Why the Preservation Plan in Marple?
To the Times:
Over the past few months, we have held numerous meetings with Township residents and community and civic groups to discuss the redevelopment of the Don Guanella property – in particular, our Preservation Plan, the Town Center at Marple Preserve.
From the very beginning, our goal has been to engage the community in a transparent process and present a financially sound plan, which preserves 95 percent of the existing open space while redeveloping the old Don Guanella village and a few adjoining acres. The result would be a public park and dynamic new town center concentrated on the front of the site along Sproul road.
The community appreciates that something will be built on this property. And because they care about the future of this important piece of land, the prospect of a development spread out over the entire site as permitted under the present zoning is unappealing. Sometimes called the “byright” plan, it would include as many as 228 homes; add kids to our schools; generate less tax; and preserve no public open space.
Input from the majority of residents we have spoken to is they are in favor of the Preservation Plan because of these benefits: it concentrates development on Sproul Road; preserves 95 percent of the site’s open space; creates athletic fields; and pays for it without a tax increase.
To date, no other proposal has been made that would preserve 166 acres of open space and importantly generate the funds to pay for it. If someone has another plan to pay for the open space, they should present it now.
In an era of greater demands on government and fewer resources for greenspace, the Town Center at Marple Preserve represents an innovative public private partnership under which private investment generates substantial new public infrastructure and the permanent protection of 166 acres of passive and active recreation space without a tax increase!
We appreciate the opportunity to earn your support and deliver a powerful source of good for this community. We encourage you contact us with any questions, sign our petition at www.marpletowncenter. com. And let your commissioners know you support the town center preservation plan. For your convenience, their contact information is below:
Ward 1: Joseph A. Rufo, jrufo@marpletwp.com, president
Ward 2: Robert Knapp, rknapp@marpletwp.com
Ward 3: Robert Fortebuono, rfortebuono@marpletwp.com
Ward 4: John J. Lucas, jlucas@marpletwp.com, vice president
Ward 5: John L. Longacre II, alongacre1@ netzero.net
Ward 6: Michael K. Molinaro, mmolinaro@marpletwp.com
Ward 7: Daniel D. Leefson, dleefson@marpletwp. com