The open space funds
Pennsbury Township gave to the Mendenhall family did not go down the drain.
Supervisors, in 2007, voted
to give $900,000 to the Mendenhall family in exchange for development rights on
the family farm. The family has since filed for bankruptcy, but the township
still retains the rights even if the property is sold.
“The township has the easement in perpetuity,” said MaryAnna Ralph, the supervisors’ chairman in 2007.
The 88-acre Mendenhall
property, Springdale Farm, is near Hillendale Elementary School. The township
bought development rights for 58 acres to prevent a housing or other type of development
from going in while allowing the family to keep the property and build a horse
farm.
Part of the debt, as
reported by the Philadelphia Inquirer, stems from the construction, also in 2007,
of an indoor riding rink and a stable for 24 horses. The total obligation is
$1.76 million.
That amount comes fromborrowing $710,500 from
Stonebridge in June 2007, $660,000 from Aston-based CFP Associates L.L.C. in
May 2008, and an additional $50,000 from Stonebridge in October 2008, plus
delinquent payments of principal and interest and fees.
Springdale Farm has been the oldest continuously
operating farm in Pennsylvania.
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.
