Wallace Township Residents question $20 million for project
Wallace Township residents and members of Guardians of the Brandywine confronted the Board of Supervisors on Thursday about an item in the state capital budget that allocates $20 million for Valhalla Brandywine. Valhalla Brandywine is the luxury spa and upscale housing development planned on 600 acres in the township by developer Albert Greenfield III. Residents recently became aware that the House of Representatives passed a bill for the state capital budget that includes $20 million either in loans or other funds for the Greenfield project. The bill is now being considered by the Senate Appropriations Committee. The language of the bill notes that capital projects in the category of redevelopment assistance projects by the Department of Community and Economic Development are authorized under the Housing and Redevelopment Assistance Law to be financed by the incurrence of debt. One of the projects listed was $20 million for “acquisition, construction, infrastructure, redevelopment and other related costs” for Valhalla Brandywine. The developer of Valhalla Brandywine said government funding for development projects is standard practice and part of a stimulus movement that will allow his project to create more than 1,200 jobs.
Source: Daily Local; 8/6/10
Kennett Square voted one of nation’s ‘coolest’ towns
Kennett Square Borough has been named one of America’s coolest small towns for 2010. The September issue of Budget Travel includes Chester County’s Kennett Square on its annual Top 10 list. The brief write-up talks up the town’s homey, tradition-friendly image, with mentions of Sinclair’s Sunrise Cafe & Tea Room; Burton’s Barber Shop, family-owned for 118 years; the “quirky” Mushroom Cap gift shop; and fine dining at Talula’s Table. In April, the Inquirer reported that Mayor Matt Fetick, encouraged by a No. 21 ranking last year, supported a vote drive that included a link to ballots from the borough’s website. Only towns with 10,000 or fewer residents are eligible.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 9/8/10
Birmingham tables sign ordinance
Birmingham Township supervisors decided to send their amended sign ordinance back to the Planning Commission for further revisions to regulations for temporary business signs. The Suburban REALTORS Alliance will submit a letter encouraging the reconsideration of the township’s permitting process for open house directional signs. Please contact the Suburban Realtors Alliance at esmist@suburbanrealtorsalliance.com with any questions or comments relating to this issue.
New plans for Exton Park call for multi-use fields and trails
West Whiteland Township is developing plans for temporary multi-use athletic fields and mowed perimeter trails at Exton Park. The township and Chester County acquired the 701 acre park from Church Farm School in 1995. The township‘s portion of the future park is loosely south of Swedesford Road and the county‘s portion for the most part is north of Swedesford Road. The park extends from Ship Road in the west to Church Farm Lane and Valley Creek Boulevard in the east. The southern border is the Chester Valley Trail and the northern border is halfway between Old Valley Road and Valley Hill Road. Some facilities will be shared between the township and county.
Source: Daily Local; 9/3/10
West Chester Borough trumpets new parking
Borough Council members, the mayor and other local officials attended the opening of the Chestnut Street Garage, a 689-space, $12.2 million parking facility at the corner of East Chestnut and North Walnut streets. The facility, they said, will improve life in downtown West Chester by relieving the borough’s notorious parking congestion. The Chestnut Street Garage replaces the Mosteller Garage, a 414-space parking facility built on the site in 1973 that remained standing until summer 2009. Borough Council then decided to replace the garage rather than spending several million dollars on a renovation that officials said might only have prolonged the garage’s life for 10 years.
Source: Daily Times; 9/8/10
