I support preserving the Don Guanella forest, but I am also opposed to any redevelopment of the Don Guanella Village that severely impacts traffic in our community. The number of vehicles coming and going from Carlino's 47 acre proposed regional shopping center would be a disaster for Marple and surrounding townships. Sproul Road is already choked with vehicles and it's much worse on Saturday. Dozens of funeral processions entering the cemetery across the street on Saturdays would make for an intolerable situation.
Carlino must not be allowed to build 40 stores, a four story 150 unit senior living complex, and a four story medical office building. If this got built, the quality of life of tens of thousands of area residents would be permanently impaired.
Marple's comissioners should reject Carlino's masssive complex and insist on something much smaller. They should not be allowed to make millions each at our community's expense. Since it will take public money to make a public preserve and park of the forested area of the property, Carlino does not need to build a regional shopping mecca. They can certainly build a much smaller development that wouldn't degrade the quality of life for so many people.
