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Politics & Government

Vote Delayed on Righters Ferry Road Development Settlement

Meanwhile, the Building & Planning Committee recommended a waiver of land development plan for BMW of the Main Line in Bala Cynwyd.

The Lower Merion Board of Commissioners Legal Affairs Committee on Wednesday night tabled a vote on a settlement agreement for an apartment development in Bala Cynwyd, while the Building & Planning Committee recommended a waiver of the land development plan for BMW of the Main Line in Bala Cynwyd.

The Legal Affairs Committee has been asked to consider whether to recommend that the full board approve a settlement agreement for development of 580 apartments at 600 Righters Ferry Rd. in Bala Cynwyd.  The site is waterfront property along the Schuylkill River, Township Solicitor Gilbert High said.

The Board of Commissioners already approved a conditional use to develop the apartments in the M Manufacturing District, subject to conditions of approval.

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The applicant, Kevin Kyle of Righters Ferry Associates, LP appealed the conditional use approval to the Count of Common Pleas and is seeking approval of the settlement agreement in order to develop five apartment buildings with one- and two-bedroom units.

The settlement plan agreement has not been agreed to by one of the neighbors, Bridgehead LP, although the township has heard what Bridgehead would like to see, High said. 

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Bridgehead and Footbridge LP, two companies neighboring the proposed development site, are not opposed to the development but argue that the proposed settlement agreement should not be approved because it contains zoning violations, said Fred Fromhold, the attorney representing the companies.

The Legal Affairs Committee voted to postpone its vote on the settlement agreement until the next committee meeting on Jan. 4.

BMW Dealership Waiver

The Building & Planning Committee voted unanimously to recommend that the full board approve a waiver of land development plan for BMW of the Main Line in Bala Cynwyd.

Only six commissioners were present for the vote, which took place about 12:30 a.m. after a five-hour public hearing and vote on rezoning City Avenue, and the Legal Affairs Committee meeting.  The commissioners present were President Liz Rogan, Philip Rosenzweig, Brian Gordon, Scott Zelov, George Manos and C. Brian McGuire.

The waiver of the land development plan is for moving the location of the a car wash which will be constructed and for adding a 225-square-foot addition to an existing building, said township Assistant Planning Director Chris Leswing.

The car wash will be used exclusively by the car dealership at 210 and 216 Bala Ave., Leswing said.

The Board of Commissioners approved the preliminary land development plan for the expansion of the dealership last month.

On Dec. 5, the Planning Commission recommended approval of the waiver of the land development plan subject to several conditions, some of which include:

  • The car wash shall not be open to the public.  It will be used exclusively by the dealership and shall be limited to the dealership’s hours of operation.
  • Concrete road control monuments, or other survey markers which are found to be acceptable by the township engineer, shall be installed at the right-of-way at the intersection of each property line and at all changes in direction.
  • The applicant shall plant the tree shown on the Bala Avenue Streetscape Improvement Plan and work with township staff to identify locations where three additional required shade trees will be planted on public land near the site.
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