A prisoner of our own rules. North Aberdeen

Tonight I attended a Planning Commission Meeting. The item of interest for me was Number 3

S.D. # 2008-S-06 (Final) of David Buckley & Sherrie Burlingham
to subdivide property into two (2), raze existing dwelling and
construct a twin home with a residence on each lot at 236 N.
Aberdeen Ave.

This was approved. I must say that I would have voted differently.
The design was predicated on a revised Flood Plain Delineation, not the FEMA flood line. It was pointed out by one of the neighbors that this was not according to Code. The Commissioners (or FEMA) must approve any change and the authority is NOT delegated to the Township Engineer. The case was made that the Commissioners will approve this at some time in the future since the Township Engineer is the person who advises them. Isn't this putting the cart before the horse? I believe the SD should have been denied or tabled until the Commissioners approved the flood line changes.

I think it is incumbent upon the Township to follow the process. Even in the case where the ultimate outcome is a foregone conclusion, it is important to avoid any potential lawsuits.

Now back to the title of this post: This sub-division plan was "by-right" (excepting the flood line discussion) and the Planning Commission was in a tough spot. They had to approve the plan, although they could and did attach recommendations. The simply did not have the tools available to change the outcome

We have a good Comprehensive Plan, although mostly un-implemented...
We have a HARB... but it doesn't have jurisdiction over all the historical assets...

So, we are victims of our own rules. And now we will have a new twin on North Aberdeen. A building that will be totally out of character with the community and exacerbating an already serious parking problem. In return we loose a historic asset, the house being torn down was owned by Johnathan Lengel in 1888. The already congested neighborhood looses open space and a Heritage Tree (36 inch Maple) will be destroyed.

We must get on the stick and modernize our codes before it is all gone. Perhaps Radnor's theme song should be "Big Yellow Taxi"...... they paved paradise and put up a parking lot..

A little history for you (I copied this from SAC Blog)
236 N. Aberdeen is purportedly the home that famous Wayne builder Jonathan Lengel lived in. Mr. Lengel was part of the founding fabric of Wayne itself:

Wayne PA: Builders and Architects

Most of Wayne’s most historical structures can attribute their existence to five men. W. L. and F. L. Price were the architects of most of the houses in North and South Wayne. Herman Wendell and Frank Smith were a team of builders who built mainly houses designed by Price in North and South Wayne. The team of David K. Boyd and Jonathan Lengel built some of Wayne’s most recognizable landmarks, both past and present.

David K. Boyd and Jonathan D. Lengel

David Knickerbacker Boyd’s first assignment as an architect was for several Wendell & Smith houses in Wayne, Radnor and St. David’s. At the time he was working with his brother in a firm called Boyd & Boyd. Eventually the two separated, and David started his own practice which he ran until 1914. He became very influential in the architecture and building codes of Philadelphia and New York, and is quoted as being one of the only people to propose a set-back principle to the design of skyscrapers. Boyd oversaw the construction of almost every building in Philadelphia, and by 1931 had designed, supervised or directed 3,000 buildings. Although he had a major influence on the world of architecture on the east coast, one place whose influence of Boyd is most evident is Wayne. Many of the landmark buildings in Wayne built from about 1890-1910 were designed by Boyd.

All of the buildings designed by Boyd were built by Jonathan D. Lengel. Although their association is probably limited to Wayne, it is interesting that the two would maintain such a close business relationship.....In addition to Boyd’s projects, Lengel built the North Wayne fire house, Union (Masonic) Hall, and the Waynewood Hotel. He came to Wayne in 1888 and continued building here for decades. His sons continued the family construction tradition into the 1960’s. Lengel had an office in the Wayne Title and Trust building, on the corner of Lancaster and Audobon Avenues.

The things Jonathan Lengel built or was involved in building in North Wayne is purported to be the following list of structures - some of which are very familiar even today:

1893: Radnor Memorial Library
1897-98: The Central Baptist Church
1898: The Saturday Club
189?: Temperence Society Coffee House
1901: Wayne Grammar School
Waldheim mansion
1909: Radnor High School
1913: Walmarthon estate (mansion and numerous other buildings)
In addition to the list of Boyd buildings)

1892: Radnor Fire House
1892: Union Hall
189?: Hale and Menagh grocery store, Aberdeen & Lancaster Aves.
1906: Waynewood Hotel

(Many thanks to www.waynepa.com for this list and info on Mr. Lengel)

Zoning Hearing Board 4-18-08

Folks may want to pay attention to some of the appeals coming up this Thursday.
APPEAL # 2769 105 Aberdeen LP, owner of property located at 107 N.
WARD 1 Aberdeen Avenue, Wayne, PA, zoned C-3 Service Commercial
District, and in Ward 1. Relief requested is as follows: Rear Yard
Setback - a variance from Radnor Code section 280-56.E to permit
a rear yard setback of approximately 59.3’ instead of 66.73’
Continued as required, based on the depth of the lot. Or, an interpretation that
to April no rear yard relief is required because of existing nonconforming
building. Lot Coverage – a variance from Radnor Code section
280-56.G to permit lot coverage of approximately 83.6% where
65% is permitted. Or, an interpretation that no lot coverage relief is
required because of existing lot coverage nonconformity, from
88.5% to Approximately 83.6%. Off-Street Parking – a variance
from Code section280-103.B to permit the proposed building to be
occupied with uses permitted in the C-3 Commercial Service
District with a total minimum off-street parking supply of
approximately 53 off-street parking spaces or a minimum of
approximately 4 spaces per 1,000 square feet of “floor area” of the
proposed building instead of the total amount off-street parking
spaces that would otherwise be required by considering each use
within the proposed building as a separate use under the parking
requirements of Radnor Code section 280-113.B. Parking in Front
Yard - a special exception pursuant to Radnor Code section 280-
105.F to permit approximately 10 off-street parking spaces in the
front yard area. Or, an interpretation that no relief is required for the
10 off-street parking spaces proposed in the front yard area, because
the number of off-street parking spaces in the front yard area will be
reduced from 14 to 10. Front Yard Setback – a variance from Radnor
Code section 280-56.C to permit a front yard setback of 0’ where 65’
is required. Drive-thru Stacking for Bank Use – a variance from
Radnor Code section 280-103.B(11) to provide five (5) stacking
spaces for the drive-through facility instead of the twelve (12)
required in the event that a bank occupies the portion of the building
improved with the drive-thru window. Miscellaneous – such other
relief as the Zoning Hearing Board deems necessary to authorize the
proposed improvements.

APPEAL # 2772 Matt Paolino, owner of property located at 625 Conestoga Road,
WARD 3 Villanova, PA, zoned C-1 Commercial, and in Ward 3. Applicant
proposes to convert the existing residence, which is a legal nonconforming
use, to an office for his custom home construction
business on the first floor and an apartment each on the second and
the third floor. Applicant will preserve the residential character of the
building. Applicant seeks a special exception under section 280-45 of
the Zoning Code to convert a dwelling to a nonresidential use and/or
a special exception under section 280-101(A) of the Code to convert
from one non-conforming use to another non-conforming use.
Applicant also seeks a special exception under section 280-101(B)(1)
of the Code to extend the existing non-conformity in regards to sideyard
setback which does not increase the existing non-conformity and
also to continue to provide one parking space within the front yard
setback. In the alternative, Applicant contends that the relief is
permitted as of right or requests a variance.

APPEAL # 2763 The Rosedon Holding Company Limited Partnership, owners of
WARD 1 property located at 147 Pennsylvania Avenue, Wayne, PA, zoned
C-3 Service Commercial District and in Ward 1. Relief is
requested for a three(3) building community storage facility with
4000 square feet of office space included. The following Variances
are requested: Section 280-103(b)(20) Off Street Parking – 57
spaces required, 6 provided. Section 280-56(G) Lot Coverage 65%
Continued from maximum, 75% proposed, 91% existing. Section 280- 109(A)
to April Fence Height – Limit 6 feet in height, 8 feet proposed.
Special Exception: Section 280-105(F) Parking within the front
yard setback(s). Section 280-104 Offstreet Loading – 5 berths
required, none in the required dimensions proposed. Alternative
compliant berths proposed. Section 280-56E Rear Yard setback-
78.51 feet required, 25 feet proposed. Section 280-56C, D & E
Front Yards, Side Yards, Rear Yard – variance requested from the
requirement of 3 front yard setbacks. Ordinance requires at least 2
side yards and 1 rear yard. Applicant proposes 1 front yard on
Plant Avenue, 2 side yards east and west, and one rear yard at
Pennsylvania Avenue. Section 280-56A&C, lot width of 150 feet
required at building line, proposed: measure Plant Avenue building
line at 65 feet from legal right of way line which is parallel to the
property line at Plant Avenue – and include the area of the
northwestern side yard as part of the 150 foot required front
building line. The actual lot width at the Plant Avenue building
line is 215 feet.