At their May 1 meeting the West Marlborough supervisors were quick to quash a rumor that reportedly was circulating around the township. No, the township is NOT recommending using eased land as a sorely-needed parking area for patrons of the Whip tavern in Springdell.
Any township regulations "are trumped by a conservation easement," said Supervisor Michael Ledyard, emphatically. "That's the whole sine qua non of a zoning easement." (My Latin professor would have approved of his pronunciation.)
The rumor being spread in local conservation circles was that the township was considering allowing parking on a piece of land adjoining the Whip even though it has a Brandywine Conservancy easement forbidding such use. The township has been working, so far unsuccessfully, with the Whip's owners and some disgruntled Springdell residents to resolve the parking problems, and the supervisors said they just received a zoning ordinance amendment submitted by the Whip's owners that deals with parking.
Doesn't the Brandywine Conservancy have a parking area, on eased land, for those who use the Laurals? Just asking...
ReplyDeleteJust for the record, it was Mrs. Ledgard who asked about the rumor.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I've heard, there were a few conservation-minded people at the meeting who were there just because they had been told this rumor and were concerned. I have a real good guess as to who started it and in what context, but it's just speculation.
ReplyDeletePS It's L-E-D-Y-A-R-D (just like the Supervisor), and I did raise the issue in the public comment portion of the meeting. Much better discussed in the open (with a civil tone, mind you) than whispered about amongst the ignorant. Further, a conservation easement can certainly allow for impervious surfaces. However, if a specific easement does not provide for impervious surfaces, a zoning ordinance cannot "trump" the easement. Is that clear enough, now?
ReplyDeleteSee you at the next meeting of the WMT! Let's hope everyone behaves like good neighbors.