Chester CountyPRESS
www.chestercounty.com
Covering Avon Grove, Chadds Ford, Kennett Square, Oxford, & Unionville Areas
Volume 150, No. 34
INSIDE
60 Cents
Wednesday, August 24, 2016
Special exception for Islamic cemetery approved—with conditions The project is planned for a 15-acre property at the northeast intersection of Newark Road and Penn’s Grove Road By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer
At a public hearing on Aug. 16, the Upper Oxford Eating champion Moe Township Zoning Hearing Train set to emcee at Board voted 3-0 in favor of granting a special exception Mushroom Festival...4A requested by the Islamic Society of Delaware to establish a cemetery on a 15-acre property at the northeast intersection of Newark Road (Route 896) and Penn’s Grove Road.
Efforts to preserve Barnard’s Orchard property continue...5A
However, the approval comes with a series of more than ten conditions pertaining to planning and environmental requirements that must be met as the plans move forward. The Islamic Society of Delaware will need to go through the land-development process for the project to get final approval. Plans will be reviewed by Upper Oxford Township’s planning commission and
Soil ordinance recommendation for township reaches compromise By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
On Aug. 3, with the support of the Land Conservancy for Southern Chester County, Kennett Township resident John Wilkens requested that the township hold all developers of Crowds look to the sky at new residential properties New Garden Air Show...1B to obtaining a Certificate of Soil Compliance from the township, which involves an approved environmental firm sampling of the
soil to determine if they are above or below an acceptable level of arsenic. Wilkens’ request was in response to toxic arsenic being found at the Sweetbriar and Sinclair Springs developments, currently under construction in the township. Arsenic had once been used as a pesticide for apple orchards that had once grown and been cultivated at these properties. Continued on Page 3A
ultimately approved by the board of supervisors. Qamar Ahmad, a civil engineer and the spokesperson for the Islamic Society of Delaware, said moments after the decision was announced that it will take some time to analyze the conditions placed on the project to determine how to proceed. The township will be providing the Islamic Society of Delaware with its decision in writing.
Winifred Sebastian, the solicitor for the zoning hearing board, read the conditions aloud for the 70 or so residents who were in attendance at the meeting, which was held at Oxford Area High School. The zoning hearing board, which includes Chris Coburn, J. Stephen Hill, and David Nibouar, according to the township’s website, voted 3-0 in favor of granting the special exception with the
conditions. “It’s a good decision,” Ahmad said. “We thank the board for making a positive decision.” When asked about the conditions that were included with the special exception, Ahmad said that it would take time to evaluate the impact that they might have on the project. “Generally, they seemed okay,” Ahmad said, adding Continued on Page 2A
The friendly skies
Photo by Richard L. Gaw
Capt. Paul Smith of Frederick, Md., was one of many pilots to display their aircraft at the 45th annual Festival of Flight Air and Car Show this past weekend at the New Garden Flying Field. For more photos, turn to Page B1.
Pipeline work to begin in Franklin Township on Aug. 29 Members exhibit at Oxford Arts Alliance...6B
INDEX Calendar of Events.....2B Classified....................4B Obituaries...................3B
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Opinion........................7A
© 2007 The Chester County Press
By John Chambless Staff Writer The long-discussed work to add a natural gas pipeline in the Kemblesville area will begin on Aug. 29. At the Aug. 17 meeting of the Franklin Township Board of Supervisors, board chairman John Auerbach announced the date, and said he would attend a preconstruction meeting on Aug. 23 in Cochranville for more information.
The members of the township Historical Commission will submit comments to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission regarding FERC’s Environmental Assessment of Eastern Shore’s planned 2017 work, which will be to the north and south of the work that begins this month, once they have determined which historic properties may be affected. The supervisors noted that Eastern Shore has pre-
sented its information well, and there seems to be very little public comment on the work to be started next week. The board also heard from two representatives of the Christiana Watersheds Partnership Collaboration Project. The Department of Environmental Protection has charged the townships in the Christiana Watershed to remove nutrients and sediments from impaired streams. This collabora-
Taking the reins in East Marlborough Laurie Prysock sees many strong points in township By John Chambless Staff Writer As she steps up to be Township Manager in East Marlborough, Laurie Prysock is excited about new possibilities, but keenly aware that her predecessor, Jane Laslo, is taking away 40 years of historical knowledge. Fortunately, Prysock said with a smile, “Jane has promised to pick up the phone when I call.” During an interview last week at the township office, Prysock sketched out the path that has led her to this point. She grew up in Highland Township in Chester County, lived in the Washington, D.C. area for 16 years, where she worked in major political donor fundraising, ran her own planning consultant business for eight years, and then moved back to
tive program is attempting to unite townships in their efforts to remove the pollutants. Franklin Township will be working with London Grove Township, New Garden Township, London Britain Township and the boroughs of Avondale and West Grove. Supervisor Steffen Torres submitted a plan from a landscape designer that would screen the township municipal yard as cars enter Municipal Lane to
visit the post office, and provide screening where materials will be stored. Torres said he will will speak with the landscaper again and get more details on the types of plants to be used. Township Manager Joan McVaugh presented a list of issues regarding zoning and land development ordinances. Among them is the issue of having two residences on one parcel Continued on Page 6A
OASA Implosion Part III Where is the Route 10 sewer line? By Uncle Irvin
Photo by John Chambless
Laurie Prysock has been named the new Township Manager in East Marlborough. Her first Board of Supervisors meeting is Sept. 12.
Chester County in 2007. “From 2007 until 2013, I was the race director for the Willowdale Steeplechase, so I interacted with the
township because of the race logistics,” she said. “I coordinated with Jane and Police Chief Clarke and Continued on Page 2A
Shortly after the founding of the Oxford Area Sewer Authority (OASA), Wilmer Hostetter -- a Lower Oxford resident, mega-farmer, grain elevator owner and developer, and former school board president -- had a vision. Wilmer showed Uncle Irvin, who then owned the Chester County Press building site on Route 10, a plan for a large senior facility like Ware Presbyterian Village on part of his property in Lower Oxford Township. This huge development needed sewers, and Hostetter had formed a non-profit, adhoc group called the Limestone Pike Improvement Association. Hostetter’s plan was to have Lower Oxford Supervisors construct a sewer line from the Burger King building in Oxford Borough to the Route 10 bypass. Hostetter had obtained the informal approval of the Lower Oxford Board of Supervisors, if he could provide the funding. Hostetter convinced Uncle Irvin, a Route 10 landowner, to contribute $6,500 to the Limestone Road sewer pipe. Hostetter collected the necessary funds for the engineering and construction of the pipe, and Lower Oxford Township Supervisors contracted with an Continued on Page 3A