Horsham’s Big Wait

Posted on April 17, 2013 by Mike Shortall

Horsham LRA Redevelopment Plan – Land Use Plan, Option D

Over a year has passed since the Horsham Local Redevelopment Authority (HLRA) completed its first major tasking in deciding the future of the 862-acre question mark formerly known as the Naval Air Station-Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove (located entirely within Horsham Township, Montgomery County, PA).

As someone who took a rather vocal interest in the potential future of the airbase - particularly its runway and the possibility of an airport - I decided it’s time to see where we are in the process and to take a gander at the base’s admittedly murky future.

The HLRA effort resulted in the submission of a redevelopment plan intended to demonstrate to the Federal Government the recognized Local Redevelopment Authority‘s ability to take charge and execute a plan for the base’s property that would address the needs of the surrounding community. It’s important to note that any local government entity or planning organization could have applied for LRA status during the initial stages of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process. Horsham residents should be mindful that smart local leadership jumped at the opportunity to form the Horsham LRA organization and preserved local control over those decisions that will shape the property’s future.

Where are we now?

For the year that has passed since the HLRA submitted its redevelopment plan all meaningful action has been in the hands of the U.S. Navy as it gathers data; analyzes the work of the HLRA; and prepares an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The EIS is intended to promote informed decision-making on the part of the Federal Government when it comes to actions that will affect local communities. The EIS is intended to set forth the positive and negative effects of any redevelopment decision through the detailed analysis of several scenarios.

For this reason the EIS - in the case of NAS-JRB Willow Grove – will look at four potential versions for redevelopment of the property. In addition to the 1) HLRA-approved version, it will also evaluate 2) a denser version of the HLRA plan; 3) the pros and cons of doing absolutely nothing with the property; and 4) the locally unpopular potential of employing the runway and former base as an airport.

For those like me, who oppose an active private/commercial airport in the middle of Horsham, that last alternative might sound a bit alarming. However, the EIS is intended to address all reasonable versions of redevelopment in one comprehensive evaluation. Therefore, the EIS will have to address the broadest range of redevelopment options, including its use as an airport. This does nothing to change the official HLRA position that an airport is out of the question.

Do not mistake an Environmental Impact Study as one limited to the impact of hazardous waste dumping on the ecological environment. An EIS will certainly deal with those ecological issues. More importantly, it will also address the social and economic impacts on the community of future business and residential development, the addition of roads through the airbase property, and any potential impacts to threatened species or historical sites (if applicable).

What does all this mean (Part 1)?

First and foremost it means that this EIS process will take a very long time to complete. As anyone who has dealt with or worked for the Federal Government knows, EVERYTHING takes a long time; and naturally, the timeline gets longer in direct relation to the complexity of the task.

Back in December 2012 the BRAC Program Management Office Northeast held a public presentation on the EIS process, where community comments and questions were solicited. At that meeting the BRAC PMO estimated that it would take 12-18 months to complete the study. Translation: Maybe they will complete it in 18-24 months … if we are lucky. My expectation is not to see the EIS completed until sometime in 2015.

That’s not intended as a knock on the BRAC PMO’s office. It’s more a recognition of just how complex and necessarily time-consuming a study of this magnitude is. It’s also an acknowledgement that a study of such importance really should be as complete, as thorough, and as well-documented as possible.

What does all this mean (Part 2)?

The Government’s timeline – of course – directly impacts the HLRA’s ability to move forward on development of the base property, since no action can be taken until such time as the Navy officially disposes of the property. The Navy has the option - once the EIS is completed – to negotiate grants of the conveyances included in the HLRA redevelopment plan or to attempt to dispose of the property themselves.

More on that later, but suffice it to say, that this will also take a good bit of time to complete. And in the meantime, no one will be allowed access to the base who are not there with the express approval of the U.S. Navy.

You can’t get any more Horsham than this! (Photo by Geoff Patton for Montgomery Media)

The point here is that you can expect to continue to see the airbase property deteriorate … grass growing high; buildings falling apart; roads and fences in disrepair; etc. These conditions would exist regardless of whether or not Horsham wants to redevelop the base; whether it was allowed to become an airport; or even whether Ed Rendell’s Federal Emergency Management/Homeland Security plan had successfully preempted the HLRA redevelopment. Applicable BRAC law prevents any non-federal access to the property until such time as the BRAC process plays out completely.

This will not be a pleasant time for the Township or its citizens. But the issue – insofar as it relates to the physical conditions at the base – are outside the control of Horsham Township or the HLRA.

That’s important to remember if anyone suggests this situation would be different if only Horsham had agreed to turn the base into an airport! It’s simply not true. The base would look exactly the same as it does today even if Horsham had fallen for the shortcomings of The Airport Promise!

Those who consider this timeline unacceptable should keep in mind the delays in redevelopment progress caused by then-Governor Ed Rendell’s FEMA/HSA initiative. Though admirable in the opinion of this Horsham resident, the end effect of that attempt was a significant delay in the BRAC process.

How will all this play out for Horsham?

This is crystal ball time! There are many, many possibilities and a multitude of permutations resulting from those possibilities. The quick, dirty answer is that – like most sophisticated, comprehensive plans - if and when the U.S. Navy agrees to convey the property to the HLRA, that detailed HLRA redevelopment plan could very well end up in the trash.

No development can take place without interested developers and the funding to make it happen. And unfortunately, in its current condition the base has little-to-no value to the Township. Between the necessary investment in infrastructure (roads, sewage and water, utilities, etc.); the limitations on usage imposed by its status as an EPA Superfund site; the need to raze buildings; and the question of what to do with the runway and tarmac areas, the costs of redevelopment to the Township would be exorbitant.

892 acres of Yet-to-be-Determined (BRAC PMO photo)

The HLRA hopes to win approval to subdivide the NAS-JRB property into known-clean vs. known-contaminated sites in order to make those clean parcels more attractive to potential developers by removing the stigma of the Superfund label.

These same issues also restrict the Navy’s ability to sell it directly should they decide to dispose of the land themselves. This is a common problem with BRAC-designated disposal properties of this type. In the past, attempts by the military services to dispose of excess lands outside the conveyance to an LRA have met with little – if any – success.

Regardless of all the difficulties and challenges presented by the redevelopment, Horsham made the correct decision in getting out in front of the NAS-JRB Willow Grove BRAC process. By doing so, they ensured local community control over the future of a significant portion of Township acreage in a central location with the potential for a huge impact on the community’s future.

No one ever said it was going to be easy or cheap; and certainly no one suggested that it would be quick. And with a little patience and an appreciation for the complexity of the task, Horsham Township will control the future of the NAS-JRB Willow Grove property and how that future impacts the people of Horsham!

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A Tuesday like No Other

Posted on September 10, 2012 by Mike Shortall

Last year, the ten-year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks didn’t seem to elicit much of a reaction in me. I wrote one blog post that dealt with the physical, personal, and economic toll of America’s response to the attacks via the War on Terror … the war in Afghanistan, the number of wounded and killed American soldiers, the casualties suffered by the Afghan people, etc. But the decade commemoration itself was not as noteworthy for me, troubling though that may be to some people.

I think it was the higher level of attention the ten-tear mark received from the media, the Government, the City of New York and all those smaller communities that the tragedy touched that might have muted my own personal reaction. These were people who were more directly and personally affected that rightfully deserved and received the attention of a country still mourning in many ways that tragic September day.

So I was a bit surprised to feel a bit more connected to this year’s anniversary – the 11th. Not uneasy exactly … pensive might be the better word. Why was a bit of a mystery to me.

Then I realized that this year’s anniversary would fall on a Tuesday. And that’s when it clicked. Due to that quirky 11-year Roman calendar cycle, September 11 this year would fall on the very day of the week it occurred in September 2001. Tuesday … a bright, clear sunny day … cloudless sky, Indian summer temps … a Tuesday in Manhattan.

I was at work that day. Had just gotten to my desk at the Naval Inventory Control Point (now NAVSUP Weapon Systems Support) at 8:30 that morning, and almost immediately heard about a private plane that had crashed into The World Trade Center in New York City. I remember thinking what stupid pilot could crash into such a huge building on a cloudless, crystal clear day. When I found one of the randomly placed TV monitors located throughout the work spaces, I was struck by the size of the hole punctured in the side of the North Tower, almost like an aluminum can pierced by a bullet. The hole didn’t look right. It was too big for a private plane. So when I heard it was a larger airliner, I wasn’t surprised … just more confused by the apparent ineptitude required to cause such a tragedy.

Then I saw the second plane hit, and the horror took on a totally different meaning.

I won’t bore you with my reactions to all the horrors that unfolded that day or the painful images we were to view over the following days and weeks. What I will share were two reactions that for some reason have stayed with me through this decade-plus-one since that Tuesday in September.

The first was related to a local event that occurred just the weekend before … the semi-regular airshow at the now shuttered JRB Willow Grove had just concluded the Sunday before the attacks. I can remember thinking that many of those pilots and ground troops that showed off their skills for the tax-paying public over those three days would soon be heading into harm’s way, actual combat, and the very real possibility of not coming home.

My second reaction was that Tuesday evening, taking a walk with the dog, and looking up into what’s normally a very active Northeastern sky. I was struck by the absolute absence of any moving lights in that dark, star-filled sky … no air traffic at all … The realization that “they” could hit us here and could disrupt our normal everyday lives. The thought gave me an empty, chilled feeling.

I just know if Tuesday morning opens with clear blue skies and Indian summer temperatures that empty chill will be back cold and hard in the pit of my stomach.

Airport paranoia … THE destroyer

Posted on March 27, 2012 by Mike Shortall

Cranky Man likes to keep an eye on the maneuvering surrounding the City of Philadelphia’s efforts to expand the Philadelphia International Airport. Why? Because I’m a suspicious, semi-paranoid type who’s convinced a nefarious plot will surface to bring back the issue of an airport at the recently abandoned Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove.

The Kinks would claim “Paranoia, the Destroyer”. But it does keep you on your toes!

And so it was with my Paranoia Radar in full operational mode that I read not one … but two articles in Sunday’s Philadelphia Inquirer on UPS, U.S. Airways and the Philadelphia International Airport expansion kerfuffle.

The first article was found in The Inqy’s Business Section, and was quite informative on the size, complexity, depth and breadth of the UPS operation at PHL. UPS employs 3100 people at PHL, housed on 212 acres and in a 681,000 square-foot processing center. The center also includes a 50-acre airplane ramp.

The hub processes approximately 70,000 parcels a day, which can rise to 95,000 per day during the Christmas season. Eighty to 100 tractor trailers a day move parcels to ground hubs within a 150-mile radius, including its ground delivery hub on Blair Mill Road in Horsham. There were no specific figures provided for flights-per-day; but in 2007 available information showed 20 flights every 24 hours. I would expect more flights now 4-5 years later than that 2007 data. Due to airway congestion and the UPS sorting process schedule, these flights arrive primarily at night.

UPS recently bought Dutch package and freight service TNT Express for $6.7 billion!

The second article described the confab held Monday, March 26 between the City of Philadelphia in the person of Mayor Michael Nutter and U.S. Airways in the person of Chief Executive Doug Barker over the future of the airlines operations at PHL and the planned expansion of the airport. The expansion calls for the construction of a new runway that – among other things – would REQUIRE that UPS accept a move from their current location to a less desirable site – according to UPS - in Tinicum.

The cost of this project is a big concern to both the City and to U.S. Airways. The City estimates the project’s cost to be $6.4 BILLION over a 13-year period! But members of airlines industry suggest the costs will run closer to $10.5 BILLION! That’s a pretty big gap.

The City, prior to yesterday’s meeting with U.S. Air, planned to pay for the project in part by charging the airlines fees based on activity. Needless to say the airlines aren’t particularly thrilled with the prospect, especially when they insist a new runway will not solve the problem it’s intended to address … more timely flights and lessened airspace congestion. The airlines insist that overcrowding and more efficient airport operations would be resolved by working to re-route or re-organize the airspace between Boston and Washington D.C.

Why is this important to watch? Paranoia runs deep!

U.S. Airways has suggested that it might shift air operations away from PHL if it could not agree to a new 15-year lease with The City and those prohibitive charges for the new runway. If a “use fee” is charged by The City to pay for the runway, U.S. Air can avoid those charges by simply reducing the number of flights out of Philadelphia or – in a more drastic scenario – move its Philadelphia hub operations somewhere else.

This is the same approach UPS may take when it comes to moving its facility from the east side of the airport to the west side, bordering on Tinicum. UPS does not like the proposed Tinicum site since it affords no buffer area from surrounding homes; the plan to appropriate 72 homes via forced sales under provisions of eminent domain puts UPS in the position of being “the bad neighbor”; and the fact that the proposed site provides no additional space for expansion of the PHL UPS hub if necessary.

UPS has said if forced to move from its current site, it will entertain “all other options”, including the potential of moving its Philadelphia hub out of The City.

And there sits that 8000-foot runway … with 890 acres of land … 1/2 mile from my front door …

And now the Horsham Land Reuse Authority plan will soon be in Washington … in the hands of the Navy … with all those politicians standing around … looking for their next Sugar Daddy donation …

We all knew it would take YEARS for this redevelopment effort to bear fruit. But it only takes a few days for fruit to turn into garbage.

Paranoia?!? BIG destroyer …

Nesbitt-McCouch for Horsham Council!

Posted on November 7, 2011 by Mike Shortall

As a 14-year resident of Horsham Township (Montgomery County, PA), I cannot really make claim to the full history of Horsham’s success or affluence. However, for the years my family has lived here, I can unequivocally state that we have been very happy and extremely comfortable with our life in one of America’s Best Places to Live!

I wouldn’t change a thing about how the Township is planned, managed or operated! And that MUST include those who have served to keep Horsham Township on the best possible path, both in the past and for the future!

Greg Nesbitt and Mark McCouch are two of the Leaders responsible for the current success and publicly recognized attractiveness and livability of Horsham Township! Both men have been instrumental – as HLRA-backing Council members - in working towards a feasible, attractive, community-oriented solution for the now vacant JRB Willow Grove property. And MOST IMPORTANTLY, making sure that future DOES NOT include an airport that indubitably would prove a greater drain on Township resources and community atmosphere than it would benefit.

Even their Democrat opponents admit that there are no “particular issues or problems with the current council” that might require a change in Township Leadership. The opposition also openly AGREES with the premise and direction that both the HLRA and Township Council has taken on the future look of the JRB Willow Grove property.

So, you have to ask yourself … Why would you change what is so obviously working for the community in which you live?!? What would possess one to think we could improve on one of the Best Places to Live in America?!?

It’s obvious that you shouldn’t and wouldn’t think seriously about either!

VOTE GREG NESBITT AND MARK McCOUCH on Tuesday, November 8!

Airport danger still lurks for Horsham in overcrowded skies at PHL!

Posted on October 14, 2011 by Mike Shortall

A recent article in The Philadelphia Inquirer on the progress – or lack thereof – on the Philadelphia International Airport expansion project indicates several potential complications that could swing attention back towards the former JRB Willow Grove property as an alternative for relieving overcrowded airspace at PHL:

The overall cost of the project has already increased by over $1 billion dollars, supposedly due to escalation of costs for the project that was originally priced in 2005 dollars.
Local authorities, Delaware County and airport representatives have been discussing how to minimize – if not completely remove – the need for eminent domain claims on Tinicum homes and businesses. This effort entails a tradeoff between the size of the footprint needed for a new UPS and what land is currently available to meet those needs.
UPS – on the other hand – has not yet agreed to move. They naturally need to ensure that whatever land is offered to them will meet their operational needs. UPS currently holds 212 acres at PHL.

But the real eye-opener is U.S. Airways view, expressed by V.P. of corporate real estate, Michael Minerva in a July 2010 letter to PHL CEO, Mark Gale stating that the new runway alone would not greatly alleviate delays “until there is a solution to local airspace congestion.”

I bring this up as a warning to avoid complacency now that development plans for the JRB Willow Grove property are moving forward. As a community we must approach the development process with flexibility and a willingness to compromise on our personal preferences for the future of the airbase.

Personally, I’m not a big fan of the town center concept, if it should include high-density housing and retail space that would exacerbate the traffic problems on Rts. 611 and 463. But my complete satisfaction with the final redevelopment plan is – and should be – secondary to developing a plan that allows Horsham to move forward and eliminate the possibility of intrusion from outside forces looking to resurrect the airport issue.

My bet is that we have not heard the last from airport proponents – both private advocacy groups and public agencies – who view the former airbase as an attractive regional aviation asset. The next challenge will probably come from Washington, D.C. when the redevelopment plan is presented to the U.S. Navy for its approval.

The danger for Horsham is to become wrapped around its proverbial axle in arguments and intractability on how the property is developed. Threats could come our way from regional and national authorities looking for a quick fix to alleviate airspace congestion in the skies around PHL. An abandoned runway within 20 miles of Philadelphia - and 8000 feet long at that! - will be hard for them to resist.

The next meeting of the HLRA is this Wednesday, October 19.

The HLRA Board, Horsham Township Council, Horsham Township Planning Commission and the HLRA sub-committees will be discussing the three Base Reuse Alternatives and providing information to RKG Associates, the consultant, on how to move forward towards the goal of creating the Preferred Redevelopment Plan.

It is crucial that Horsham residents stay connected and involved with the HLRA process.

Our work is nowhere near done!

Welcome to Horsham International Airport!

Bravo, Horsham!!

Posted on July 28, 2011 by Mike Shortall

The official verdict is in … NO AIRPORT in Horsham!!

There was a palpable sense of relief throughout the audience, finally obtaining assurance that the Horsham Land Reuse Authority (HLRA) Board was in – almost unanimous – agreement with the overwhelming local sentiment that a functioning private/commercial airport was not in the best interests of Horsham Township’s future.

The crowd in attendance was – from my perspective – 95% opposed to the acceptance of any plan (NOI) to maintain an airport operation at the JRB Willow Grove site or to the suggestion – by the incomprehensible Montgomery County Commissioners’ submittal – that the runway be stashed in a coat closet for a few decades, just in case the need for a runway arises in 2040!

But that wasn’t the only laugher provided by the events of last night’s HLRA session to approve/disapprove Notices of Interest (NOI) from parties interested in utilizing space and facilities to be made available by the Navy’s abandonment of the JRB Willow Grove site.

The biggest laugh was reserved for the Bucks County Aviation Authority (BCAA) proposal to operate an airport. Citing Horsham’s loss of $650,000 in property tax offset (impact fees) from the U.S. Government and the township’s desire to maximize tax revenues from the site, the BCAA’s offer of a $5000-per-year stipend was met with a roomful of hearty guffaws.

That’s not a misprint! $5000.00-a-year!

Yet another entertaining moment came when David Pitcairn, a descendant of the original owners of the JRB property in the 1940s, attempted to make a case for accepting an airport operation there. Humor could be found on several levels.

He lives in Delaware County. So the biggest effect an airport in Horsham would have on him is the 20 – 30 minutes he might spend on the tarmac waiting for his turn to rotate off into the wild blue!
His family SOLD the land to the U.S. Navy 70 years ago!
Someone actually harbored the thought that his opinion would somehow hold sway over the skeptical local crowd. It did not have the desired “Gee, if a Pitcairn wants an airport, what are we waiting for?” effect.

It was a long, drawn-out, tiring night. (I lasted only until 9:30 with only nine NOI decisions out of 17 having been finalized.) And the tortuous travails endured by the HLRA board in listening patiently; calming the more jumpy cattle in the herd; and enduring some the more inane commentary from a few citizens who displayed but a fleeting grasp of the meeting’s objectives was enough to discourage any civic-minded citizen from ever considering public service. The members of the HLRA Board, including Bill Donnelly who is currently running for the office of Montgomery County Prothonotary, are to be commended!

Before I left, the Board had approved every other non-airport NOI, including decisions to consider further local plans for open space, new roads, a future school and an additional firehouse should they become necessary, and a potential retirement/nursing home development. And although I hope the Board approved the NOI application for a homeless veterans rehabilitation center, I could not hold out long enough to witness that result.

But back to the action …

One of my favorite activities last night was watching HLRA Board Chairman, Bill Whiteside turning eight shades of red at the nitpicky, bordering-on-petty attempts by Board Member Steve Nelson to pull off a Houdini of a maneuver and throw the No Airport Movement off the tracks. Nelson should have attended the meeting wearing his Jim Matthews mask and barn-storming pilot garb with matching leather jacket and helmet and a jaunty pair of goggles. Rumors circulated that he and Young Pitcairn car-pooled to the meeting. At one point, Mr. Whiteside’s half-turn-with-an-eyeroll to yet another Nelson foray was classic Seinfeld (the episode where Jerry deals with noisy movie-goers).

Nelson’s unbelievable attempts to claim that the HLRA was “rushing” into an airport decision, after ONLY six years of contemplating what to do with an 8000-ft, meters thick ribbon of concrete, was perhaps the height of hubris. This presented the only time that board members pointedly criticized the position of a fellow member.

When the final vote was taken on the only viable airport NOI proposal and the 8-1 vote recorded in favor of turning down the BCAA proposal, there was much rejoicing throughout the land. Personally, I was a bit surprised by the nearly unanimous board vote.

I only wish that I could convince myself that this is truly the end of Airport Road. I remain suspicious that further legal and political maneuvering will continue by Regional Authorities reluctant to Kevorkian their Horsham airport visions.

With that unsettling thought now out there, Horsham residents should celebrate this development and the progress towards more difficult and equally challenging decisions on the Township’s future. This daunting, critical task of planning Horsham’s future is only beginning. There will be many more decisions to be made, worth millions in dollars of investment and millions of dollars in revenue. That road stretches for years.

And just in case, we should all be prepared to man the ramparts again … should my suspicions prove warranted!

Horsham Land Reuse Authority meeting – Wednesday, July 27

Posted on July 26, 2011 by Mike Shortall

The next step in Horsham’s LRA process for the soon-to-be-abandoned JRB Willow Grove site is this Wednesday at 7:00 PM at the Horsham Township Community Center.

The Board will review the Notices of Interest (NOI) submitted by homeless service providers and organizations qualifying for public benefit conveyances and provide guidance to the RKG Team on which applications should receive further review for possible inclusion in the reuse alternatives.

There will also be a period set aside for public comment, which – if nothing else - should be entertaining!

All kidding aside, this is another important step towards Horsham’s objective of local control over what kind of development becomes the future of a site that represents a huge area of Horsham Township.

An airport? No airport? Town center? Corporate jets? Corporate office space? Open space?

The HLRA will consider the NOIs submitted and will narrow down those possibilities that could potentially become part of the end solution.

What do you think Horsham should look like in the future?!? If you care, you should be there!

MontCo plan for airbase runway punted by Horsham LRA

Posted on June 29, 2011 by Mike Shortall

Good article today in The Philadelphia Inquirer on Montgomery County’s poorly developed “plan” for preserving the runway at JRB Willow Grove. The “plan” consisted of Montgomery Count expressing their desire to take possession of the runway as a “valuable future asset”.

That was it! That’s the whole “plan”!!

No financing, no maintenance, no discussion of feasibility … certainly no responsibility either. The County even went so far as to pointedly stress their lack of interest in running an airport.

Gee, what’s not to like?!?

So the Horsham LRA punted that low-hanging fruit basket back at the County, and seemed to have a little fun doing it at Wednesday’s HLRA meeting.

This development really changes nothing to the prospects for an airport, either for or against. But it’s good to know that the ”leadership” tenures of County Commissioners Jim Matthews and Joe Hoeffel will expire shortly!

Take the rest of the year off, guys …

Please.

And by the way, Bruce L Castor, Jr., who is running for re-election to the County Commission with Jenny Brown, has taken an anti-airport stance; backing local opposition to a commercial airport.

Remember THAT in November’s election, Horsham!

A bed & breakfast and a graduation

Posted on June 19, 2011 by Mike Shortall

It’s been busy time for Cranky Man the past week or so. Our youngest, Alex, graduated this week from Hatboro-Horsham HS; and my brother and his wife are in from the Left Coast to visit and pay homage to the graduate. My brother, Pat was able to retire this year; and since he’s two years YOUNGER, it’s been a cranky time for me. Coveting will do that. On Saturday this weekend, we hosted the obligatory graduation blowout.

Alex finished in the Top 10% of his class; has decided to attend Temple University’s Honor Program; and has received several offers of scholarship assistance. He has a bright future ahead of him.

A very proud time, and a very busy time … As a result, I have neglected my blog duties. I must be both motivated and topically inspired to be effective.

I love having Pat and his wife here. Pat left for a hitch in the Air Force at 18, right after his graduation from high school (Father Judge ’76). Since he left at an early age and ended up staying out on the Left Coast when he met his spousal unit, it seems we missed doing a lot of the normal 20-something and 30-something stuff together as we raised our families in separate worlds. We try to catch up on what was missed whenever we get together.

So much for what’s been keeping me from my appointed rounds. Here are a few news bits to hold you over ’til the smoke clears.

Kudos for Cranky Man from fellow no-airport-at-JRB-WG warriors at http://www.noairportinhorsham.org/, who have noticed my constant and unending anti-airport tirades. Check out my first internet referral at the bottom of their homepage. Thanks for noticing, neighbors!
If you haven’t yet, please register your opposition to an airport – if you’re so inclined – at the aforementioned www.noairportinhorsham.org! They wish to document all Horsham neighbors who stand opposed to an airport at the JRB. Make sure YOUR voice is heard, especially if you cannot attend HLRA meetings!
My one indelible image from the HLRA community charrette on Friday, June 10 was this one clear pro-airport individual, who had the temerity to interrupt what was a rather productive group exercise. He just HAD to let us know that as the owner of a scuba equipment shop on Rt 611 (as if THAT made his opinion carry more weight) just how “wonderful” an airport would be for the people of Horsham. Then – just as quickly - he hopped off to the next group to spout his personal opinion. Not once did he present even a pretense of caring one twit what THE REAL COMMUNITY was trying to accomplish that day. Nope … It was all about him, his opinions, his self-interests. There’s a lesson there for those of us who really care about the broader Horsham picture, more than just hobbies and financial gain.
My other impressions of the Day of Charrette (Sounds like a wine tasting!) were frustration – initially; a begrudging – at times – effort to LISTEN to the views of others; the slow-to-emerge impression that this charrette process was interesting, helpful, and productive. There was a clear majority of no-airport over pro-airport attendees. Unfortunately, I was indisposed on Saturday and unable to attend the wrap-up session.

With the Day of Charrette – a critical but preliminary – community effort now out of the way, I hope to get back to some of my regular blogging subject matter. I do expect to return often to the matter of the JRB’s future, since I’m convinced the issue will not be settled for some time to come.

Also, I’ve made one change in an effort to make reader discussion less complicated here. You will no longer be required to submit an e-mail address to comment. All comments will still be subject to review before being added to the discussion thread however.

For my Horsham neighbors, make sure you stay informed; look at the FACTS behind the claims; cull facts from suppositions and wishful projections; and consider the motives of those who want to advise you on matters affecting the community!

The Greens of Horsham

Posted on June 9, 2011 by Mike Shortall

(Apologies to followers of this blog for the overabundance of posts dealing with local Horsham issues revolving around the USG BRAC decision to close the JRB Willow Grove airbase. This is a HUGE local issue for Horsham, where I live. Our home is located in Horsham, barely 1/2 mile from the airbase. This complex issue is coming to a head this Friday, June 10; so I anticipate that this theme will recur much less frequently in posts to follow. Thanks for your patience! - Hatboro Mike)

Since I have been overwhelmingly anti-airport in postings here and elsewhere on the internet as well as my many conversations and recommendations to friends and neighbors, I have promised to provide my vision for the JRB Willow Grove property. The following concepts are based on and limited by the following factors:

Horsham Township does not NEED to make a boatload of money through exploitation of the JRB-WG site. In years past, the U.S. Navy has paid the Township of Horsham – more accurately the Hatboro-Horsham School District – ONLY $750,000 annually to compensate the District for the airbase acreage that did not generate residential school taxes. Therefore, Horsham need only recoup that annual $750K PLUS the costs of maintaining the site and supporting whatever infrastructure might be required to accommodate what development goes into the site.
I would be perfectly happy if the solution to the JRB-WG site was revenue-neutral insofar as my tax burden is concerned. My predominant interest is to maintain the level of quality-of-life and sense of community for which Horsham Township is known. Obviously, the Township has been on the right path in the recent past, given the accolades it receives as a top-quality community in which to live.
I care little for the economic needs of the region, the jobless rate, the convenience of frequent air travelers, or the pleasures of aircraft hobbyists. Yes, this is unapologetic NIMBY-ism (Not In My Back Yard), which is completely defensible considering it is my backyard! I have no doubt that anyone else in our – Horsham’s – position would do the same, if they felt their community and way-of-life threatened by all the possibilities. Also, I sincerely doubt any of our regional neighbors will give a hoot about Horsham’s future once the die is cast.
I am no community planner, architect, real estate analyst, green techie, or regional economist. Therefore, these suggestions indubitably need to be fleshed out and screened for economic realities.

I will go out on a limb, and assert that MOST Horshamites would much rather see a multi-use solution to the future of the JRB-WG site. One that DOES NOT include an airport. But one that does generate sufficient tax revenue to make the site at least tax-neutral and at best tax-reducing.

My vision is one of multiple uses:

Solar energy farm … Hundreds (thousands??) of solar energy-collecting arrays that will help to power new development and perhaps allow for the collection of excess energy that can be shunted to municipal uses or sold to the existing energy grid. I prefer these low-profile contraptions as opposed to the more imposing wind mills.
Light industrial and office space development along the lines of the profile found in the complex surrounded by Commonwealth National Country Club. These structures would incorporate the latest in communication technology and environmentally sensitive design, including solar and wind turbine energy producers (along the lines of those planned for Lincoln Financial Field in the near future), no-flow urinals (See those used in Comcast’s new building in Center City.), etc.

(Many criticize this particular usage, based on the existence of under-occupied office space already existing in Horsham. However, if done properly - in my opinion - we can attract office space renters from around the region, who will be attracted by economic incentives of such environmentally conscious designs as well as the job market advantage it might offer in attracting environmentally conscious young people as new employees.)

Lahaska in Horsham - I steal this idea from someone on reusethebase.com, I think. I like the idea of a small outdoor revenue-producing community of artisan shops. This would require substantial landscape engineering to convert the airbase into a rolling area of shops, small cafes/restaurants, a tavern or two, set in a bucolic strolling-type environment. (I also like the Main Street Horsham concept. And this could be made part of or complimentary to “Main Street Horsham”.)
Incorporate – in some manner – the static aircraft displays made available through the Delaware Valley Historical Aircraft Association. Now this might seem a bit incongruous with the “Lahaska in Horsham” theme, and it is frankly. However with the amount of space available at the airbase site, there should be no problem or glaring inconsistency if both are given sufficient “buffer areas”. The concept could be rolled into the strolling-type layout.
Obviously, open space in the form of play areas and athletic fields for Horsham and neighboring community uses.
I have no real issue with any of the non-runway associated NOIs submitted. I think Township residents should get strongly behind the idea of a transitional facility for homeless veterans, including the presence of a short-term alcohol and drug rehabilitation center. We owe these veterans AT LEAST that much!

Off the reservation (or here’s where I get a bit pie-in-the-sky):

A tribute to Willow Grove’s historic past … Yes, I know we are Horsham, not Willow Grove; but the name does translate nicely given the airbase’s title for 70 years! A century ago, Willow Grove was known for its spas and its musical entertainment.

An area of quiet, subdued family fun (i.e. NOT an amusement park)
Resurrection of the old style carousel made famous when Willow Grove was a leisure destination
Incorporation of a small, sheltered, acoustically sound bandshell-type structure; seating no more than 500-1000 to keep it sedate and pleasant (i.e. NOT a mega-concert venue). This would also represent a throw-back to quieter times; hosting performances by local music clubs, schools, and organizations; and providing a place for community-oriented theatre and summer concerts.

Golf Academy – OK, this one’s for me!!

There is plenty of land from which to carve a section that will provide a money-making, yet unobtrusive venture that – to my knowledge – would be unique to this golf-hungry region without the troublesome and risky need to build a golf course.
Driving range, expansive areas for the construction of several undulating greens for the purposes of short-game instruction. One expansive hanger-type structure for the construction of indoor chipping and putting greens for use during the winter seasons. (Not to be confused with the already existing hangers in place, but perhaps these could be used if other uses DO NOT materialize.)
There are many club pros and teaching pros throughout the area who have to rely on inadequate driving-range type operations to ply their trade. One all-inclusive facility, conveniently located in the midst of a golf-crazy area could attract a stable of pros looking for better teaching facilities where all facets of the game that drives me crazy could be addressed!
I am under no misconception that my particular game would improve appreciably; but others could certainly benefit. And golfers have money they’re willing to spend, if it gives them a chance to brag in the clubhouse!

The runway?!? It would make a nice parking lot!

There it is! Practicality mixed in with a few brain-storms-in-a-tea-cup-type ideas.

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