Impasse

The West Marlborough Township Zoning Hearing Board gathered at the township hall on Tuesday, Jan. 24, but it wasn't a very long meeting. The township's attorney, the Whip Tavern's attorney and the attorney for some aggrieved Springdell neighbors agreed to postpone the hearing for 90 days so that the parties have more time to try to reach an agreement.
"All counsel are in agreement," said the township's attorney, Dwight Yoder, "which might be a first for this matter."
This is the latest chapter in a long-running and complicated disagreement involving the Whip, which attracts a big crowd and, the neighbors say, diminishes their quality of life by producing parking issues, littering, noise and so forth. Most recently the neighbors appealed the township's ruling that the Whip could use the house next door, which it owns, for business purposes. The Zoning Board ruled in the neighbors' favor, and the Whip is now appealing that ruling to Chester County Court of Common Pleas. The Whip also has asked the township to amend its zoning rules to give the Whip more flexibility to provide parking for its patrons.
The new hearing before the Zoning Hearing Board is set for April 18 at 7 p.m.