February 21, 2008 Issue
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Classified Chestnut Hill Local Don't Miss an Issue, Tell us what you see or Winner of Two |
From our readersNeighbors opposed to building plans How could Sanjiv Jain not know that there is strong opposition from the abutting neighbors to his request for multiple variances from the zoning code? Sandy Glendinning, Bruce Glendinning, Ellen Glendinning Fernley, David O’Neil and I had an in-depth meeting with Rachael Williams on Nov. 13. We were very clear that our objections were based on zoning issues and had nothing to do with the use of a Play Café (although we were confused as to why a children’s play area required a liquor license). This meeting was followed up with a letter to Larry McEwen, which should be in the LUPZ file. The variances he is requesting include extending the ground coverage from 75 percent to 100 percent, eliminating ground floor setbacks, raising the height limitation to four stories and changing use of upper floors from residential use only to commercial use. Zoning variances are granted to petitioners who can show hardship to the land. There is no hardship here. This is for economic gain. Let’s think this through. If Sanjiv were able to obtain the necessary variances for 8524 Germantown Ave., this would establish precedent, and everyone requesting variances in the future would use this for their basis. This is a repeat of 2006. He was exploring the possibility of obtaining a liquor license to turn 8526 Germantown Ave. into a late-night club. In neither instance did he contact the owners of 14 W. Evergreen Ave. or Prudential Fox & Roach, which is required. I have been reviewing the 2000 edition of the “Germantown Avenue Guidelines” which recommends against everything that is being requested. Susie O’Neil, Realtor
Through the looking glass Lou Aiello’s vigorous defense of Mary Anna Ross Cowper [… right to want more Hill coverage,” Feb. 14] was interesting in so many ways. His Valentine mentioned her name at least six times regarding what she “wrote,” what she “wanted and wished” — so many wishes — and credited her with both the authorship of the letter to the editor on Jan. 31 and as a publisher of the paper. Curiouser and curiouser was his failure to note that he was the second “author” of that self-same January letter. Maybe Mary Anna took her lumps from the readers because of the frequency of her oft-told complaints about the Local. Maybe the fact that a motion proposed by a former board and Oversight Committee member was approved — requiring written reports on the meetings of each and every one of the 36 committees — and maybe that’s just not working all that well. Assuming that perhaps half of those 36 committees meet every month, and that there is the expectation that those “buckets of work hours”” deserve and require appreciation and attention in the pages of the Local, who will find the ways to pay the staff? The facts are: • the editor attends every Board and Executive Committee meeting and provides both news and interviews; • the Local provides half of page 2 for news about the CHCA as well as the weekly announcements of all meetings and agendas; • the editorials, opinion pieces and letters to the editor are predominantly about the “community of Chestnut Hill;” • news about schools, sports, the hospital, the businesses on Germantown Avenue, issues of traffic and transportation and the effects of street construction fill the pages; • the fund-raising events for the CHCA receive free publicity from the many locally written articles, and the ads are free. While Aiello invokes “the many folks within the community” who yearn for more and more than that, I’ll match him, one for one, with “Real Hillers” who could not possibly care less about the CHCA. Oh. Wait. That’s how I got in hot water back in the summer of 2005! Martha Haley
Skeptic of co-op expansion It is very puzzling that Weavers Way is eroding its cooperative principles at the very time it seeks to expand its cooperative model. For one, the co-op is undertaking the operation of a grocery store in Ogontz, but there has been no indication that there will be anything cooperative about it. And, as a longtime member and participant in the Weavers Way environment committee, I question the wisdom of the plan to write committees out of the bylaws and bestow impermanence upon them. Democracy is a messy business and doubly so in a business environment. I fear that the co-op’s talented, engaging and ambitious general manager, Glenn Bergman, has tired of working for and being accountable to every co-op member, much like an elected official is accountable to a constituency. And perhaps he is tired of the beastly task of managing a workforce of many hundreds, a consequence of the requirement that each member household put in a certain number of work hours a year. If the co-op opens a store in Chestnut Hill, it will join many purveyors of fresh, healthy and delicious food already here — Top of the Hill Market, cheese, bread and specialty shops on the avenue, the farmers market, the fine Superfresh supermarket and the outdoor growers market. A re-invigorated Caruso’s promises yet even more choices. What makes the co-op innovative and inspired is the cooperative effort of the co-op’s paid staff and its working, involved members. If the co-op tampers with the formula for its success it will, I believe, literally get eaten by its very worthy competition in Chestnut Hill and jeopardize its Mt. Airy base. That’s not the way I would like to see Weavers go. Brian Rudnick
Wrong guy I really appreciate your cover story on our middle school squash team winning the national championship [“GFS wins national crown in boys middle school squash,” Feb. 7], but I must correct a serious error in the story. I did not play the “decisive match.” Our team captain, number one player and awesome squash player, Sam Conant, did. Sam has led us through the season and through our undefeated streak at the national championship, winning all his matches handily, including winning over a very talented Brunswick number one player in three straight games to clinch the title for us in the finals. David Sneed
Construction coverage Thanks to the Chestnut Hill Local for your continuing coverage of the construction and related problems along Germantown Avenue. Your photo highlighting trash collection issues outside the Trolley Car Diner in the Feb. 14 edition showed business leaders along with Cindy Bass. But the caption failed to identify her as senior policy advisor representing Congressman Chaka Fattah on this matter. Cindy Bass, on behalf of the Congressman, continues to work on remedies that support the twin goals of maintaining and preserving Germantown Avenue businesses while supporting needed infrastructure development. Ron Goldwyn
Praise for Gilmore Mr. Gilmore, Every time I read your column I want to write and say how much I enjoyed doing so. So here I am doing that and want to especially commend you on “Lifting the Veil Behind the Writers’ Strike” [Jan. 10]. Jane Duffin
I always enjoy reading your column in the online version of the Chestnut Hill Local — I love reading about books. Thank you for mentioning the Free Library in your column, “How to get books cheaply and easily, even for free” [Feb. 7]. I did want to point out that anyone can browse the Free Library’s online catalog (http://know.freelibrary.org) without having to log in, and we do get many catalog users from outside the city who are likely not cardholders. One does, however, need a library card number and PIN in order to put books on hold, and to check them out. Thank you again for your very insightful writing, and good luck with your novel! Carolyn Polgardy
A lesson in kindness Last week I had to pick up a prescription at my doctor’s office, located in Chestnut Hill Hospital. I had my six-year-old son with me, and we decided to have lunch in the hospital’s cafeteria — which, by the way, has pretty good and pretty cheap food. When I handed the cashier my Visa card, she said that they only take cash, and that the only ATM is located in the hospital’s lobby — a relatively long walk from the cafeteria. There were no signs anywhere in the cafeteria that mentioned “cash only.” The bill was over $9 and I only had $5 in cash. Since my son was with me and hungry, and we had chosen hot food to eat in the cafeteria, I asked the cashier if I could give her my $5 and come back with the rest, but she said no. Just then, a very generous and kind woman appeared and handed me $5. When I refused, she said, “You have a child with you — take it.” I told her I’d get him settled with his lunch and run up to the ATM to pay her back, which she also refused, saying I wouldn’t be able to find her. I asked if she worked at the hospital and she said no, she was visiting her father who was a patient. I again tried to refuse the money or offer to pay her back and she held her ground, saying, “Let’s not make Christmas the only time we do random acts of kindness. I’ll do this for you, and you go buy a Starbucks or something for someone.” So, thank you, whoever you were ... let’s all take this lesson to heart! Jessica Baskin Taylor
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