Tag Archives: west whiteland

male chauvinist planning in west whiteland? or mansplaining at it’s finest… or both?

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The first Planning Commission meeting for West Whiteland Township was January 9th, but I missed it. The topic was that old folks development planned for Boot Road kind of on top of the Mariner East/SuNOco/Energy Transfer. Literally. Just put the address into the county pipeline interactive map.

PC-Packet-Jan.-9Download

I was concerned about this before as were many, many people. Which is why I was glad West Whiteland Supervisors didn’t just green light the plan 100% before. Among other things, there is no safety plan in the event of a pipeline emergency. We are talking elderly people, with any range of issues and that includes memory as in Alzheimer’s. It’s bad enough the pipeline runs super close to seniors in those places in East Goshen because the places were already built before Mariner East/SuNOco/Energy Transfer came through in recent years.

Yes, we’ve all lived mostly ok with petroleum pipelines. This is different. It’s more can go boom and will do so rather quickly and has the ability to cause incredible amounts of damage to life and property. Many of us, myself included live in blast zones for one pipeline or the other, so why built for at risk humans on top of a pipeline essentially?

Anyway since I missed the meeting I asked West Whiteland if I could have the zoom link. It’s a public meeting and publicly recorded so if you cannot go in person or attend the zoom portion, you CAN request to view it. (CLICK HERE) I will note again, that I requested the meeting like anyone else can. I have to point this out since people seem to think I actually run various townships with my blogging superpowers or get extra special treatment which makes me howl with laughter at the sheer absurdity of it. The truth is regular people have rights, and you can ask questions and ask to view public meeting recordings. The other truth is I am one opinion, one woman, why so fixated?

At first the meeting seemed pleasant enough and they welcomed a new member, Ginny Kerslake. If you click on below, turn up volume or watch entire meeting.

Now I make no secret that Ginny is one of my favorite people. I am very happy to see her on the Planning Commission in West Whiteland. There used to be another lady on it, but that committee runs itself like a boys’ club and often their attitude in general leaves a lot to be desired, so I have to wonder if that is why she is no longer there? I think some of them prefer those of us in the female species to be seen and not heard. I am sure I am on that list for expressing my opinion on things before them. 

This plan IMHO is still a fool’s errand. I don’t object to senior living facilities, but plans that are kind of bad….are just kind of bad. What makes THIS plan bad? Location and proximity to pipelines. That would be Item 9 being referred to a lot in the recording. I also think it’s too close to the road etc. It’s an awkward location all the way around, if most of us are honest, and no matter what happens, we can indeed think that.

That is kind of a BIG item (emergency plan) to NOT be addressed when submitting plan again or whatever, isn’t it? And Ginny Kerslake expressed the SAME concerns she expressed as an ordinary resident the LAST time this plan came up. And wow the rush of Male Chauvinist Planning in the room was something else. And mansplaining. Oy the mansplaining.

One of the chief voices on the recording I think was West Whiteland Planning Commission Vice Chair Mark Gordon. Why do I say that? The East Goshen and pipeline references. You see, Mr. Gordon was an employee of East Goshen Zoning Officer /Director of Codes until some point in in 2022. I guess he retired? Do they miss his sparkling know it all personality? He might not like that I said this, but it’s not illegal and I am just a silly woman, right?

Anywhoooo, a couple of those voices on the recording who were NOT anyone representing the applicant were horrible IMHO. So the other blue meanie I think was a guy named Jeff on the Planning Commission? Why are he and the Vice Chair so full of themselves anyway? Did I miss something? I have known quite a few men and women on planning commissions in various municipalities throughout the years and a lot of them have quite frankly amazing resumes and they didn’t behave so poorly even if they didn’t agree with the public, so what gives? 

The representatives of the applicant was quite pleasant throughout, I thought….and this can’t have been fun for them since they still don’t have a safety plan, right?

Here’s the 411 mansplaining Planning Commission members: you don’t know everything, no one has to kiss your rings. Yes, I am saying once again I am not fond of West Whiteland’s Planning Commission boys’ club. I have encountered it with other meetings and their obvious disdain for residents and neighbors and non residents and neighbors kind of just goes on. And it should NOT. If they don’t want to play nicely with residents etc., why are they there? That was Ginny Kerslake’s first meeting, so what is the objective? To beat her to a pulp verbally and will this continue every meeting moving forward? And point of fact, the Planning Commission has a liaison from the Board of Supervisors and why didn’t he calm the tone? He could have, it would have been most appropriate.

It’s funny, this coming week Willistown Township deals with the decorum of residents speaking at meetings. It seems West Whiteland needs to do the same with some of the Planning Commission members towards residents and seemingly women on their own board? I think it’s pretty pathetic but who am I but a mere mortal and female?

The biggest problem with certain West Whiteland Planning Commission members after mansplaining and dismissive atty-tudes is that they seem to think that if they make a recommendation it should be Gospel. They are an advisory board only. And I am glad Ginny Kerslake is there now because she will shake things up in a POSITIVE manner. I may or may not agree with her decisions while serving, but I will rest assured as will all West Whiteland residents that she LISTENS and does her HOMEWORK.

So yeah, boys’ club, I will get out the popcorn. And while I am waiting for the next mansplain be rude to female commission members occasion, I will take a moment to upload other agendas and some related screen shots where this Columbia Cottage thing has been discussed or other pipelines + elderly dwelling areas. It goes back to 2020 and I don’t even think I found them all. But seriously boys, what are you recommending for approval when all that time there hasn’t yet been a safety plan? How will you be when the plans for Church Farm Lane which will be Hershey’s Mill- like comes up? Maybe man babies, it is time to check your egos at the door and remember WHY you are SUPPOSED to be there?

You won’t like my opinions here, but am I completely wrong? I don’t think so.

Knock it off.

2022-05-25-Meeting-Packet-2022Download
PC-Packet-210907-2021Download
PC-Packet-200818-2020Download
PC-Packet-230228-2023Download

joseph price house in west whiteland 2024

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Photo Courtesy of @morning_reveries

I have lost count of how many times I have written about the Joseph Price House in Exton at 401 Clover Mill Rd, Exton, PA 19341 on the corner of S. Whitford Road. It has been on my mind because of the weather lately. Especially with all of the flooding and downed trees around S. Whitford Road.

So here’s the house….continuing to rot. I last wrote about it in October, 2023.

I wish some newspaper writer or TV reporter would take a break from murders, Trump, snow, etc. and focus on the serious lack of preservation by some property owners in Southeastern PA with regard to historic structures like this house, which is recognized as a historic asset by the federal government as well.

Brief rant over.

#THISPLACEMATTERS

yes another post on the joseph price house in exton which has been historically rotting for decades.

what is happening over around old phoenixville pike in west whiteland, really?

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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.

west whiteland planning commission and weston

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?

Old Phoenixville Pk 11997136-deedDownload

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 supposedly some 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?

meet meadowbrook manor in west west whiteland
Another fun filled flooding zone

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.

an adaptive reuse and historic preservation that looks great!

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You remember for years if you’ve been following my blog that I was concerned about what we know as Indian Run Farm or Ashbridge house in Exton. It literally sat shrink, wrapped in plastic for years.

I was honestly afraid it’s not so long that it would never be restored. I’m pleased to say it has been. It’s more of a modern interpretation than the old farmhouse at once was inside but it’s still has its pieces of the past and I think it works. I still do not like the new development that was built around it because that’s not my jam and there’s too much of that Cran plant stuff everywhere but I think the old gal doesn’t look bad now and here are some interior pictures a friend of mine took:

Below, this are the posts I wrote over the years about this place, because I really was afraid it was going to either rot or get torn down. I will admit, I am beyond pleasantly surprised, and I’m very happy I just wish they were less townhouse apartment things around it.

Thanks for stopping by

remember indian run farm in exton? have you seen it lately?
what a difference a year or two makes in west whiteland
historic demolition by neglect in exton, west whiteland?

west whiteland planning commission and weston

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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.

Old coverage:

they said “no” in west whiteland!
hey east whiteland residents are you aware the weston development on w. king road in west whiteland is marching forward?

pay attention to west whiteland because the weston property is being discussed at planning december 5, 2023.

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Well Weston is back. It will be discussed Tuesday, December 5th at 7PM:

PC-Packet-20231205Download

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.

The New York Times had an article recently that basically underscores how important public participation is. You should be able to click below and read without a paywall.

CLICK AND READ.

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.

Thanks for stopping by.

hey east whiteland residents are you aware the weston development on w. king road in west whiteland is marching forward?
oh no…. in west whiteland along w. king road
they said “no” in west whiteland!

it’s only a little “anomaly” in the pipeline, so don’t worry your little heads about it west whiteland residents…and west whiteland supervisor brian dunn did a brave thing for residents today. (yeah now you want to click on this post, don’t you?)

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West Whiteland Residents for Pipeline Saftey drone image over Ship Road/Exton Station area
unexpected work posted today 11/1/23

So we all found out that Energy Transfer AKA Sunoco AKA Sunoco Logistics was BACK on Ship Road around Exton Station. I mean the grass was barely grown back, right?

You whooo Harrisburg, over here, okay? (Well we all know you read this blog in Pennsyltucky, so whatevs…..)

Sorry readers, I will continue….sometimes I have to see if those political bears are awake and paying attention to residents….

A little over 5 hours ago, our friends at West Whiteland Residents for Pipeline Safety posted the following:

Repair work continues on Mariner East 2x on Ship Rd at Exton Station. Drone photo taken yesterday shows the pipe has been excavated very close to where the HDD exit pit was ( The drill for this section was at the Hankin apartments on Ship near Boot. After the borehole was complete pipes were pulled from the exit pit here south the the drill site).

As previously reported here, “an anomaly” was detected during recent inspection of the pipeline with a smart pig. The work is expected to last 2-3 weeks which is long compared to recent repairs done on the same pipe in Delaware County.

❓ why is this pipe already in need of repairs?

❓ what happens when an anomaly is detected on a section of pipe that is inaccessible because it was installed tens or even over 100 feet underground or through rock as is the case on many lengths of mariner East through Chester County and Delaware County?

And remember, there is no credible emergency plan to warn protect public when there is a leak of these high volatile liquids in transport through Mariner East.

This has actually been going on for a couple of days. Some hypothesize that Joe Massaro the current talking head (Public Affairs Specialist at Energy Transfer, @JospehMassaro on the platform formerly known as Twitter was tidying up for another residential massage job, perhaps?

Too mean?

Sorry not sorry but I mean you know us residents: some have had properties and wells ruined by Sunoco/Energy Transfer, and then there are the thousands of us who live in blast zones, right? We know we don’t matter to them, and are rather inconvenient to them and politicians including Democrats who love love love the myth of pipelines, fracking, and Hydrogen hubs, right?

So next thing you know, Chair of the West Whiteland Supervisors Brian Dunn is on site this morning over on Ship Road and guess what? Sunoco/Energy Transfer was NOT putting him off. He had the township manager with him as well. Supervisor Brian Dunn went DOWN into that big hole to see the pipeline and dent for himself. That pipeline is live because you do not expect them to stop running highly explosive ethane while they make a repair, do you? Actually, fool that I am and a former oil company brat from decades ago, I actually thought they would do just that, but I am but a mere mortal and a female, right?

Anyway, Supervisor Brian Dunn had West Whiteland put it all on their social media channels and website. So for once there is real time updates on a pipeline issue.

This issue is being described as “pipeline maintenance.” I daresay it’s not regular everyday sweeping up is it?

Allow me to let West Whiteland Residents for Pipeline Safety to explain further:

We now know what problem with the Mariner East 2X pipeline on Ship Rd at Exton Station needing repair, thanks to West Whiteland Township conducting a site visit this morning.

There is a dent in the pipe which was detected as “an anomaly” during a recent smart pigging inspection of the pipeline. It safe to assume this dent was caused during construction so its unclear how it went undetected before.

The green coating has been sandblasted away fir the repair and the pipe will be wrapped in clockspring, a composite repair sleeve and reinforcement system uniquely designed for high-pressure transmission pipelines. Work is expected to last until Wednesday, November 8.

The pipeline is actively transporting highly explosive ethane while this work and the excavation using a backhoe is being conducted. The last photo, with the site marked with an red X shows the densely populated area immediately surrounding.

Questions remain:

❓ why was this dent, an area of weakness, not detected in previous inspections?

❓ what happens when an anomaly is detected on a section of pipe that is inaccessible because it was installed tens or even over 100 feet underground or through rock as is the case on many lengths of Mariner East through Chester County and Delaware County?

And remember, there is no credible emergency plan to warn protect public when there is a leak of these high volatile liquids in transport through Mariner East.

Thank you to West Whiteland Township for conducting this site visit and providing transparency on this to residents – transparency we do not get from Energy Transfer nor our regulatory agencies.

https://www.westwhiteland.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=744

Here is West Whiteland’s information release this afternoon and it includes a video showing how repair will happen which is pretty cool:

Posted on: November 1, 2023

Pipeline Maintenance

Energy Transfer regularly conducts routine preventative maintenance on the Mariner East pipeline in the Township to detect anomalies before they become safety issues, One such anomaly was discovered and work is in progress to remediate it.

In order to ensure the integrity of the pipeline is not affected, the pipe will be wrapped in clockspring, a composite repair sleeve and reinforcement system uniquely designed for high-pressure transmission pipelines. Work is expected to last until Wednesday, November 8.

Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PA PUC) has been on site and verified that the activity is within normal pipeline maintenance and operations. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administrations (PHMSA) has also been notified. Township Supervisor Brian Dunn and Township Manager Pam Gural-Bear visited the site and met with ET’s Integrity Team.

The anomaly was identified as one that could be addressed within 180 days.

For more information, please email pipeline@westwhiteland.org.

But can we talk about Supervisor Brian Dunn again? Sorry not sorry but what he did today took guts He did what MORE elected officials should do: he represented his residents and went to the mat for them. That is also brave because dude was down in a freaking pipeline hole and as much as I love my readers, I can tell you I would not have gone down an 18 foot hole into the ground or whatever. (If I had been the township manager, I would have been above ground saying my rosary while he was down there, but I digress.)

This video is from 6 years ago so the public is reminded what West Whiteland
residents have gone through.
This video is from 4 years ago so the public is reminded what West Whiteland
residents have gone through.
This video is from 4 years ago so the public is reminded what West Whiteland
residents have gone through. The criminal investigation that kinda went nowhere, remember?
This video is from 4 years ago so the public is reminded what West Whiteland
residents have gone through.

It should be pointed out to she who will soon be thankfully out of office in West Whiteland is WHY people love and respect Brian Dunn, and will never wax poetically about you. I mean I know you love to slam him and misquote me, so here’s hoping you understand THIS is what being a public servant and working for the people who elected him actually means. Brian Dunn goes the extra mile for West Whiteland AND Chester County residents. He walks the walk whereas you have only ever spewed the talk occasionally.

It’s a mystery how a brand new pipeline has a dent. Perhaps it was damaged in their rush to get everything in the ground before? WHO KNOWS and we may never know because well, it’s Energy Transfer/Sunoco/Sunoco Logistics and everything has to be massaged and polished and spin doctored before the public gets information if they answer at all, doesn’t it?

Bravo, Brian Dunn but for the love of all that is holy, please don’t do that again. And please note that Brian was on site WITH Sunoco and West Whiteland Township in a planned meet up. DO NOT TRESPASS HERE. That is breaking the law and you will be arrested. Today’s on site photos provided generously by West Whiteland Township.

Happy November. Everything old is new again, including pipeline issues.

less development, more eagles please

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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.

they said “no” in west whiteland!

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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.

Have a great day.

well it’s monday, might as well blow up the internet over proposed zoning changes in west whiteland that will ultimately benefit a developer for the weston tract on w. king rd. right?

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Things that just send my hackles up: not telling East Whiteland when West Whiteland has a public hearing October 25th to change the zoning around the Weston Tract on West King Road from zoned O/L Office/Laboratory to R-1 Residential.

So right now the thing that also makes me think is if the conditional use for this was for say a halfway house or a drug rehab or anything that couldn’t otherwise be shoehorned into a R-1 zoning district there might have been a little more advanced notice other than a friend in West Whiteland who is just a regular resident says to me at noon today “You might want to look at the agenda for West Whiteland this week.”

2023-10-25-Meeting-PacketDownload

So yes….look at that right on the agenda.

Whoops there it is. An itty bitty zoning change…..Oh it looks all harmless zoning change, but as we have all learned zoning doesn’t exist in a vacuum does it?

East Whiteland residents and West Whiteland residents are affected here. Read this excerpt from agenda:

Motion To approve Ordinance No. 476 to amend the R-1 Residential district regulations in the West Whiteland Township Zoning Ordinance and to amend the Zoning Map to re-zone a portion of land in the Office/Laboratory zoning district to R-1 Residential.
Background
At the Planning Commission meeting of June 20, 2023, Mr. Tom Kessler of the Willow Hill Development Group (“Applicant”) presented the latest in a series of sketch plans for the redevelopment of the Weston Solutions campus, a tract of about 54 acres along the south side of King Rd. at the southeastern corner of the Township. The plan (attached) proposed about 100
new dwelling units and featured the preservation of several significant historic buildings along with permanent open space. The plan was presented in support of a future application to amend the Township Zoning Ordinance (“Zoning”) since the development shown would not be allowed by the current regulations.
Based upon the favorable reaction of the Planning Commission, the Applicant formally submitted a proposal to amend the Zoning Ordinance, pursuant to the provisions of §325-125.B of the Zoning. The proposal has two parts: an amendment to the text of the R-1 Residential district regulations and an amendment to the Zoning Map to change the designation of the Weston
campus from O/L Office/Laboratory to R-1 Residential. The Commission and Staff had previously advised the Applicant that they would support a map amendment to re-zone the property to R-1, which would match the surrounding land; any amendment to allow the project more
specifically would therefore need to be an option within the R-1 district. The Applicant’s approach is therefore consistent with the direction of the Planning Commission and Staff and may be summarized as follows:

The proposed text amendment will add a “large tract residential cluster option” to the R-1 district regulations. Only tracts of fifty acres or more would be eligible for this option. Other than the Applicant’s site, it appears that the Whitford Country Club property may be the only other readily available tract of this size in the R-1 district, although it would of course be possible for someone to acquire a number of adjacent properties to assemble a
fifty-acre tract.

  • The Applicant’s proposed amendment to the Zoning Map included only their property.
    Amending the Zoning Map in this way would leave a handful of properties with a total area of about four acres in the O/L zoning district. Given that most of those lots are in residential use (which is not allowed in the O/L district), the Planning Commission and Staff agreed that any re-zoning for residential use should include those properties not owned by Weston.
    The County’s review (attached) supports this as well. Staff therefore proceeded to contact those property owners as required by both the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code (“MPC”) and our own Zoning to advise them of the possible change.
    The Planning Commission discussed the amendment informally with the Applicant on August 1,2023 and officially (as part of the required review and adoption process) at their regular public meeting on September 19, 2023. Commission member Andy Wright expressed concern about
    the density of the proposed project, similar to the County’s comments, but the other Commission members were satisfied that with the amendment as proposed. The discussion concluded with the Commission passing a motion recommending that the Board approve the amendment; only Mr. Wright was in opposition to the motion.

So before we get into the meat of this let’s dish basics: who was notified of this proposed zoning change as in who lives within the magical 500 feet and who lives just outside the magical 500 feet and well, including down the road in the adjoining municipality East Whiteland? West Whiteland imposes it, but the applicant has an affirmative duty to notify, correct? Whomever owns adjacent properties doesn’t just mean homeowners, does it? For example, the little league field. Or better yet, that large academic institution called Immaculata University? Do they know? Because I know as of when I found out around noon, East Whiteland residents did not know, not sure about the township itself but I think not or it would have been on the website?

There is the letter of the law when it comes to notifications, but also important is the spirit of the law, correct? There are those in West Whiteland whom probably do not know, but there are also East Whiteland residents, aren’t there?

And to say this “cannot be tied to any specific development….” ok kids, then I am the Tooth Fairy, yes? Isn’t it kind of obvious this developer NEEDS this to develop this:

Oh and let us NOT forget the Johnson Matthey parcel directly across the road? I seem to recall the address is 1397 King Road West Chester PA. “Light Industrial” and 15.7 acres, correct? So do we REALLY think THAT land will be sold to OTHER than a RESIDENTIAL developer, and well it’s Johnson Matthey so umm what chemicals live in the land now? Fair question since well weren’t they a previous owner-operator at Bishop Tube? The PA DEP says so.

oh no…. in west whiteland along w. king road

So this was “informally” discussed in August? And then in September only Andy Wright whomever he is had the gumption to say it might be too dense of a project? And everyone else rides the sheeple bus?

Maybe I am old, jaded and distrustful since I have watched what certain zoning overlays and changes have done to certain areas of Lower Merion and other Main Line communities, but developers don’t offer up helpful anything regarding zoning unless there is a derived benefit, correct?

I have written about this Weston site before.

hey east whiteland residents are you aware the weston development on w. king road in west whiteland is marching forward?
oh west whiteland, what is up with weston property on west king road?

Don’t treat this as just a little change and ignore this. Zoning changes and zoning overlay districts will never ever exist in a vacuum. I know I am repeating myself but this is important. And of course I am really repeating myself when I say this is yet ANOTHER REASON WHY THE MUNICIPLAITIES PLANNING CODE NEEDS AN OVERHAUL!

How many developments do we need?

Now other IMPORTANT THINGS regarding this development which starts with a little bitty zoning change: car volume. That development needs a traffic signal. Otherwise no one, including Immaculata will be able to get in and out from driveways and side roads up and down W. King Road. And don’t let them say oh PennDOT is difficult etc. It can be a condition of plan approval for one thing. And also that is what State Senators and State Representatives are for.

Another important thing here to be considered are PIPELINES. If memory serves I think three run through that property. I live in a blast zone for pipelines in East Goshen and West Whiteland personally. And one of my concerns is because I don’t actually live in the municipalities with the pipelines, I can’t be certain in the event of an emergency I would be notified and the plans for running uphill holding your breath or whatever don’t cut it for residents affected and well this development would create a whole new class of affected West Whiteland residents wouldn’t it?

Other truisms:

  • It will add yet more kids to the overburdened West Chester Area School District.
  • It will stress infrastructure in more than West Whiteland Township which also includes first responder infrastructure
  • It will have potential environmental impacts. Lots of things live int he Weston woods and would anything be considered protected? Either flora, fowl, or fauna?

But first things first, the zoning change. I mean realistically I think Weston is getting developed. I don’t think we can stop that, but I think it would behoove West Whiteland and East Whiteland to discuss the density. After all development doesn’t live in a bubble. It’s time for West Whiteland to add it all up again, especially considering the shit show happening on Ship and Lancaster Ave, right? You have Laborers, you have the other stuff between Church Farm School and Ship, right? I don’t know about any of my readers but all of this development gives me a headache. And related aside? Same developer for Weston has something cooking in Willistown too? And here is LINK for prior plans submitted for Weston property in 2022. And next two screen shots were those plans:

from September 2022
From September 2022

The meeting is Wednesday October 25th in West Whiteland. It is accessible via zoom:

WEST WHITELAND TOWNSHIP
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

Wednesday, October 25, 2023
6:30 p.m.

Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 848 4944 7386 Passcode: 871814 One tap mobile +16465588656
Meeting Packets can be found on Township website
Reminder to meeting participants: Please speak clearly into the microphone

Sign me development and zoning cranky.