Commissioners Grant Residents’ Request for More Time on City Avenue Rezoning Proposal

Lower Merion Township commissioners delayed a vote to schedule a public hearing and take action on the City Avenue rezoning proposal for a third time on Wednesday night, but agreed to hold a public hearing in July on establishing a traffic impact fee for the City Avenue Transportation Service Area.

The City Avenue rezoning district ordinance for a special meeting of the Building and Planning Committee of the Board of Commissioners, but when the public arrived at the meeting they were greeted by signs informing them that action was being postponed on when to hold a hearing on the matter.

Board of Commissioners President Liz Rogan said the matter was tabled because, “It was the request of the community to set up more public workshops, and that’s what we’re going to do.”

Rogan was referencing requests which were made by residents and civic association members who spoke last week at a June 8 Building and Planning Committee and asked the committee to table the issue until they had gathered more public input.

The City Avenue rezoning project would establish an ordinance which proposes changes in use along City Avenue in Bala Cynwyd, in an effort to increase commercial development. 

Although the City Avenue rezoning was taken off the agenda, members of the public still spoke about it during public comment that was held as part of the Board of Commissioners meeting last night, and commissioners discussed it for nearly an hour.

Commissioner Jenny Brown said she wanted to make sure the City Avenue rezoning would not be on the agenda again until the “groundwork has been done.”

“I think we need to give some people some idea of what the plan is.  … Make sure you’ve brought the community along before you bring it again before the board.”

In another matter that involves City Avenue but does not require rezoning, the Board of Commissioners voted 8-4 to hold a public hearing and adopt an ordinance amendment on July 27, in order to establish a development traffic impact fee for the City Avenue Transportation Service Area.

Commissioners Brian Gordon, Lewis Gould, Philip Rosenzweig and Brown cast the dissenting votes.

The traffic impact fee would be charged for any new development in the Transportation Service Area that generates additional traffic during the afternoon peak hour and the money would be used for off-site roadway improvements within the district. 

Before the vote, Gould proposed tabling the vote on the traffic impact fee until the City Avenue rezoning comes before the board, but that vote failed.

Township Checkbook Register Online

The board also approved, with an 8-4 vote, placing the township checkbook online with any confidential disbursements redacted.  The register will be available in a PDF and downloadable format.

Commissioners Daniel Bernheim, Richard Churchill, Rogan and Steven Lindner cast the dissenting votes.

At a June 2 Finance Committee meeting, several residents spoke in favor of putting the checkbook register online, saying that it would allow for transparency.  Only one resident spoke against it and questioned why residents needed to see what is in the checkbook.

Contract approved for library security system

The board voted 9-4 in favor of authorizing the township manager to enter into an agreement with Sentry Technology Corporation to furnish and install a Library Materials Security, Asset Management and Self Check Out System for the six Lower Merion libraries, at a cost of $668,420.

Commissioner George Manos arrived at the meeting late, in time to vote on the library issue, but was not present for the board’s other votes. 

Commissioner Jane Dellheim was absent from the meeting.  Commissioners Brown, Gould, Rosenzweig and Zelov voted against the proposal.

Before the vote, Zelov proposed an amendment to the motion, which failed.

Zelov suggesting that that the vote on approving a vendor include a requirement that the library system staffing level be reduced to two and a half library staff equivalents (which could refer several part-time library jobs that add up to the equivalent of one staff position) once the security system has been installed in all of the libraries. 

Zelov said it could be done without layoffs by eliminating the staff equivalents from the budget.

McGuire said he thought the new library security, asset management and self-checkout system would yield “significant productivity improvements” but he disagreed with Zelov’s amendment.

“Right now we are understaffed with our library system,” McGuire said, and that is with the largest library in the township, Ludington Library, being closed for renovations.