Birmingham reaffirms controversial home plan

Birmingham Township supervisors Monday night reaffirmed their Aug. 3 decision to approve a Certificate of Appropriateness for a home to be built at 1236 Birmingham Road.

The certificate, recommended by the Historical and Architectural Review Board, was challenged at the time. Neighbors and the Brandywine Conservancy argued the proposed home — a two-story structure with a four-car garage — was taller than the previous home on the property and that large trees would be removed and ruin the scenic view of the area.

However, supervisors approved the certificate because, as Supervisor Bill Kirkpatrick said at the time, the board had an obligation to assess the application based on laws, ordinances and regulations, not on emotion.

Approval came with conditions that were officially memorialized with the reaffirmation on Sept. 14. Among those conditions are requirements that the location and construction of out buildings be in accordance with the plans submitted to the township, that the façade be made with a creative use of stone to mirror the style used elsewhere in the historic district and that a landscape plan, prepared by a landscape architect, be submitted to supervisors for review.

Other business

• Kathy Wilson, vice president of the West Chester Library Board made a brief presentation to supervisors, saying there are 1,210 West Chester Library cards issued to Birmingham Township residents, but that the number of township users is higher because, in many cases, multiple members of the same household will use the same card.

Those residents borrowed 5,621 items from the library last year. They also took part in many of the library’s programs, Wilson said.

During the presentation Wilson thanked the board for the township’s allocation to the library, adding, “I would not be doing my job if I didn’t ask not only to continue your allocation in the 2016 budget, but also increase it.”

No dollar amounts were mentioned, but she said if the library receives an amount of $1 for each township resident, the library would receive matching funds from the state.

• The board also approved a waiver for Gino Razzi, who recently purchased the property at 1140 Street Road near the township building, to have a pole barn for equipment storage where a previous shed had been located. That location is within the 200-foot setback

Township Manager Quina Nelling said the waiver is required by Historical Commission ordinance and that the commission recommended approval.

Nelling also welcomed Razzi to Birmingham, saying, “I’m thrilled that you cleaned up the property so nicely.”

About Rich Schwartzman

Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.

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