[ad_1]
LOWER MERION – A new master plan for Ardmore is closer to becoming a reality.
Last week Lower Merion officials released a draft of its developing master plan for the downtown commercial area of Ardmore.
The idea behind the Ardmore Master Plan is to develop a vision for the main commercial area. Officials also want to identify recommendations for economic development, transportation, land use, and placemaking issues.
The area for the plan includes the main commercial areas along Lancaster and Montgomery avenues through Ardmore. It will also include the business areas along Rittenhouse, Cricket and Greenfield avenues.
During a presentation last week, Jillian Dierks, senior planner with the Lower Merion Building and Planning Department, said they get asked at nearly every meeting what is a master plan.
“We always say it’s a dynamic long-term planning document,” Dierks said.
But, she added, there is more to it.
“It’s really a where are we, where do we want to be, and how do we get there, document,” Dierks added.
According to Dierks, this includes the types of improvement, and the kind of recommendations contained in master plans include policy, zoning and capital improvements.
“For this master plan, we really walked into this process looking to articulate a vision for the commercial corridor and to reevaluate the community’s priorities around community character, circulation, new development, and also integrate recent and plan developments with new multimodal improvements and public realm enhancements,” Dierks said.
North Ardmore Civic president Caroline Manogue said there are several things they like about the master plan.
“There are many, many aspects of the plan that we support, including increased sidewalk widths, additional streetscaping, such as adding more trees and planters along with historically appropriate ten-foot-high pedestrian-scale street lights along Lancaster, Anderson, and other parts of the historic district,” Manogue said. “One-way circulation around Station Place to enable the expansion of the sidewalk area and additional landscaping and streetscaping conducive to a more cafe-friendly, aesthetically pleasing front door to Ardmore around the new train station.”
Manogue said they are disappointed by the absence or mention of some vital issues they believe must be addressed before the plan is accepted.
“Stormwater remediation, traffic and pedestrian safety, and traffic concerns – not addressing these vital issues in the Ardmore master plan merely makes them worse for the residents and properties of North Ardmore, which are directly impacted by what happens in the planning area,” Manogue said.
More information on the development of the master plan for Ardmore can be found at www.lowermerion.org/Home/Components/News/News/5340/50.
[ad_2]
Source_link
