CVS Is proposing to build a new store at the intersection of Foulk Rd and Silverside Rd. It will involve 4 parcels (1800 Foulk Rd and 2417, 2415, 2413 Sliverside) some of which need to be formally rezoned to commercial before County Council.

Below are the emails from Ray Buchta, President of Chatham Civic Association, and Councilman Bob Weiner.

From: Ray Buchta
Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2011 5:20 PM

Dear Chatham Neighbors-

Thank you to all who attended the CVS meeting last night and/or submitted your comments to me over the past couple weeks.   I believe we sent a strong message that we do not want a CVS at that location.

For those who missed the meeting, we learned the proposed store is 13,000 sq ft and 22 ft high.   There will be 55 spots in their parking lot.   This is unacceptable, especially to our neighbors who will have to look at the monstrosity and all of us who will have to deal with even more traffic.   I’ve attached a photo from the meeting and the aerial map I made this morning – the four parcels CVS wants (from the Shell station to the purple house) are shaded in yellow.  At the end of the meeting we took a vote and the show of hands of those opposed was a unanimous “NO”.

On a positive note, I was very pleased to meet Chas McCormick last night, the owner of the new First State Pharmacy (http://www.firststatepharmacy.com/).  Before opening his own pharmacy, Chas spent 19 years with Happy Harry’s.  His insight and comments last night were invaluable.   In its heyday, the Branmar Plaza Happy Harry’s filled the most prescriptions daily statewide.  The Eckerds at Silverside & Marsh could not compete with their stronghold (why we now have a TD Bank there).  Now that Happy Harry’s is gone, CVS wants to move in and capitalize on the market void.   I plan on filling my next prescription at First State and I hope you will try them as well.

I am forwarding Councilman Bob Weiner’s email to Lisa Goodman, the attorney for CVS.   We all hope that CVS will not proceed forward with this location.  But if they do, we are prepared to fight and we have the support of CCOBH and the surrounding neighborhoods.   I’ve been in touch with the Brandywine School District and they are generating a list of bus stops along Silverside – this year there is one at Larkal Dr & Silverside.    We definitely don’t need our children exposed to the additional traffic and accidents CVS will bring.

Please join me in remaining vigilant.   Talk to you soon,
-Ray

Ray Buchta
President, Chatham Civic Association
www.ChathamChat.org

From: Bob Weiner
Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2011 2:42 PM
To: 'Lisa B. Goodman'
Cc: 'Bob Weiner'; 'Hinkle, Louis'; 'Ray Buchta'; 'Bob Valihura';'Rich Evans'
Subject: Lisa - Larkal Dr / Silverside Rd - Proposed CVS Store

Dear Lisa,

As you know, at the end of last evening’s meeting after carefully considering all of the issues and comments, I announced that I could not support this conceptual rezoning. Accordingly, it is my hope that CVS will not proceed forward with this application at this location.

To the best of my recollection, there has never been a commercial rezoning anywhere along Silverside or Foulk Road corridors away from the intersections. The encroachment of commercial [away from an intersection] would establish an irreversible precedent. Transition uses…office, institutional use or residential …adjacent to corner commercial is the established suburban pattern throughout the area.

There is one exception: the infill parcels of 3 contiguous land locked residences along north side Silverside Road west of Silverside and Marsh Roads. These parcels were surrounded by Branmar Plaza to the north, an entrance road  to Branmar Plaza to the west, Shoppes of Graylyn across Silverside Road to the south and the commercial at the intersection of Silverside and Marsh, to the east. These parcels were subject to a set of deed restrictions which were voluntarily entered into between CCOBH and Continental Jewelers about 20 years ago. I spearheaded those deed restrictions as CCOBH Zoning Chairman. There were two additional requirements (1) that the 3 homes…once they were no longer used as residences…would share a common entrance/exit onto Silverside Road, and (2) that the future structures retain residential character. The deed restrictions served us well. Today the two businesses are context sensitive: sandwich shop and a real estate office.

Westbound traffic on Silverside Road approaching Foulk Road is in failure. I live on Larkal Drive across from the proposed CVS. It is impossible to make a left from Larkal Drive to go westbound on Silverside Road at any time any day except late at night.

Everyone appreciated CVS and you as its legal counsel, taking the time to speak with our community prior to consideration of filing an application.

Regards, Bob Weiner

Copy: Bob Valihura, President CCOBH; Ray Buchta, President, Chatham; Rich Evans, President, Foulkside

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