Members of the Parkwood Civic gave their support to a homeowner who has a fence taller than allowed by city code and to a local woman’s therapeutic riding business.
The votes weren’t unanimous and followed much discussion during the association’s Oct. 15 meeting in the basement of St. Anselm’s R.C. Church on Dunks Ferry Road.
Members also heard from Jeffrey Cardwell, the school district’s deputy chief operating officer, who told them about efforts to clean up the 153-acre Shallcross School property at Byberry and Woodhaven roads.
Cardwell said the property has not been used as a school for about three years. It’s now a depot for 130 school buses, he said. He said the district has recently mowed and weeded large parts of the facility. “I don’t want the school district to have an eyesore in your community.”
One resident mentioned school buses were seen idling in the neighborhood. That’s against state law, Cardwell said, and urged residents to report any school buses they see idling for more than five minutes to the district’s new transportation manager, James Davis. He can be reached at jrdavis@philasd.org
Members gave Chris Willing their support for a zoning variance he needs to legalize a 6-foot fence on his property at the corner of Dunks Ferry and Bellgreen. City code requires that fences should be no more than 4 feet high and be at least 50 percent opaque. Willing’s is a solid white fence. Some residents, including the association’s president, Marge Philippi, said they were concerned that the fence might block their views of oncoming traffic at the corner.
Attorney Shawn Ward, who was present to explain why Sarah Del Ricci wants the association’s support for her therapeutic riding business, said Department of Licenses and Inspections and the city’s zoning board members are “tough on fences.” He expects L&I inspectors to start going after any corner properties with 6-foot fences, even fences that are old.
Del Ricci asked the association’s members to support her application for a use variance to continue operating the Parkwood Therapeutic Riding Center. She said that she and many volunteers help disabled children and adults ride horses on the property owned by Dominic Esposito at 3142 Mechanicsville Road. She needs the zoning variance because the property is residentially zoned and her business is not a permitted use.
In other business:
• Philippi asked for and got members’ support to make a $100 donation to St. Anselm’s Church. The association’s monthly meetings are held in the church basement.
• Mike McCurry, president of the Parkwood Youth Organization, told the civic association’s members that the gate on the sports group’s parking lot on Mechanicsville Road has been locked to keep out vandals and litterers. Some members claimed that the lot was supposed to be used by disabled persons who want to use the new trail behind Junod Playground. McCurry said the ground is owned by the city, but that the PYO has a 25-year lease for it.
The Parkwood Civic Association will next meet on Wednesday, Nov. 19, at St. Anselm’s on Dunks Ferry Road.
For information, visit parkwoodnow.ning.com ••
