L.M. Commissioners OK Wyoming Ave.; Later Hours for Suburban Square

The Lower Merion Board of Commissioners on Wednesday night voted 9-1 to approve a tentative sketch plan for a new housing development on S. Wyoming Avenue in Ardmore.

Commissioner Steven Lindner cast the dissenting vote.

The plan calls for the construction of 10 townhouses and four single-family, semi-detached dwellings (or twin homes) at 9, 11, 13 and 19 S. Wyoming Avenue, with a common driveway.

The township’s zoning regulations permit both townhouses and twin homes on Wyoming, but it has never before approved a project with both, .

Several Ardmore residents who attended the board’s Building and Planning Committee last week said they were opposed to the development. On Wednesday, though, no one spoke about it during public comment.

Suburban Square Restaurants, Trees

The board also voted Wednesday to allow any new restaurants in the renovated courtyard area of to stay open until 2 a.m., if the restaurant can prove that the later closing time will not adversely impact on the public’s health, safety and welfare. (The original condition of approval required that new restaurants in the courtyard area close no later than midnight.)

The board approved the later closing time as part of a consent agenda vote on several items. (Items are placed there unless a commissioner requests to take a particular item off, to be discussed.)

The board agreed to the adjusted closing time subject to three conditions:

• Restaurants permitted to close at 2 a.m. will be prohibited from having outdoor music between the hours of 10 p.m. and 10 a.m.
• Four Gingko oak trees in the lower courtyard area will be replaced with Katsura trees. Suburban Square asked the township for approval to replace the Gingko trees because at least two of the trees were infected with bacterial leaf scorch, which kills them. Township staff recommended Katsura trees because they have a larger canopy to provide the courtyard with more shade.
• Any trees determined to be damaged during construction must be replaced, at the direction of township staff, prior to paving the plaza.