New Urbanism moves forward in PA community

Asmall traditional neighborhood development (TND) in Lower Moreland, Pennsylvania, that faced stiff public opposition over a two year period, moved forward when supervisors unanimously approved an amendment to the township’s zoning. The vote allows a TND-type project to be approved with a conditional use permit. The 101-unit project, Woodmont (see Jan/Feb 2002 issue), now has to gain approvals through this new zoning mechanism. This will allow Arcadia Land Company developer Joe Duckworth to build a model TND, one of the first in the Philadelphia area. The unanimous approval of the TND conditional use permit marks a significant change in attitude among township officials, notes Neil Payton of Torti Gallas & Partners/CHK, the planner. “It’s all due to Joe’s persistence,” Payton says. “He simply did not go away. And he answered their concerns every time he came back in front of the board.” chartering buses For a relatively small project, Duckworth made a substantial effort to persuade citizens and officials in this suburb that borders Philadelphia to the north. He organized and funded two excursions to Maryland, where residents and officials visited Kentlands, a well-known TND in Gaithersburg. He pointed out small lots, narrow streets, alleys, accessory apartments, shallow setbacks, neighborhood retail, a mix of housing types, an interconnected street network, and other TND elements that are scary and strange to many suburban citizens and officials. “Although not that many people went on the bus trips, those that did attend came to public meetings and spoke very positively about what they saw,” Payton says. TND still harder Although the conditional use mechanism is a big step forward for Woodmont, it still makes a TND harder than a conventional project and does not allow a very high level of density, mixture of uses, or urban intensity — certainly nothing along the lines of a town center or urban core. However, it will allow Duckworth to create a demonstration project that he can show to officials and real estate professionals, helping to pave the way for future projects in the area.