PWES Field Update - September 2020

Dear Neighbors:

On Oct. 22, 2020, the Zoning Hearing Board is scheduled to review the school district’s application to permanently waive 25 required parking spaces at Penn Wynne Elementary School (PWES). This request is made in order to gain asphalt play space on the field. Note that we already have the largest amount of hard surface play space and the least amount of playing field per student in the district.

The Penn Wynne Civic Association (PWCA) maintains that the parking requirement can be met without waivers or paving the playing field. To help represent the interests of our community in this matter, the PWCA has retained the services of real estate attorney Carl Weiner of HRMM&L. With his assistance, we plan to submit a recommendation to the Zoning Hearing Board and to the Lower Merion Board of Commissioners.

Background:

There is a parking shortage at PWES, and there are feasible ways to add parking that preserve the field.

  • Engineers have confirmed that a parking lot in front of PWES is viable and will not block the historic façade. All the required additional parking can fit in front of the school. The front of the school is not desirable for play due to proximity to busy Haverford Road. LMSD doesn’t need a parking waiver to preserve the Trent Rd field. 

  • The front parking lot could be placed in reserve (hold the space but don’t build it) for the time being. Parking needs will likely decrease once the new middle school is open and the 5th-grade classes move to the new location. LMSD recently chose this option at Harriton and Merion Elementary to maintain their playing fields and save taxpayer money.

LMSD claims they need to “save” the allowable impervious surface set under the old zoning code in case there is a future need to expand. Thus they plan to preemptively add pavement to our small playing field. We disagree. If the need for expansion occurs, LMSD can submit an application to the township for waivers as they've successfully done numerous times in the past.

Thank you for your support,

Shelby Sparrow and Sharon Weinstein

PWCA Co-Presidents

Penn Wynne Civic Association