A group of Whitemarsh Township residents have filed an appeal to a decision made by Whitemarsh’s Zoning Hearing Officer regarding a proposed development located at the Abolition Hall property at the corner of Butler and Germantown Pikes. The hearing for the appeal will be heard on Tuesday, January 31st at 7:00 p.m. at Whitemarsh Township’s building.

The developer, K. Hovnanian, is proposing to build townhomes in a field currently used for farming that is part of the property. It proposes to subdivide the property and leave the historic buildings as they are. This includes Abolition Hall, which was a stop on the Underground Railroad. It later became a well known studio for artists.

In regards to the hearing, the developer submitted a plan and asked for a ruling as to whether its plan required it to seek relief from the Zoning Hearing Board. The Zoning Hearing Officer reviewed the proposal and made the determination that the plan does not. The residents involved in the appeal believe the proposal does require zoning relief.

So if you are concerned or supportive of the development, you can view the formal notice online.