Friends of the Springfield Panhandle

Advocating for a fair outcome to the Tecce Property re-zoning in Springfield Township, Montgomery County PA

To Help:

Attend the public hearing at the Springfield Township building at 7:00 PM on Monday, November 30th, 2015. The address is 1510 Paper Mill Road, Wyndmoor PA
Call and Email the Springfield Township Commissioners:

Who We Are

We are a citizen's group focused on creating alternatives to a re-zoning proposal by the owner of a large property called the Tecce tract, at 9303 Ridge Pike in the Springfield Panhandle. While the proposal affects only one part of the Township, it’s a critical issue for our whole community because the decision by our Board of Commissioners will have ramifications throughout Springfield.

The Springfield Panhandle

The Panhandle is a unique area of our Township with history going back to Colonial times. William Penn wanted his wife to be able to ride her horse from the Delaware to the Schuylkill river on her own property, and the only missing piece was near the Schuylkill. So they carved out a 1/3 mile strip of land, and that became part of Springfield.

The Panhandle remains unique. It plays a key role in our Township's open space plan, and it is an environmentally sensitive area bordering Fairmount Park. That's why we feel it's critical to defend the area against what we see as insensitive developer proposal that would permanently damage the character that has endured throughout history.

What This Is All About

The Panhandle's unique character and natural beauty are threatened by a re-zoning proposal for an intense development on the Tecce property, which occupies 42 acres in the heart of the area. The proposal would change the zoning at the front of the property from residential to institutional, allowing construction of a four story apartment building called a Personal Care home. The property owner is insisting on the re-zoning without making any significant concessions for open space on the remainder of the property. Unless the community stands together and insists that our Board of Commissioners act in our interest, we fear the proposal will be approved. This will enrich the developer and property owner, while damaging our community and squandering the opportunity to develop a unique, publically accessible open space resource.

The Current Proposal

The plan on the right is proposed for the area that says "Tecce Property" in the image above. It's easy to see the proximity of the property to sensitive areas of Fairmount Park and the Wissahickon Creek. That's a big reason we believe the developer should be seeking a less intense, more environmentally compatible approachnd eStart Typing Textdit me. It's easy.

Demand Integrity from Our Political Leaders

The Springfield Board of Commissioners denied an almost identical proposal in 2014, and stated they would not consider the same proposal again. Nonetheless, they agreed to a new hearing when the applicant returned with the same institutional proposal and removed just two of thirty-four homes from the residential portion. The new hearing has been scheduled for Monday, November 30th, during the lame duck period between recent elections and the seating of a new Board. The Panhandle portion of the Township just overwhelmingly elected a new Commissioner who is committed to open space preservation. But several Commissioners have favored the developer from the beginning, and see a last chance to impose their views on our part of the Township. Without public outcry they will not hesitate to disregard the recent election outcome, and they are actively working to persuade other Commissioners to join them.

We hope you agree that having a lame duck Board impose its will, and act against the recent election results, would be a slap in the face of the community. s