With the owner of the Mozino tract indicating he was willing to sell, Upper Darby tabled a proposed zoning change for the tract.
There was a full house this week for the special meeting devoted solely to an ordinance that would create a mixed-use zoning district.
That new zoning would be for the proposed development called Drexel Point on 15 acres on State Road across from the Drexeline Shopping Center.
Owner Greg Lingo of Delaware County-based land development firm Rockwell Drexel LLC estimated the price that he would be willing to sell to the township: $8 million.
Currently, 56 single family homes could be built on the property without a change in zoning. The property was once farmland, but beginning in 1940 that ended and eventually the woods grew up to cover the farm.
Lingo, who has roots in the township, said it isn’t necessarily a decision between open space and a future mixed use development.
He said the property wasn’t open space. It had been neglected for as long as he can remember.
“This is what happens when somebody doesn’t cut their grass for 70 years,” he said.
He said that as a taxpayer, he didn’t think the township buying the tract was a prudent use of funds. Taking it off the tax rolls would cost the school district $623,000 in revenue and $243,000 for the township.
A group of citizens presented a proposal to acquire the property, which supporters call the Mozino Forest, to protect it from development.
Jack McCausland, operations and fundraising manager for Darby Creek Valley Association, said this situation is not unprecedented.
He used the example of the Oakwell estate in Villanova, which was purchased for $13 million. He said the first step would be to find grant funding and that likely would take six months to a year.
Grant funding has specific requirements and often requires governmental organizations to own the property.
Possible sources of funding could be the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the William Penn Foundation, and Natural Lands and Keystone Conservation Trust.
Mike Atwell, chair of the Upper Darby Shade Tree Commission, said that in a good year the organization plants 50 trees, which is not a lot compared to the number that would come down every year.
If the property was purchased, he said the plan would follow the view of “do no harm.” They would plant trees each year to foster the tract.
Other residents spoke against development, citing the loss of open space and worsening traffic.
Tree Tenders founding member Bonnie Hallam presented a petition with 1,110 signatures.
Mayor Ed Brown said it is a complex issue with no easy answers, and asked to trust the council, that the members will make the best decision, “all things considered.”
Hallam said Tree Tenders had no idea that a sale was on the table until a few days ago.
She said Tree Tenders have been in communication with a number of conversancy groups who were interested, willing and confident they could get the funding. However, the tract would first need to be appraised.
She said they are committed to working with Lingo and said this gives the township an opportunity.