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May 31, 2017, 7-8pm - Watershed 101!  Learn a little about waterways in Penn Valley. 

Maurine McGeehan, Executive Director and Chelsea Heck, Director of Education for the Lower Merion Conservancy discussed the important ecological principles of our waterways and the regional work of the Conservancy to improve the health of the Delaware River Basin.

Our waterways have been impacted by human use since the settling of Philadelphia.  Come learn about the fascinating history of Philadelphia drinking water and how Lower Merion residents still play a major role in Philadelphia's water management today! 

(Have water problems on your property?  Contact the Conservancy's Stream Smart House Call program which works with individual homeowners to make changes on their properties that can also support the health of local creeks! www.streamsmarthousecalls.org)

After a presentation by the Lower Merion Conservancy, we spent 1.5 hours discussing potential development of Lot 6 Old Gulph Rd.  The developer (Vaughn Smith) and lawyer (Dan Coval) presented their plans to approximately 15 residents.  Commissioner Dan Bernheim and School Board representative Ben Driscoll were also in attendance.  We had a civilized but frank discussion pleading that they consider leaving the lot undeveloped for all of the reasons that we have outlined in our letters to the Township.  Peter Grove read his Mainline Times Op-ed piece, and PV resident John Newhall read his letter to the Township.  

Residents were particularly disheartened by the idea of altering the historic view shed (and one of the ecological hearts of Lower Merion) and by the plan to put a driveway at an already dangerous and challenged intersection (Old Gulph Rd and Mill Creek Rd).  West Mill Creek representatives lamented developing so close to a flood plain and the already impaired Mill Creek stream (as presented the Lower Merion Conservancy).  Residents share the worry about continued development through subdivision and the resulting pressure on an over-burdened school system and our roadways, particularly in absence of adequate pedestrian/cycling infrastructure in our area.

Most residents would like to see Lot 6 undeveloped.  That said, we requested that the developer provide renderings of what the landscaping might look like in their current plans, particularly driving west on Old Gulph Road.  We also requested that more native plantings (trees with perennial underplantings) be incorporated into the preservation area, particularly to minimize the view of back of the homes from Old Gulph Rd.  One resident asked about the credentials/experience of the landscape architect to incorporate environmentally sensitive landscape design with sustainable plantings, and we did not receive an adequate answer on that.