Business & Tech

3rd Consecutive City Ave. Rezoning Workshop Cancelled

Residents and civic groups are concerned about height, funding and 'due deliberation.'

A City Avenue rezoning “workshop” scheduled for Thursday evening (June 2) at the Lower Merion Township building has been cancelled. The last scheduled meeting, for May 16, , as was the scheduled April 26 workshop.

The township’s Board of Commissioners Building and Planning Committee next meets on June 8, when it is expected the rezoning effort will again be revisited. There is no word on another rescheduling for the workshop.

Delays for rezoning actions are not necessarily unwelcome in the township. 

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“Lower Merion Commisioner George Manos described the City Avenue rezoning as ‘the most comprehensive and far-reaching piece of zoning regulation undertaken by the township in recent memory,’” wrote Michael Seiden, a director of the Merion Civic Association, in his organization’s recent Spring 2011 newsletter.

“As such, it is imperative that it be done with due deliberation,” Seiden said. “It is NOT appropriate to fast-track this new zoning ordinance at this time.”

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On May 12, the township’s Board of Commissioners Building and Planning Committee a level of service for intersections along the proposed City Avenue Transportation Service Area (TSA) be established as “Level D,” which would allow the township to share traffic improvement costs with developers if the TSA proposal is approved. The designation refers to intersection traffic delays, with “D” at 35 to 55 seconds. Levels run from “A” (the fastest) through “F” (the slowest).

Bob Duncan, the township’s building and planning director, said that the TSA is not a zoning designation and is separate from the proposed City Avenue rezoning project.

Seiden acknowledged the role developers might take in helping to fund traffic improvements, but adds, “Since the study minimizes the traffic effect of the 3.5 million square feet of new development envisioned, it would not seem that any such fair contributions would be sufficient.”

Other concerns not resolved during past workshops have to do with the height of proposed new buildings.

“It seems to increase density dramatically and the cost of this impact on infrastructure has not been addressed,” said Bob Guzzardi, an Ardmore attorney and political activist. “It seems that the high density is urbanizing a suburban community ... Lower Merion is becoming Philadelphia West.”

Board of Commissioners President Liz Rogan, a former township planner, said in a recent interview that costs would be offset by new and increased taxes from redevelopment. The only way to get there is the rezoning, she said.

“We really need to diversify that tax base and have people invest in their properties,” Rogan said. “The other end [of City Avenue], where the high-rises are, is totally built out. Nothing big has been built since the ’70s. It’s either that or continue to get Taco Bell.”

The proposed City Avenue District is made up of three areas: the Regional Center Area (RCA), the Bala Cynwyd Retail district (BCR) and the Bala Village district (BV). The township says that the RCA and BCR will be considered under one proposed ordinance and the BV district under a separate ordinance.

Township website: City Avenue Special Services District & Rezoning


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