After Open Space Is Clear-Cut In Maple Glen, Upper Dublin Residents Sound The Alarm

UPPER DUBLIN, PA — After the recent damage from Hurricane Ida, some residents watched as a property owner clear-cut a large swath of vacant land near what is known as the Maple Glen Triangle.

The parcel, which measures about 18 acres and sits at the Crux of Welsh Road, Norristown Road and Limekiln Pike, just over the Horsham Township line, is owned by development company Goodman Properties, considered one of the largest in the region.

Now, a group of Upper Dublin residents are concerned that the tree removal on the property following the hurricane signaled a possible move to develop it. The group says the land had become somewhat of a de facto wildlife refuge as it sat vacant throughout the years.

A group of residents recently sent a collective letter to Upper Dublin’s Board of Commissioners expressing concern about the future of the property; the letter was provided to Patch.

Residents are proposing that the township purchase the property as open space, since, they say, the township already suffers from “overdevelopment, traffic congestion, and a shortage of open space, particularly in the Maple Glen triangle area,” the letter reads.

'That's How You Lose An Entire Township'

Susannah McCarthy, a mother of five who has lived in Upper Dublin for about 10 years, said there was a protest held outside the property on Sept. 27 to raise attention about the issue. She said neighboring Horsham Township – the Maple Glen neighborhood lies within both Upper Dublin and Horsham – also needs to be made aware of the property and any potential future plans to develop it, since it could impact that community as well.

“That’s how you lose an entire township. You get rid of it piece by piece,” McCarthy told Patch in an interview. “We want the township to look at it with new eyes. Look at it with eyes for the future, for our kids.”

McCarthy said she understands municipalities need tax dollars, but she urged Upper Dublin officials to look at this as an opportunity to instead add green space for the benefit of all.

While McCarthy and others would like the township to consider purchasing Goodman’s property, there remains one obstacle – it’s not currently for sale.

'It's Private Property'

Patch spoke with Upper Dublin Township Manager Paul Leonard, who said Bruce Goodman, of Goodman Properties, has owned the parcel for about 20 years. Leonard said there was nothing wrong with Goodman cutting down damaged trees on the property following the storms from Hurricane Ida, which caused damage to properties all across the region.

“It’s private property,” Leonard said, noting that the state DEP and federal EPA would have no issue with the property being cleared of the vegetation since Goodman is a protected landowner.

Leonard did say that Goodman likely has plans to develop the property – at some point. But as of now, Goodman has yet to submit any land development application to the township.

Patch spoke with Goodman, who acknowledged that after years of sitting vacant, he does, indeed, have plans to develop the property at some point.

“We’re looking to build 72 townhomes there. That’s our intent,” Goodman said. “We’re zoned [for it]. And we’ve got a lot of engineering work to do. We’re going to be working with the township … for the next year-plus.”

McCarthy and the concerned residents said that the parcel is currently zoned for mobile home use, but Leonard pointed out that that particular zoning district also allows for townhouses by right, meaning Goodman will not require any type of zoning variances in order to move forward with his project. Leonard said the property has been zoned that way for decades.

Eminent Domain

Leonard conceded that the property is listed in the township’s open space plan as “vulnerable,” but he reiterated that it’s not currently up for sale, so there is very little the township can do.

When asked about the potential for eminent domain, Leonard said that government taking private property is always an extreme last resort.

“That’s an egregious use of township authority,” Leonard said of eminent domain, which is often a touchy subject among citizens.

Leonard said Pennsylvania takes private property rights very seriously, and that any governmental taking through the eminent domain process must meet very strict criteria.

As for the traffic congestion issue, Leonard said that while he sympathizes with commuters, it is not a reason that the township could deny the development rights of a property owner.

Leonard did point out that the property, if it ever were listed for sale, would likely be incredibly expensive, possibly somewhere in the neighborhood of $10 million or more.

He said the property would be very expensive to not just purchase, but to develop as well, since any development plans would require various improvements such as sidewalks, road widening, traffic intersection upgrades and more, all of which would be paid for by Goodman.

Goodman pointed out that when large parcels like this are developed, it tends to actually help ease traffic congestion in the community, since developers such as himself are required to address things like traffic issues in their land development plans.

“We believe we’re going to address traffic issues there,” Goodman said. “We’re making some really nice improvements and we believe traffic will be improved.”

Goodman said he is looking to submit a land development application to Upper Dublin officials hopefully by the beginning of next year.

'We Are Tired Of It'

McCarthy and the other residents concerned for the property’s future still say they would prefer it to somehow be saved from any future development and instead turned into community green space.

“We are tired of it,” she said of what some residents believe is a pattern of overdevelopment in the township.

To counter that assertion, Leonard, the township manager, provided Patch with a township open space fact sheet showing that Upper Dublin already has a great deal of open space, more than a lot of its neighboring municipalities.

The township has the second largest park system by acres in Montgomery County, behind Lower Salford Township; it has the second greatest number of open space sites in Montgomery County behind Lower Merion Township; and it has the fourth highest percentage of acres dedicated to park space as compared to the township’s total size across the county, according to the document.