November 20, 2008 Issue                                       

©2007 The Chestnut Hill Local

Open house to plan Hill’s future
By PAM LEARNED

As much as I mourn the loss of a great Germantown Avenue business like Magarity Ford, I welcome the opportunity for us to affirm and update our vision for Chestnut Hill.

Rarely do fully built communities like ours have the opportunity to shape change. This 1.7-acre facility offers many options for economic development.

To see what some already envision, please come to an Open House this Thursday, Nov. 20, at the Chestnut Hill Library for an update of the ongoing regional study of Chestnut Hill, Springfield and Mt. Airy. 

At the open house, you can view proposed improvements to our region and talk with neighbors about what you — individually and collectively — might do next.

Do we want a movie theater at the old Magarity site? Outdoor dining? How high might a new building be built? Should we recommend to the city rezoning along the corridor that better allows for mixed-use buildings?

The first thing to understand about today’s development plans is that government incentives for economic development are given to the groups with the best plans coupled with compelling proof of wide-spread support.  We can use this study to build alliances within our community and chart a course that will engage our community organizations as equal beneficiaries.

The Chestnut Hill Community Association is blessed with volunteers who are professionals in business, architecture, transportation, urban planning, and community development. Let’s put our heads together to make good things happen with this changeover!

As this plan enters its second phase, we have a great opportunity to chart Chestnut Hill’s future:

 Chestnut Hill West Train Station. Can we improve the Chestnut Hill West train station?

• Who might lead an effort to engage the business district, SEPTA, community leaders, and  area employers to refine our vision?

 Magarity Ford. Do we want a multi-use retail, restaurant, and residential building at the 1.7 acre corner where Magarity Ford is now up for sale?

• Should it have sidewalk dining?

• What economic package can we assemble to attract the right developer?

Who is “we?”

 Update 1982 Planning Document. Can we integrate our vision of these key areas to apply traffic calming, aesthetics, and zoning in an update of the 1982 Land Use and Zoning Guidelines for Chestnut Hill?

• Should we assign this work to the DRC, and ask for recommendations from each of the committees that report to them?

If you would like to be part of shaping the future of Chestnut Hill, please come to the Open House Thursday. If you want be part of the group shaping these plans, please contact me, Pam Learned, with your area of interest. pamlearned@wordwork.com.

Learned is a Hilltop Road resident who  joined the CHCA Board of Directors in May 2008.