?  My guess Monday night cost the township a minimum of  $1710 and possibly much more, might I remind you….nothing was accomplished!  The supervisors knew the hearing was not going to take place, yet they kept 2 attorneys at the table…..Good Job watching that budget!
  •  When questioned about the decision to pay 100% of Clare Quinn’s benefits, the board said they would determine the percentage in March when Clare will go on the policy.  Keep your eyes on this one, how will the supervisors spend your money?
  •  Remember when the Horse Show supporters showed up at the meeting, and mysteriously chairs were missing from the meeting room, forcing people to stand or sit on the ground?  The chairs have returned! Personally I want to thank my township for treating their residents with such care that they actually removed chairs from the meeting room when the supporters of the horse show attended meetings.

BUDGET REVIEW UPDATE

As promised, I have been inspecting records at  the township building over the last two weeks.  This is a slow process, however I will keep you updated as things of importance are revealed.  The 2012 budget did not include rental income for the farmland and farmhouse leased by the township.  After I pointed this out, Jim Wendlegas was not able to determine why they were missing.  During my review and on Monday evening, Jim took responsibility for “missing” the income from the farm land in the budget. The supervisors decided to vote to amend the budget to make this change at the next meeting. As part of my review, I have asked for copies of the leases on the farm land along with the farmhouse lease.  What I was provided was an expired lease (lease expired 9/30/08) on the Farmhouse and an expired lease for the farmland that Ken Miller leases from the township (expired 12/31/10). When asked for lease renewals, extensions or addendums to the leases, Jim looked surprised, and said he would have to “look” for them.  Jim did not have them available at the next meeting even though I stressed the importance of seeing them.  Just to be clear, the leases do not have an automatic renewal, and do require renewals in writing…Stay tuned more to follow….

Thank you for staying interested in what is going on in West Vincent Township.  Please feel free to forward this e-mail to anyone who may have an interest in what’s happening in West Vincent Township.  If the e-mail has been forwarded to you, and you would like to receive future mailings, please click on the link below!

Sincerely,

Maria Jacobs

Friend of the Horse Show

“Be the change you wish the world to see” – Ghandi

 To join the Friends of the Horse Show Mailing list click here
To see my previous mailings please click on http://tinyurl.com/westvincentinfos    As usual, if you want to be on or off my list, or have some comments or suggestions, or know someone who would like to be on the list, please let me know.  Feel free to forward this email on to anyone you think might be interested.   Especially though, if you don’t want to continue to receive my mails, please tell me. I’ll take you off the list immediately.   Just hit reply to this email or write to chestercountynews@gmail.com
Best wishes
Chickenman

chester county ramblings: eat like a local/favorite restaurants

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Ok, so where will you send me to eat in Chester County?  Feel Free to leave a comment.  I love BYOBs and country inns, but am happy with an amazing cheeseburger (yes I am a carnivore, so I don’t need or desire vegan offerings, sorry.)

I am not a complete Luddite, I have some places I love.

Gilmore’s in West Chester for one – it was one of the high points of a now thankfully defunct relationship.

Another place?  Kimberton Inn.

I think Peppermill in East Goshen is rocking for breakfast, and I am told that while a bit pricey their pizza is worth it.

Another of my favorites used to be the Yellow Springs Inn.  I have not been to visit them yet since they went BYOB and moved locations on Art School Road.  If anyone has eaten there, let me know how it was!

Another fantastic dining experience would be Birchrunville Store Cafe.

And if you are in the mood for basic comfort/deli food, try Just Mom’s in Glenmoore.  Located on Route 82 (N. Manor Rd.) and Fairview Rds (610-942-34183), they honestly have a cheesesteak that could give Pat’s and Geno’s a run for their money and it is served without atty-tude.

So let me know where you find fun dining experiences, awesome breakfasts or memorable meals – from high-end to diner, this could be a fun post – kind of like Zagat’s for real people!

Please note this is MY blog.  I reserve the right to add, delete, publish posts and comments.  The photos, unless otherwise indicated are mine.  I have fun with digital photography and occasionally take on a new client or project here and there, time permitting.  I have had photo bylines in local, regional and national publications and my writing has also travelled a bit in byline-ville.

Thanks for playing!

 

 

as the west vincent churns…..

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They are taking names in West Vincent, apparently.  I am a ChickenMan aficionado.   What he does takes courage some days, and since I have blogged a few years now over a few issues I can appreciate that.

It seems that ChickenMan follows the credo of the truth is your best defense, only his local yokels want all to be rosy in the alfalfa patch and he upsets their apple carts on occasion. (As long as he doesn’t throw their goats off their milk, I suppose it’s all good, right?)

When you blog, there will always be a turd out there who doesn’t like what you have to say.  And they will “challenge” you to their higher moral playground of delusion, because instead of doing the common sense duh thing of stopping reading a blog or e-mail newsletters or whatever (it’s not compulsory reading, after all), they want YOU to stop.  Why?  So they can be more comfortable in their own skin, that’s why.  But hey, if they are living clean, whatcha’ got to worry about?

Anyway, I am one of the people on Chickenman’s e-mail list, and I got an update a little bit ago that says (and I quote):

 

Hi….And while you are about it, ask yourself why I dare not tell you who I am, or who the people are who help me?  Would it not be a whole lot easier if I could openly tell you who I am and who the people are that I work with?  I could be famous (!!!) for running this list.   Why do almost all the people who write to me ask that I hide their identity?  Why are most of people who oppose the current administration scared to say who they are?  Really, it should not be like this.
David Brown recently wrote and suggested I should reveal to him my mailing list. He actually wrote  Here’s a challenge: let Chickenman publish his e-mail list, so others can participate in a fair discussion of any issue he chooses. 
I replied Anyone can write to me.  Most letters get printed.  Now if it seems that most letters are supportive, that is because most of the letters I get are supportive.  I have already stated that a bigger proportion of non supportive letters are published compared to supportive letters.
I dare not publish my mailing list.  I have seen what happens to people who are known to be my supporters.  I will never publish my list.  My subscribers addresses are safe and will not be published. But if I did publish we may find that if I do that innocent ladies are accused of running a brothel, or that efficient businessmen are accused of shoddy work, or that others are accused of not living at the address where they sleep.
The first of my theories above is a guess.  The second two have actually happened………….
Your identity is even more secure than is mine.  And after 205 emails no one has yet found me…………………
To see my previous mailings please click on http://tinyurl.com/westvincentinfos    As usual, if you want to be on or off my list, or have some comments or suggestions, or know someone who would like to be on the list, please let me know.  Feel free to forward this email on to anyone you think might be interested.   Especially though, if you don’t want to continue to receive my mails, please tell me. I’ll take you off the list immediately.   Just hit reply to this email or write to chestercountynews@gmail.com
Best wishes
Chickenman

Ok, so I am new to this rodeo.  I became interested when West Vincent tried to give residents eminent domain for private gain for Christmas.  Until that point, I had tuned in and out, occasionally being regaled with tales of West Vincent silliness from people I know.   But thanks to eminent domain, I am now a ChickenMan devotee.  And apparently so are several media outlets because I see lots more on what was only known as sleepy, bucolic West Vincent to us “foreigners”.  (Of course if that jackass master plan in West Vincent goes through, it will no longer be either sleepy or bucolic, it will be over-developed and ruined.  But hey, if they think the drive thru modern Eagle is a pleasure cruise, to each their own, right?)

But I got off on a tangent.

So who is this David Brown?  One of the Supervisors in West Vincent.  He’s one of the three bears – the other two are named Clare Quinn and Ken Miller. 

I used to buy cheese from Ken Miller’s Birchrun Hills Farm at Farm to City Markets and other places until eminent domain came calling at the Ludwig Corner Horse Show Grounds.  Now, I couldn’t in good conscience buy the cheese.  Truthfully, I bought to try to support local PA and well, his isn’t the best anyway, so it hasn’t been so hard to give up. Hails Family Farm (Wyalusing), Shellbark  Hollow Farm (West Chester) , and Canter Hill Farm (Malvern)…and well if you want to taste heaven try Yellow Springs Farm’s goat cheese AND they have a goat cheese CSA too….

Again, the tangents…sorry…back to this odd request from a Supervisor and purported proponent of good government.

Is he that neurotic that he needs to know who is on the list? Who cares? After all if he hasn’t done anything wrong and everything is peachy keen and coming up roses in West Vincent, why does it matter?

But maybe he needs a good mailing list for spam or something.

I am going to suggest that MORE people sign up for ChickenMan – he must be doing something right if a country supervisor neeeeeeeds his mailing list.  You can visit his website http://chickenman.medianewsonline.com/ and can e-mail Chester County’s Favorite Chicken at chestercountynews@gmail.com .

When government officials keep clucking….it’s time to keep reading….such pettiness in government is highly counter-productive.  I am glad I am but an observing auslander.  I might be branded a witch or something….

Good government is as good government does, Supervisor Brown.  In my humble opinion (allowed by what? Oh yes, we got that as one of those pesky inalienable rights courtesy of our founding fathers), you all need to knock the warped Mayberry crap off.  But hey, I thought your name was familiar and a lookee on your website shows where you learned your “old school rules”: Lower Merion.  411? They do things a little differently now in the Republican Committee of Lower Merion and Narberth.  They have a thing about sunshine and transparency.   Old school, back door, borderline bully politics are going out of fashion…..

Just sayin’…not accusing…just sayin’

transition

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So here I am, making the transition to one of the places I always wanted to live: Chester County.  Now it’s all about git r’ done.

I started in Society Hill, transitioned to the Main Line, but let’s face it, the Main Line she ain’t what she used to be.  I am discovering more and more the kinds of people I used to prefer on the Main Line have actually moved to Chester County.

In Chester County, you have room to breathe, and you can actually see things like open space, farms, horses…and oh yes lots and lots and lots of deer.

I am not so jazzed about all the deer, truthfully. But the rate of development is taking away their habitat and their natural predators.  And every time a deer hunt is proposed to cull the herd the caterwauling and protests I read about are just silly.

One thing I worry about in Chester County is that the many municipalities out here becoming afflicted with the non-listening-we-know-best government disease.  This disease is ruining parts of the Main Line, Lower Merion in particular.

You see when local government starts to believe its own hype, it all goes into the crapper.  The government becomes so full of itself, it completely starts to forget what attracted people to an area in the first place.  A lot of this is caused by unnecessary development.

Unnecessary development starts out like a gleam in a municipalty’s eye.  Ahhh the savoring of future ratables.  But what municipalities seem to forget is you can’t just build it and assume they will come.

I see a lot of what can only be described as wanton careless development in Chester County.  I am fuzzy on where all the boundaries from community to community lie, but truthfully it’s a little startling to see quite so many plastic houses being planted all hodge podge.  And a lot of them are planted on top of busy, noisy highways.  I don’t get the whole leave the hectic pace of a more urban lifestyle to hear urban noises in quasi-rural areas. And Chester County definitely needs no more malls.  They are replete with strip shopping centers and malls.

Now recently there was a failed eminent domain for private gain attempt in Chester County.  At Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show Grounds, which is West Vincent Township.  When I first heard about it, I was appalled.  Here we go again – the last time I heard about something that turned my stomach quite so much is when Coatesville tried to seize Dick and Nancy Saha’s farm.  I got to know the Sahas a few years back, and they are the loveliest people.  Kind and neighborly.  They spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to protect their land.

At the crux of the West Vincent debacle seems to be a lot of political shenanigans and of course, a Disneyland-esque Redevelopment Plan.  The funny thing is, as is the case with many of these plans is I can’t figure out who asked for it. Or why they think they need it.

One development which concerns me greatly was the Toll Brothers one approved by Willistown Supervisors approved on Paoli Pike in 2011.  Applebarf, err Applebrook Meadows. This development is right up against Willistown’s border with East Goshen.  Close to one of the most awesome park spaces I have seen (East Goshen’s park and walking trails are lovely.)

Lots of plastic houses in the new make me barf affected style of “carriage homes”.  Yeah really?  Do they even know the genesis of the carriage house and yet they re replacing horses with….you got it, plastic houses.  I never saw much coverage on Willistown’s mistake except in the Malvern Patch.  Malvern Patch also has reported on the planned super-sizing of Malvern.

In cute Malvern, a developer named Eli Kahn has plans and apparently governmental blessings to super-size Malvern.   Look at the renderings for this plan – does that even look like it belongs in Chester County?  To me, it will just make Chester County experience some of the over-developed ugliness of North Jersey.  This developer also has his sights set on West Chester according to Malvern Patch .

Chester County if it is not careful will become like the congested, over developed Main Line.  It’s beauty is in what it is, not some plastic vision of people who just are going to make their investments pay for them and move on.

How do people in Chester County in whatever municipality want their county to look like?  Do they envision lots of plastic houses and plastic (turf) fields to go with it?   I think people overall want to preserve the integrity of the county, so maybe a lot of these residents from various small and large municipalities need to get together and work with one and other.  One of the largest problems I see in Chester County is the hodge podge of zoning.  Commercial and residential all higgeldly piggeldly.  Why layer on more development when the obvious solution is to deal with what they have?  Look at all the little crossroads towns that need a little love.  They don’t need a strip mall or plastic houses down the road a piece, they need restoration.

Chester County is a gem and I am so loving exploring it.  I would just hate if Chester County  ended up looking as bad and over-developed as parts of Bucks and Montgomery Counties in particular.

I am but an auslander at this point hoping that Chester County learns again to preserve the land and a way of life before it’s overly “improved”.  Appreciate and preserve the charm of crossroads communities and nature that draws people here in the first place.  After all, there is nothing natural about plastic.

follow that chickenman and more fun in west vincent

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Chester County is a cesspool of convoluted politics, depending upon which municipality you are in.   I am told that one that people really want to have changes in before it’s too late is West Vincent.

West Vincent was the scene of a recent attempt of eminent domain for private gain at Ludwig’s Corner.  West Vincent tried to seize the horse show grounds.

One West Vincent Supervisor, Clare Quinn, lost her job over it. Of course, given it was a non-profit (French & Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust) at year-end, are we super shocked they did that?

Now Clare is proving to be an interesting study.  She apparently wigs out at residents at meetings and did she really call one a bitch???  She waxed poetic in a slightly fluffy article December 14th on how conservation was her heart or some such horse manure. I still don’t get how she actually thought she could be a conservationist by day and land grabber by night?

Of course what made me almost drop my teeth in this soap opera in the country, was when West Vincent voted to give Clare Quinn full health benefits.  She costs the taxpayers money by a failed attempt at eminent domain for private gain, and now she will cost them some more so they can pay for her healthcare?  REALLY? Was she not offered COBRA by her former employer?  It takes balls to ask the taxpayers you tried to screw for full health benefits.  Sheesh, maybe we should all get jobs in West Vincent, yes?

Even the stench of cheese in the breeze is damn amusing.  Oh that is a reference to eminent domain loving supervisor Ken Miller. I used to buy his cheese from Birchrun Hills Farm…no more.  I won’t put money in the pocket of a man who sanctions eminent domain for private gain and actually has the balls to call himself a Republican. Now he is still giving off a waft of funky monkey given what the chickenman wrote about on December 21st.

If you are interested in the shenanigans of West Vincent (and truly this blip on the map could seriously give reporters months of joy and headlines without getting boring), then you need to sign up for CHICKENMAN.  Chickenman rocks.  Chickenman is like the Delco Tom Paine of Chester County.

Now I have also been following two YouTube channels truthforwestvincent  and aswestvincentturns.

daily salvo: supervising the supervisors (about west vincent’s eminent domain attempt)

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as the west vincent turns continues….

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Apparently attempted eminent domain is not the only issue in West Vincent…..who knew Chester County was such a cesspool where local politicians are concerned?