That rythmic noise you heard in Ardmore last night? It was the sound of democracy breathing. You know that venerable institution, invented by the Greeks? You could see it and hear it on the second floor of the Township Building. The commissioners almost unanimously decided to delay voting on the new Lower Merion Zoning code. This was after they voted on July 31, over the objections of many in the room, to advertise that they would present the new code for a vote last night.
What a difference seven weeks makes.
Before the citizens had a chance lambaste their elected officials, Board President Dan Bernheim cooled their jets by announcing that he had a change of heart, and now favored holding off on taking the vote. Upon hearing that, some of the restless natives wore quizzical looks, and others mumbled to one another “what did he say?”
Isabel Melvin from Wynnewood lives next to St.Charles Seminary. She described a petition calling for delaying the adoption of the new code. Melvin claimed that her group, over a period of 10 days, collected 600 signatures. Among the requests that she made to the board were:
- Conducting a more thorough review of the draft code
- Educating the public about how the new code differs from the existing one
- Protecting the environment
- Protecting residents from negative consequences of activities occurring on institutional properties
- And as an interim measure, quickly amending the current code to lower the maximum height limit in Ardmore