THANK YOU for continuing to push back against the development of 222 Church Road. Almost 1,500 people have signed the petition. There are lawn signs on many streets. And the story has been featured in the Inquirer and WHYY. You can find those articles here: https://whyy.org/articles/cheltenham-housing-development-flood-plain-pushback/ and here: https://www.inquirer.com/real-estate/housing/elkins-park-new-houses-flooding-tree-cutting-suburban-philadelphia-development-20220419.html and here: https://www.inquirer.com/real-estate/housing/cheltenham-new-houses-tookany-creek-flooding-approval-20220421.html

On April 20, Cheltenham Township gave preliminary approval to the development by a vote of 5-2. Commissioners Ann Rappoport and Irv Brockington voted against the approval. You can find a video of the meeting here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_E7cxpID7g

While this decision is disappointing, the fight is NOT OVER! If you have a lawn sign, please keep it on the ground! If you don't, please consider ordering one. Most of all, please continue to voice your concerns to the commissioners. You can find their email addresses and phone numbers on the Save 222 Church website: https://www.save222church.com Just as important!: please consider writing to Commissioners Rappoport and Brockington to thank them for standing up for the residents of Cheltenham Township and to let them know that we stand behind them. 

Before this development receives final approval, it will have to meet the conditions approved by the Township. But those conditions are insufficient, allowing the developer to comply only "to the greatest degree possible" with Cheltenham's own laws. Cheltenham revised its SALDO (Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance) in 2020, with "enhanced standards" for preserving open space and for erosion and stormwater control. The SALDO states very clearly that these standards are a minimum requirement, not a set of suggestions. 

An independent engineer submitted a thorough evaluation of the development on March 31—with a 19-page list of major problems with the plans—but the Township did not take these findings into consideration before granting preliminary approval. You can find the independent engineering report here: https://www.cheltenhamtownship.org/files/documents/FirstLetterBernsteintoCommissioners1740043712040522PM.pdf Please consider writing the commissioners about taking this report into serious consideration.

Finally, as the Inquirer and WHYY articles point out, there are significant conflicts of interest. Steven N. Kline, the architect for the development, is the Chair of the Montgomery County Planning Commission Board. Mr. Kline's partner, Thomas Cross, is the Chair of the Cheltenham Township Planning Commission. And Robert E. Blue, the engineer for the development, is also a member of the Montgomery County Planning Commission Board.

Thank you again for continuing to oppose this destructive development. 

Onward!