Georgie Hannum Stapleton's heirs can build a driveway steeper than the township zoning code allows, the West Marlborough Zoning Hearing Board ruled on March 1.
The estate owns a 31.7-acre property in Newlin Township. It is landlocked, but there are two right-of-ways for a driveway leading out onto Apple Grove Road in West Marlborough.
The board decided that although the zoning code calls for a maximum grade of 8 percent, part of the driveway can have a 16 percent slope. However, for the first 50 feet back from Apple Grove Road the slope cannot exceed 4 percent, and from 50 to 100 feet the slope cannot exceed 8 percent.
James Fritsch, the engineer representing the estate, said the choice was made to situate the driveway on the eastern right-of-way (between the Berman and the Rothman properties) because it would involve less earthmoving and tree removal than the western one (between the Berman and the Corkran properties) and would give driveway users better sight distance when entering Apple Grove Road. The proposed driveway will enter the north side of Apple Grove Road east of Tapeworm Road.
Mr. Fritsch said that if the board didn't approve the variance and the owners had to comply with the 8 percent maximum slope, retaining walls up to 23 feet high might need to be installed on both sides of the driveway.
Mr. Fritsch noted that West Marlborough's slope limits are stricter than those of other townships: West Bradford allows 16 percent; Penn, London Grove, East Marlborough and East Fallowfield allow 15 percent; Highland allows 10 percent; Newlin does not specify a maximum.
For comparison, Joseph Huston, a member of the zoning board and an avid bicyclist, provided the slopes of township roads he rides regularly: Rosenvick Road, he said, has an 18 percent slope at its steepest, and Greenlawn Road runs from 11 to 16 percent.
The members of the zoning board asked Mr. Fritsch how stormwater runoff would be handled, and he said although the system hasn't been designed yet, the owners would comply with all zoning regulations to make sure that the runoff would have no impact on neighbors. He said the driveway will be paved.
Voting to grant the variance were all four zoning board members present: Joseph Huston, Elizabeth "Baz" Powell, Tom Best, and chairman Clayton Bright. In the audience were Apple Grove Road residents Joe Cassidy, Leslie Berman, and Terry Corkran (with her attorney), as well as Jock Hannum and three of Georgie Stapleton's children.
Thursday, March 1, 2018
Monday, February 26, 2018
LONGWOOD: Summer shows
While strolling past the amphitheater on a visit to Longwood Gardens this past damp weekend, we wondered what productions were scheduled for the venue this summer. I did a quick online search and learned that The Savoy Company of Philadelphia will present Gilbert & Sullivan's "Iolanthe; or, The Peer and the Peri" on June 8 and 9. And the Brandywiners Ltd. will put on the classic musical "The Music Man" on July 26, 27, and 28 and August 2, 3, and 4.
Speaking of Longwood, don't miss the Orchid Extravaganza, which runs through March 25. And remember to look up: the spectacular hanging baskets in the conservatory resemble Orchid Planets.
Speaking of Longwood, don't miss the Orchid Extravaganza, which runs through March 25. And remember to look up: the spectacular hanging baskets in the conservatory resemble Orchid Planets.
UHS: Kids these days!
Jean Twenge has written a book called "iGen" about today's teenagers and how their online existence has made them into a distinctive population. The subtitle reads: "Why today's super-connected kids are growing up less rebellious, more tolerant, less happy, and completely unprepared for adulthood, and what that means for the rest of us."
The Wellness Committee of the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District thinks the topic is so relevant that they're hosting a community book discussion about it at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 7, in the UHS cafeteria. The author herself, a psychology professor at San Diego State University, will give a presentation at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 12, in the UHS auditorium.
A previous book of hers covers similar ground: "Generation Me: Why Today's Young Americans Are More Confident, Assertive, Entitled -- and More Miserable Than Ever Before."
The Wellness Committee of the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District thinks the topic is so relevant that they're hosting a community book discussion about it at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 7, in the UHS cafeteria. The author herself, a psychology professor at San Diego State University, will give a presentation at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 12, in the UHS auditorium.
A previous book of hers covers similar ground: "Generation Me: Why Today's Young Americans Are More Confident, Assertive, Entitled -- and More Miserable Than Ever Before."
Sunday, February 25, 2018
EMPTY BOWLS: A signature fundraiser
The Empty Bowls fundraiser for Kennett Area Community Service, this year held on Feb. 22, has become a fixture on the winter calendar for lots of folks. The event is so popular that they hold both a luncheon and a dinner on the same day.
At the luncheon, the packed Red Clay Room was abuzz with conversations among friends and networking chats among business acquaintances. I stopped by the Kennett Library table and got to catch up with new library director Megan Walters, Jeff and Carol Yetter (Jeff serves on the board of both KACS and the library), Milly Caez (technical services and development assistant), Filomena Elliott (adult literacy program director) and Lupe Ruiz (literacy program assistant). I spotted Tom Swett, who heads the library's board of trustees, but didn't get a chance to chat him; he was busy working the room as only he can.
The emcee had an awful time trying to get people to quiet down so he could start the program. Finally, when the softer-spoken Barbara Larsen, president of the KACS Board of Directors, took the microphone, guests belatedly realized that something was going on and settled down. She explained the significance of the handmade bowls that guests got to take home: she said she hoped they would remind us that hunger does exist even in the midst of our prosperous area.Pastor Doug Stirling offered up a prayer, we ate a simple lunch (soup, a salad, a roll and cookies), and then executive director Melanie Weiler gave a talk about the KACS programs. She explained how the Kennett Square area's popularity has led to gentrification and soaring housing costs, which pinches families who live on moderate or fixed incomes. Some families they see are paying 50% to 70% of their income for housing, she said. Homelessness in our area has increased drastically, so much so that for a period of time KACS had a waiting list for its services. Food insecurity, she said, is a symptom of this underlying problem.
Melanie showed a video about the KACS Christmas basket program and, without missing a beat, demonstrated that she has the flexibility needed for a social services professional: the laptop wasn't connecting to the speakers, so she simply held the live microphone next to the computer. Worked perfectly.
At the luncheon, the packed Red Clay Room was abuzz with conversations among friends and networking chats among business acquaintances. I stopped by the Kennett Library table and got to catch up with new library director Megan Walters, Jeff and Carol Yetter (Jeff serves on the board of both KACS and the library), Milly Caez (technical services and development assistant), Filomena Elliott (adult literacy program director) and Lupe Ruiz (literacy program assistant). I spotted Tom Swett, who heads the library's board of trustees, but didn't get a chance to chat him; he was busy working the room as only he can.
The emcee had an awful time trying to get people to quiet down so he could start the program. Finally, when the softer-spoken Barbara Larsen, president of the KACS Board of Directors, took the microphone, guests belatedly realized that something was going on and settled down. She explained the significance of the handmade bowls that guests got to take home: she said she hoped they would remind us that hunger does exist even in the midst of our prosperous area.Pastor Doug Stirling offered up a prayer, we ate a simple lunch (soup, a salad, a roll and cookies), and then executive director Melanie Weiler gave a talk about the KACS programs. She explained how the Kennett Square area's popularity has led to gentrification and soaring housing costs, which pinches families who live on moderate or fixed incomes. Some families they see are paying 50% to 70% of their income for housing, she said. Homelessness in our area has increased drastically, so much so that for a period of time KACS had a waiting list for its services. Food insecurity, she said, is a symptom of this underlying problem.
Melanie showed a video about the KACS Christmas basket program and, without missing a beat, demonstrated that she has the flexibility needed for a social services professional: the laptop wasn't connecting to the speakers, so she simply held the live microphone next to the computer. Worked perfectly.
JOSEPH A. BANK: A functional wardrobe
My dear partner has gradually come to the realization that his decades-old weddings-and-funerals suit just doesn't cut it anymore, so on Saturday afternoon we headed to Joseph A. Bank, the men's clothing store on Route 1.
He is a reluctant shopper, to put it mildly, far more comfortable in jeans, sneakers and a sweatshirt, and just wanted to get it over with.
Albert Bove, the patient, kind and low-key salesman, clearly had long experience with men of his type and knew exactly how to handle him. Al did a great job finding him not only a perfect dark-blue suit but also two shirts, two ties and even (this was completely unexpected) a very handsome pair of shoes. Al marked up the suit for tailoring and went to extra effort ordering the correctly fitting shoes.
We were out of there in an hour and a half.
I so wish there were a women's clothing store like Joseph A. Bank, where you can buy your entire wardrobe all at once. They sell everything from socks, shoes and pocket squares, to polo shirts, jeans, and shorts, all the way up to courtroom-worthy business suits.
He is a reluctant shopper, to put it mildly, far more comfortable in jeans, sneakers and a sweatshirt, and just wanted to get it over with.
Albert Bove, the patient, kind and low-key salesman, clearly had long experience with men of his type and knew exactly how to handle him. Al did a great job finding him not only a perfect dark-blue suit but also two shirts, two ties and even (this was completely unexpected) a very handsome pair of shoes. Al marked up the suit for tailoring and went to extra effort ordering the correctly fitting shoes.
We were out of there in an hour and a half.
I so wish there were a women's clothing store like Joseph A. Bank, where you can buy your entire wardrobe all at once. They sell everything from socks, shoes and pocket squares, to polo shirts, jeans, and shorts, all the way up to courtroom-worthy business suits.
SPRING: A break from winter
The one day of warm weather -- it was pushing 70 degrees on Feb. 21 -- gave us such a wonderful taste of spring. I heard pond peepers for the first time!
My snowdrops are in bloom and my hellebores are showing signs of imminent flowering. A Unionville friend tells me her aconites are in bloom. There are no signs of daffodils yet in my garden, but the daylilies on the sun-warmed bank just up the road are already about two inches high. The willow and forsythia branches are showing just the barest hint of yellow, an unmistakeable sign that spring is on its way.
While inspecting the garden on that gloriously warm Wednesday I was tempted to do some cleanup, but decided the bulbs probably would benefit from the blanket of leaves and pine needles for another few weeks.
My snowdrops are in bloom and my hellebores are showing signs of imminent flowering. A Unionville friend tells me her aconites are in bloom. There are no signs of daffodils yet in my garden, but the daylilies on the sun-warmed bank just up the road are already about two inches high. The willow and forsythia branches are showing just the barest hint of yellow, an unmistakeable sign that spring is on its way.
While inspecting the garden on that gloriously warm Wednesday I was tempted to do some cleanup, but decided the bulbs probably would benefit from the blanket of leaves and pine needles for another few weeks.
KENNETT: Multimedia at Liberty Place
What a lively time we had on Saturday night at the Market at Liberty Place! We went to have dinner at the food court and to hear the local trio "Green Eggs and Jam."
Lots of other people had the same idea, including a bunch of young families. While the adorable kids ran around -- there was plenty of room for them to do so -- the parents kept an eye on them and got to socialize over glasses of beer or wine from Paradocx Vineyards. We had a tasty dinner at Kaboburritos, the Mexican/Mediterranean place, and then ice cream from Dylan's Desserts.
While all this was going on, the Olympic Games were being shown on TV with the sound muted, and it was the Sweden-versus-Korea women's curling competition. I had never seen the sport of curling before. It's like a giant version of marbles, played on ice. I was fascinated and peppered my patient companion with questions: What is the person who launches the curling stone called? How heavy is the stone? Do the sweepers wear skates?
Lots of other people had the same idea, including a bunch of young families. While the adorable kids ran around -- there was plenty of room for them to do so -- the parents kept an eye on them and got to socialize over glasses of beer or wine from Paradocx Vineyards. We had a tasty dinner at Kaboburritos, the Mexican/Mediterranean place, and then ice cream from Dylan's Desserts.
While all this was going on, the Olympic Games were being shown on TV with the sound muted, and it was the Sweden-versus-Korea women's curling competition. I had never seen the sport of curling before. It's like a giant version of marbles, played on ice. I was fascinated and peppered my patient companion with questions: What is the person who launches the curling stone called? How heavy is the stone? Do the sweepers wear skates?
UHS: The book sale
Each year when I go to the used book sale at UHS, I try to find the most unusual book to highlight here in this column. This year it was an easy choice: an atlas of "Nephrons and Kidneys" that was the size of a coffee-table book. It was previously owned by a Havertown man, based on the name and address inside the front cover.
This year, in a very helpful strategy, the volunteers (the sale is run by the PTO) grouped the bestsellers so you could either browse through them or avoid them: there was a sea of paperbacks by Jodi Picoult, Nora Roberts and John Grisham and about a dozen copies of "Eat, Pray, Love," "The Kite Runner" and "Memoirs of a Geisha."
There was also a table of "popular culture" books. Browsing through a book of Beatles lyrics I learned that I've been wrong for decades about "Across the Universe": it's "nothing's gonna change my world," not "chain my world."
I'm not sure who donated all the pre-press review copies of fiction books, but there seemed to be tons of them this year.
I overheard a worried-looking mother and her son looking through the SAT prep books; the mother was concerned that a 2010 book might not still be useful.
For $20, I went home with a bag full of not only books but DVDs, including "The Sound of Music." At the same time as the book sale, a used sports equipment sale was going on in the smaller gymnasium, so people were walking around carrying helmets and baseball bats. One older woman bought a vintage wooden Davis tennis racquet, still in its original press.
This year, in a very helpful strategy, the volunteers (the sale is run by the PTO) grouped the bestsellers so you could either browse through them or avoid them: there was a sea of paperbacks by Jodi Picoult, Nora Roberts and John Grisham and about a dozen copies of "Eat, Pray, Love," "The Kite Runner" and "Memoirs of a Geisha."
There was also a table of "popular culture" books. Browsing through a book of Beatles lyrics I learned that I've been wrong for decades about "Across the Universe": it's "nothing's gonna change my world," not "chain my world."
I'm not sure who donated all the pre-press review copies of fiction books, but there seemed to be tons of them this year.
I overheard a worried-looking mother and her son looking through the SAT prep books; the mother was concerned that a 2010 book might not still be useful.
For $20, I went home with a bag full of not only books but DVDs, including "The Sound of Music." At the same time as the book sale, a used sports equipment sale was going on in the smaller gymnasium, so people were walking around carrying helmets and baseball bats. One older woman bought a vintage wooden Davis tennis racquet, still in its original press.
UNIONVILLE: A rehab project
You've probably noticed that the ranch-style house at the Unionville roundabout is being extensively rehabbed. They've also cleaned up the long-neglected yard and taken down lots of bamboo. There's still a dumpster sitting in the driveway. A "for sale" sign went up this week. I looked online to find out details about the place but it is not yet listed.
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