Open Space to a Politician


When politicians say, "I support open space", what does that mean? Not much. After all, can you remember ever hearing a politician speak out AGAINST open space?

Politicians are understandably reluctant to take clear, specific positions on most complex issues out of fear of antagonizing potential supporters. When EVERYONE claims to support something associated with complex decisions on land use, development, and the environment, voters should be a little bit suspicious. What do they really mean?

Maybe it is time for a New Age visualization exercise, to get in touch with one's inner self.

When you hear "open space", what comes to mind?

Person A visualizes soccer fields, golf courses and a softball "field of dreams." People drive their cars to this open space for active recreation. This is a bustling, happy, noisy place on weekends, but it requires a fair investment of time and effort for property maintenance.

Person B dreams of the Alaskan wilderness, pure, pristine, untouched by human civilization, utilized by grizzly, salmon, elk and timber wolf, and only the occasional backpacker or wildlife documentary producer. When Person B snaps out of this reverie and returns closer to home, he dreams of local acreage of great beauty, preserved less for human use and more for passive enjoyment. This open space is for admiring, not using. This perspective is held by the many unselfish people who get pleasure and satisfaction just from knowing that beautiful places are protected. (Although of course this view is also conveniently held by nearby property owners will benefit from an increase in their own property values).

Person C fantasizes of an oasis of green trees, fields and trails in the midst of a suburb or city. This open space is not necessarily of stunning beauty, but it serves as the "green heart" of a community. The open space helps to bring people in different neighborhoods together for hiking or picnicking or walking to another part of the community. The land serves as a buffer zone separating residential and commercial areas, and as a transit corridor between residential neighborhoods and recreational areas. It also enhances the property values in the residential areas.

When politicians say they support open space, which vision do they advocate? The easy answer is to say "all types of open space." The reality is that money, resources and undeveloped land are scarce. There is not enough to go around. It is easy to support open space when no one else wants the land anyway or when opportunity costs are low.

The true test is whether politicians ever say NO to development. Another test is whether politicians take a leadership role and develop proactive strategies to protect open spaces before they are directly attacked. This involves building coalitions with land owners, environmental groups, local businesses, and governments. That politician is a true supporter of open space.

Wildlife Encounters in Suburbia

It dawned on me this week that I am a naturalist wannabee. Wouldn’t it be great to be able to take a walk through the woods and actually know what that species of tree is? Or to be able to identify an animal by its footprint in the mud, and recognize a bird by its call?

Unfortunately, I am a naturalist wannabee with a short-term memory and a lazy streak. When I go on guided nature hikes, or pick up a guidebook, I’m fascinated and determined to remember forever those fun facts to know and tell. Alas, that knowledge is all too fleeting. Of course, the bright side is that I have the opportunity to experience the thrill of learning it all again some other time.

This week has been one of wildlife encounters, suburban style. And each encounter has filled me with awe and wonder, along with a touch of guilt for not knowing more about our natural world, and for not doing more to protect it.

Wildlife encounters in the suburbs in Colorado or Northern California might mean coming face-to-face with a mountain lion. For me, it meant almost stepping on a praying mantis in a train station parking lot, close encounters with deer, and hearing and remembering about owls.

Praying mantis. What was that praying mantis doing in the parking lot? I wondered what caused it to wander in such a dangerous place. I tried to get it to climb on a stick so I could move it to the grass, but it wasn’t very cooperative. So I just watched it for a while and remembered how as a kid I once kept a praying mantis for a few weeks as a pet in a large terrarium jar. I fed it leaves and watched it molt from green to brown and then released it. (What an understanding Mom I had). After watching the insect move slowly across the parking lot, I wished it well and went on my way.

Deer. On a noisy hayride wagon on Friday, a neighbor casually mentioned that when he was jogging one morning this week, he was stopped in his tracks by an 8-point buck. I can just picture the scene. It was a quiet workday morning, not quite light, and cold enough to see your breath. The man and the buck must have sized each other up for a moment, before they both bounded away in different directions. In contrast, coming home from a walk in the neighborhood this evening, my son and I spied three good-sized white tailed does in a neighbor’s front lawn. My son set off at full speed, chasing them across the lawns, scattering them in three directions. Who knows what he would have done if he had caught up with them? It was a funny sight. One fast, determined, short-legged boy causing three long-legged creatures to gracefully leap and bound, their three white tails bright in the fading light.

Owls. A neighbor talked the other day at the bus stop about being awakened in the night by an owl. I was sorry it hurt his sleep, but I was thrilled to know there is still at least one owl around. For the last few years, I have loved lying in bed listening to an owl outside the window several times a week. A few times I have seen its shape high in a tree, and several times I have heard two owls calling to each other. The first time I heard “my” owl, I woke everyone up in the household, confident that they would share my sense of awe and amazement. Perhaps it was not surprising that not everyone was quite so thrilled, but the sound did fill each of us with wonder. I have been truly missing our owl. I haven’t heard it since last winter, and I was starting to wonder if my tidying efforts in the wooded area of the backyard had hurt the owl’s hunting ground. Hopefully our neighbor’s report is a good sign of the owl’s return to the neighborhood.

One would think that my infatuation with the owl would mean that I had developed some knowledge about owls. Unfortunately, when we talked about it at the bus stop, I was embarrassed to admit that I didn’t know what kind of owl hung out in my yard, but my ignorance spurred me to do some Internet searching later. I found several sites that contained audio clips of owl calls, along with descriptions of habitat and habits. I listened to all the clips, and there is no doubt that “my” owl was a Great Horned Owl. I replayed the clips on several sites over and over and they really brought a smile to my face. What a lovely haunting sound.

Will we maintain enough wildlife habitat in Whitpain Township to allow our owls and other fascinating parts of nature to always consider this home? How compatible are a hospital complex and wildlife habitat? I hope we can learn more about our wildlife neighbors and help them thrive. Wherever you are, Great Horned Owl, keep well.

Nimbus and Nimbys.

All this rain, rain, rain and gloomy skies is enough to dampen anyone's spirits. But pity the 6 million folks who still don't have power after Hurricane Wilma. It is so wonderful to have hot water and heat.

The simple blessings of life. Blessings that we don't truly appreciate until we lose them. Remember that old song of the 60s-70s: "Don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you got til it's gone. They paved paradise and put up a parking lot..."

Not that Whitpain is paradise. We can always make our community a better place. Will a hospital make our township a better place? I wish I knew.

I must admit to having NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) tendencies, but pro-development folks tend to dismiss all opposition as simple-minded Nimbys who are just protecting their turf and who don't see the big picture. I don't think that describes me. Does it describe you?

To be heard, people who oppose development need to structure their arguments well and use facts and figures to make their points. They can't rely on gut feel and emotion.

It must be all the cloud-watching over the last two days, but I think of myself as more of a NIMBUS than a NIMBY.

A NIMBUS is one who says:

Not In My Backyard Unless it is Sensible
Not In My Backyard Unless it is Safe
Not In My Backyard Unless it is Socially responsible
Not In My Backyard Unless it is fiscally Solvent

Ok, maybe I am stretching the acronym too far, and maybe there is a "silver lining" in the clouds on the horizon. The point is -- this is a very complex issue, and there are no simple solutions.

Contacting others

Big surprise -- the hearing at the Supervisors meeting failed to fully answer all the attendees’ questions about the idea of a hospital in our township.

To follow up, we could ask questions directly to the Supervisors. Sometimes it is better to ask one question at a time.

Unfortunately, the township website does not seem to list the Supervisors’ email addresses or telephone numbers. Maybe that means that they are not really all that interested in hearing from residents?

The Supervisors’ names are:

Leigh P. Narducci- Chairman;
Joseph J. Palmer- Vice Chairman
Anthony F. Greco- Secretary
William L. McKernan III- Treasurer
Brian W. Young- Assistant Secretary (up for re-election)

Write them at Whitpain Township, P.O. Box 800, 960 Wentz Road, Blue Bell PA 19422. Or telephone them: 610-277-2400.

The Whitpain Township Manager, Phyllis C. Lieberman can be emailed at: plieberman@whitpaintownship.org

Another option is send questions and concerns to the officials of Montgomery Hospital. A starting point is Elizabeth Ketterlinus, VP of Communications, 610-270-2507, 1301 Powell St., Norristown PA 19401.

Ramblings to rumblings

From ramblings to rumblings.

Our neighbors are rumbling and muttering and wondering about the idea of a hospital in our Township. Folks still have a lot of questions about the Supervisors’ vote on the zoning change, and on the not-yet-official proposal to construct a hospital on the former Unisys site.

Here are some of the things curious minds want to know:

1. What research or expert advice has the Board of Supervisors sought or received regarding the impact of hospital construction on a community?

2. What are the research findings? In townships similar to Whitpain, what have been the positive and negative effects of a hospitalon the community? What is the net effect?

3. How can our congested existing roads adequately handling the additional traffic from
emergency vehicles, supply trucks, hospital employees, and hospital patients and families? What changes in Penllyn Blue Bell Pike, Township Line, Union Meeting and JollyRoads are anticipated?

4. Will the current access road from Penllyn Blue Bell Pike to the Unisys property be changed into a public road?

5. Whitpain has already received a proposal for up to one million square feet of new office space on the site. Preliminary information is that the hospital will propose construction on about half that square footage. Is there anything to stop the hospital from expanding to one million square feet at a later date?

6. Won’t a million square foot hospital complex generate more traffic than a million square foot office complex?

7. How will helicopter traffic be handled?

8. How can Whitpain Township adequately satisfy the water supply and sewage disposal needs of a hospital complex?

9. How can Whitpain Township adequately supply the additional fire and police services required by a hospital complex?

10. As non-profit organizations, hospitals may be completely or partially exempt from real estate taxes and other taxes. What procedures will be instituted to insure that the fees received from the hospital exceed all the additional costs to the township?

11. How likely is a tax increase to cover the additional costs of a hospital in the township?

12. Will the hospital complex be free from offensive noise, odor, and hazards and other objectionable and dangerous conditions, as required by R-E zoning?

13. What provisions will be made to preserve open space and wildlife habitat in the area?

14. What provisions will be made to encourage the development of off-road paths and pedestrian access in the area?

15. Will a hospital improve the “quality of life” in the Township more than other proposals for additional office space?

If any of you have the answers to these questions -- or other questions -- please post your thoughts.

Cycles of Life.

Spinning down Penllyn-Blue Bell Pike, Stenton and Township Line Road this crisp fall morning on my bicycle started me thinking about the cycles of life.

The sunshine, bright blue sky and brilliant fall colors brought a smile to my face, especially after so many days of rain and gloomy skies, but the nip in the air and the strong breeze made me glad I wore my tights over my bicycling shorts. A true sign of the change of season -- having to wear that extra layer.

The other thrill was having the roads practically to myself, with only the occasional car or other bicycle. We passed many office buildings, but the parking lots were empty. It was peaceful and quiet, in stark contrast to the scene along these roads on a weekday. Riding a bike down Stenton during morning rush hour? That would be taking one's life in one's hands.

But today it seemed hard to imagine that hectic weekday scene. Thank goodness for the weekly cycle. How sad if Saturday and Sunday were just like any other day. The presence of a hospital would certainly change that cycle, and not for the better. Of course, since some people dislike the change of seasons, perhaps they would feel comfortable with a steady flow of traffic, rather the ebbs and flows of the typical work week traffic patterns.

It seems more natural to recognize and embrace the cycles of life, and protect the downtimes and the peacefulness when we can.

Quality of life.


"Quality of life". That is an increasingly difficult concept to define and achieve in leafy suburbia. Everywhere we turn we see trade-offs and compromises.

We want big lawns, but we struggle to care for them in an environmentally sensible way. We don't want to pay for off-road pathways or public transit, but then we have to drive ourselves and our kids everywhere. We complain about the traffic, but rarely choose to walk or bike, even to friends' houses less than a mile away. Or maybe we can't safely walk or bike, because of that vicious cycle of "can't walk because there's too much traffic" and "there's too much traffic because we can't walk safely".

Perhaps through my open ramblings on trails, open space, development and suburbia, some of these dilemmas will become clearer (at least in my own mind).

A big motivator to start this blog is my concern about how the various proposals to develop the open space in the center of our township will affect our "quality of life."

The Supervisors unanimously voted on Tuesday to allow "hospitals" as a permitted use on land that was previously zoned for Research & Engineering purposes. This was a very bold step, especially since it doesn't appear that any research or analysis was done on the potential impact of a hospital on a township of our nature. This nudges a train a-rolling that will be very hard to stop later. As long as the hospital proposal meets all the zoning restrictions on setback, building height, etc., the Township will have very little means (or desire) to stop it.

Call me cynical, but at least one aspect of the so-called hearing at the Supervisors' meeting seemed to come down to the basic divide between potential beneficiaries and the people who will pay the costs. I doubt that ANYONE would welcome the construction of a hospital complex in one's own backyard. But many people think it would be ok as long as it is built on the OTHER side of town, or away from the roads they have to travel on everyday.

The real question is on the net benefit or cost, and if anything can be done to lessen the pain for the property owners and residents who are adversely affected. After all, for any change, there will be people who benefit and people who will be hurt. Both the long term and short term effects need to be contemplated and examined.

It is frustrating (and frightening) when elected officials adopt a patronizing, condescending attitude as if to tell anyone who disagrees with them, "Don't worry your pretty little heads over this. Trust us - we know what we are doing." They didn't seem to even consider the option of postponing the vote on the zoning change by a month or two to conduct some benefit/cost research. Our township is not the only one in the country who has been confronted with this kind of opportunity. Isn't it a good thing to try to learn from the successes and failures of others in a similar situation?

"Quality of life". Will a hospital in our township add to our quality of life? It comes back to what we see as important in our daily lives, and the trade-offs and compromises we are willing and able to make.