Open space issues in Delco

Today we're talking about open space.

It's always a popular topic here in Delco.

You know the names.

Beaver Valley.

Cardinal Crossing.

Marple Preserve.

The debate continues to rage about what kind - and more importantly how big - the development of the former Don Guanella tract off Sproul Road in Marple will be.

The first plan, Cardinal Crossing, was a massive plant that called for the entire 213 acres to be developed.

That got shot down by the Marple commissioners.

Now a new developer is pushing a scaled-back plan called Marple Preserve.

Opponents still say it's too big, and they don't trust a proposal that would supposedly allow for much of the site to be preserved as open space. They say there are not guarantees that once the development gets the OK, the builder could back out and sell the space to another developer.

It's a pretty good bet that something is going to be built on that site. Right now it appears to be a matter of what, how wbig it will be, and how much of the open space can be preserved.

Now the county also is weighing in. While they have not specifically committed to a plan to purchase and preserve that chunk of the Don Guanella property, they are getting serious about the notion of open space in the county.

We talk about it on today's editorial page.

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