WEBSITE :::
http://abington.org/OYRresults.htm the full study -
Chapter 4 is most relevant & if you
only look at one page make it page 163 or 164 to get a flavor of
this "vision"
11-5-09 The expected final Old York Rd Corridor
presentation took place. Residents stood up to talk about the
fact that so few knew or understood what was going on with this
project. ( Rep Shapiro mentioned the many ways that this
was "advertized" - and they did do a great job of that .
Newspapers, Public Channel etc etc But few knew WHY it was
important to come and there were also attempts by
Commissioners and others to put aside efforts to gather open
talk sessions that would allow free discussion of these
important issues. Resident meetings were NOT facilitated - free,
open to all and open formatted meetings - despite
their being requested. Each neighborhood should/could have
had gatherings to create awareness. The long range
implications of this "vision" are likely to alter the nature of
our township entirely --- and zoning rewrites to accommodate
this "vision" are under discussion in separate sessions.
Some attendees talked about the traffic, others about the
multi story story parking garages, still others about the
overdevelopment and that this was NOT a vision that they
liked. The five story building allowances ( where 1 or 2
story now are ) were discussed as well as the fact that this
"vision" allows changes to begin without developers
assisting in the infrastructure changes required.
The removal of parking in favor of adding parking garages
was objected to and the fact that over-development will of
necessity require many outsiders to keep these stores afloat -
and that they will compete with our mall and our existing
stores. Boutiques stores were mentioned as desired - not big
stores as seem to be "envisioned " .
A business woman and her husband spoke in favor of
it and many spoke about aspects of it they liked and the
fact that the big name stores also could provide smaller
"boutiques" . One resident spoke in favor of the expansion of the train
system and the need for more parking and that she thought
a hotel might be nice because she had nowhere to put those
that visited . A conference center might be nice for Penn State
and others. Of note : the hotels in Fort Washington
15 min away have an overabundance of rooms and we will be
drawing business from them as well as needing to draw traffic to
our roads to fill one here. Information was also shared about
a group that is trying to get the "up-line" stations
developed by Septa so train riders do not have to travel by car
to our stations and
then use up our local residents' parking spaces- which
would free our roads from traffic at the same time.
Rep. Shapiro said that the comments were being noted and would
be responded to.
It is wished by many of us that these comments would be
incorporated
into the plan which would be "tweaked" .But no clear
summary of the comments was made with concurrence by those
present. And the comments, as they came, would require a lot
more than just a "tweaking" . Overwhelmingly people seem, for
instance, not to like parking garages in our "suburban
setting " --yet they were built into the plan anyway
- never removed and I doubt that they will be after
this tweaking . That is the part that residents find perennially
discouraging. ( See a plan anywhere for the 10 million that is
coming in to support a movie theater....????? )
Rep. Shapiro convincingly told us the process is still on
going - though this meeting had been touted as the FINAL
meeting with residents. He said he will circulate a new
report once the comments have been incorporated .
After the "tweaking, it may be
presented for approval - the exact process or time frame has not yet been
announced that I know of .
________________
11-2-09
The 3rd &
expected to be " final" meeting is Nov 5th ,2009
We DO
need revitalization. That is not what I believe this to be.
Please look at the Corridor
Plan yourself - I believe the density it encourages, the
increase of commercial over residential, the addition of
non-owner occupied units and the complete disregard to what this
kind of a plan would do to traffic on an already congested
corridor is an outrageous affront to what we all hope for our
township. This is not revitalization - this is over-development
that will affect every one of us .
A letter to
Representative Shapiro
Dear Josh
As you, I am sure, know I am dismayed and
horrified to see how the Old York Rd Corridor Study is being
handled. Not one ounce of the real impact of this document and
these plans on the residents of Abington has been offered to
them . Hours of glitzy presentations fail to tell them what
the incredible traffic impact of such a "vision" will be - what
the increased commercial presence will mean and how the
residential density is being allowed to be multiplied. They do
not realize how the synergy between this plan , our
Comprehensive Plan, and our current Zoning rewrites will impact
the community. In essence you are taking a suburban community
and incorporating, one after another, urban elements under the
guise of pedestrian-friendly zones and re-vitalization.
I urge
that you contact me to discuss how the residents might be
afforded a real view of the actual elements of this plan that
speak to the issues such as I have mentioned above. While your
view of this and mine differ - I request that I be allowed to
address more than one question to the group on November 5th so
they may have a real understanding of a residents view of what
is in this document
As I think you are well aware, there are very few
residents who have read any substantial portion of this document
at all - and virtually none who have attended the working
meetings . Although you have publicized this meeting openly -
the 300-500 residents that have participated represent only a
tiny fraction of the township and do not represent the voice of
the community .
The vast
majority are unaware of the meetings that are taking place or of
the significance of what is being discussed in these meetings.
It is important that they have details summarized FOR them. I
would appreciate an opportunity to help do that .
Sincerely,
Lora Lehmann
______________________
8-09
Holy Smokes -
see Zoning
Rewrites for an update of what this supposed revitalization
has become ...
"Revitalization" ----or "Commercial Increase "
5-09
Overview -
A revitalization of the Rt 611 Corridor is underway .
Multiple townships are involved and improvements are
planned for the Economic Development, Land Use,
Traffic/Transportation, and Beautification of the corridor.
In Abington the area is 2.6 miles of Old York Road from Rydal
Road to Moreland Road.
In March 08
both a Town Hall Meeting at Abington High School and an Open
House were held to show off some of the preliminary studies
done. Several Meetings were held since then . The
consulting team doing the work is
from McCormick Taylor. The
Delaware Valley
Regional Planning Commission is being kept apprised of
what is going on so that there is some coordination with their
multi-municipal study.
Abington Commissioners received a summary of the plans in Dec 08
and again May 09 .
THE
OFFICIAL SITE
For complete info & to add your input go to
http://www.oldyorkroad.net
Beware - in the past they then printed your input with your name
etc on the net. I, personally, think input should be
posted - but your name held private.
