Radnor School District
 

I have been asked by many people about news articles regarding the Grade Changing Incident at the High School and I have been accused of releasing the information to the press.  I would like to address the second item first: I was made aware of the involvement of our Commissioner in this issue three months prior to the news articles being published and said nothing. In addition, I was not contacted by the press regarding the stories. I know nothing more than that which was published and, quite frankly this seems like a non-issue with regard to the Commissioner.  I do think that the Commissioner owes a full explanation of this incident to her Constituents.         
 

Intersection Improvements for Bryn Mawr
 

As a result of the expansion of Bryn Mawr Hospital there is an opportunity to improve the intersection at Bryn Mawr and County Line Roads. This intersection is often referred to as "Five Points" and has proven to be a nightmare for travelers and neighbors for years. The costs of the project will be born by the Hospital (paying half) and Radnor and Lower Merion together paying the balance.  Design details are being worked out particularly with respect to Glenbrook Avenue entrance and the businesses located there. See News Article for further information
 

Open Space Issues
 

Here in the 5th Ward the most pressing open space issue is the potential sale and development of the American College Property. In the hopes of raising money, American College in Bryn Mawr is selling to Akiba Academy. The sprawling 35-acre campus comprises of several buildings on rolling hills on Bryn Mawr Avenue in the Bryn Mawr section of Radnor Township. This is a fairly good outcome, especially when you compare this to the original plan to sell to a developer who wished to build condos.
 

Background Information

The property is part of a special zoning district called a Planned Institutional District. Radnor Township's zoning codes allows for colleges, schools, churches and other types of institutions as permitted uses. The only homes that are currently permitted are ones that are built for the institution in which they serve. This is not the only open space issue/development affecting our neighborhood.  In addition to potential development of American College we have the construction on five townhouses on Moore Avenue.  Although not in Radnor Township, the redevelopment efforts underway at Bryn Mawr Hospital will also materially affect our Ward.

 The property is currently zoned as Planned Institution and as such would most likely require rezoning in order for any development to take place.  Section 280-67 of the Radnor Zoning Code states that:

A. Planned Institutional Districts are designed to provide for the special needs of regionally oriented institutional uses. Among other things, Planned Institutional Districts are intended to:

(1) Preserve the open character of large areas of the Township which are now dominated by or are peculiarly suited to institutional and quasi-public uses.

(2) Encourage a harmonious pattern of institutional development which can mutually benefit the Township, the immediate neighbors of the institutions and the institutions themselves.
B. In Planned Institutional Districts, the regulations contained in this article shall apply. In order to encourage the development of institutional uses in accordance with approved standards which protect the adjacent noninstitutional uses from adverse impacts, the following regulations shall apply.

280-68. Use regulations. [Amended 9-22-1997 by Ord. No. 97-26]

A building or combination of buildings may be erected or used and a lot may be principally used or occupied for any one of the following purposes:
A. College, private or parochial elementary or secondary school or other educational institution for academic instruction, convent, monastery, church or similar religious institution, student infirmary, including rectory or parish house, provided that a rectory or parish house contains not more than one dwelling unit, not to include a business or trade school, dance studio or similar use.
B. Any institutional use similar to a use specifically permitted above, such as a museum or an institution or home for children, the aged, the indigent or the handicapped, medical or health center, convalescent home, nursing home or similar health facility, when authorized as a special exception by the Zoning Hearing Board, subject to the general standards prescribed in § 280-145.
C. Accessory use on the same lot with and customarily incidental to the foregoing permitted uses

The Radnor Comprehensive Plan update contains the following recommendation

As stated in the 1988 Plan, modify the Zoning Ordinance for Institutional Districts so that if institutional use ceases, the area affected should be rezoned for residential use in accordance with the Goals, Objectives, and Recommended Actions of this Comprehensive Plan; special attention should be given to provision of assisted living and other senior-related housing. (page 8-12)

The Radnor Codebook is available online at the Radnor website.

See Press Stories for further information