How Many Students Are Too Many Students?
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So the chatter up here got the better of a SAC member, so they went out to investigate the student house that has cropped up like a weed on Rose Lane in Rosemont. The house is now owned by the man who owns Samurai Restaurant in Rosemont. This man tells neighbors he owns lots of properties and rents to students frequently. Ok, so mebbe he wants to be the Donald Trump of student housing, but how does this play into a piece of real estate, a house in a small neighborhood of good sized affordable twins? We're not sure, but we are certain this has never been a student rental before. So, should student rentals just be allowed to pop up? And how many students are too many students? And what is really going on over here? is it just about one house, or is there a larger project waiting in the wings? We're curious. We're also curious as to how a neighborhood that does indeed represent affordable housing will be protected? Is this the next small neighborhood at risk in Lower Merion? Here is a photo of the house in question courtesy of a friend:
Here are other photos to ponder:
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All New York license plates. The latest I here is that the Samurai guy is looking to tear down the commerical shopping buildings next to Samurai. I don't really see this as a bad thing if it becomes nice retail, but I don't think the neighborhood wants a restaurant - even a smaller one.
The assumption from my friend on Rose Lane is that the Samurai guy won't get a zoning variance for a parking lot on a residentially zone grass field across from Rose Lane he owns to put in a GIANT restaurant (unless the LM commssioners continue with their old tricks).
Still, this new BMV zoning allows the Samurai guy to tear down what is just retail and put up retail WITH apartments on top.
Where is the parking going to come from, and how much do you want to bet all these apartments on top of retail will be packed with students?
Anybody know how many cars are parked on an ongoing basis next to this student house on Rose Lane? The above pic showed a lot of cars, but I guess friends could be visiting - which is another problem with college students.
Say there are only three students with three cars in this Rose Lane house, which appears to meet code. Thing is, friends who live in dorms love to drive to friends who have houses and park (especially when you can walk to Kelly's and crash at your friends house so you don't drink and drive) and then there are the inevitable parties and tons of cars for that. It just becomes a parking nightmare.
This appears to be bad enough already on Rose Lane with one house. Imagine how bad it will be if apartments go up right next to Rose Lane above retail and if they are rented by students?
So much for this BMV zoning. As my buddy told me last night - when you review the zoning before it is passed into law, how can you imagine all the problems that could occur if you are not a professional planner? No doubt LM Township had professionals involved and they thus had/have no problem with this mess they have created.
And you know what - I have to respect the Samurai guy's property rights, but as MainLineThoughts has pointed out before - what about the property rights of the existing residential owners? I guess those rights just get destroyed by bad zoning.
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