Deal halts homes at Valley Forge

[modrepub]

A $7.5 million pact between the Park Service and Toll Bros. ends a fight over 62 acres. Children's letters proved pivotal.

By Diane Mastrull and Nancy Petersen

Inquirer Staff Writers


The National Park Service and Toll Bros. reached a deal yesterday that ends the developer's hotly protested plans to build 62 luxury homes inside Valley Forge National Historical Park - and adds another dramatic chapter to an already storied place.

"As of today, the federal government has taken possession of the land," Charles Robbins, a spokesman for Sen. Arlen Specter, said late yesterday afternoon.

<snip>

Instrumental in quashing the deal was a letter-writing campaign - by schoolchildren.

"I remember Bob Toll telling me he was getting letters from schoolchildren all over the country telling him not to ruin Valley Forge Park," said U.S. Rep. Joseph Hoeffel, whose district in 2001 included Valley Forge Park, but does not now. Hoeffel, who also helped get the federal funds earmarked for the deal, said he persuaded Toll and the Park Service to begin talking.

<snip>

The Southeastern Pennsylvania chapter of the Sierra Club organized rallies, candlelight vigils and collected more than 2,000 signatures on petitions urging the federal government to the rescue.

Yesterday, Hoeffel said the Sierra Club "deserves a lot of the credit." Indeed, its members were rejoicing.


link: http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/9093422.htm (registration required)

Well done! Note: a repub praising the Sierra Club

[bbernardini]

1. Toll Bros. are basically concentrated evil.

They don't care what the hell they do.

[Justitia]

2. Thank God. Valley Forge is such a serene, sacred place.

History literally hangs in the atmosphere there, it is beautiful.

The thought of residential development sounds like sacrilege.
Glad to see it's not happening.

[Tellurian]

3. And Thank God for Valley Forge, it's an election year!nt

[October]

4. Hoeffel is not a repub!

Hoeffel's a great guy -- and I hope he beats Specter for his Senate seat!!!!

Toll, on the other hand...lives nearby...I'd rather not comment...

[Lisa]

5. the latest Sierra Club magazine has a bunch of stuff praising mod Repubs

There's quite a good article mentioning longtime GOP supporters who are furious with the White House for undercutting the national parks, the EPA, and other environmental initiatives which the Republicans played pivotal roles in implementing.

[MGKrebs]

6. The cynical part of me thinks that

this is related to the passage of casinos the other day. Toll Bros. gets primo real estate next to upcoming casinos? Heck, maybe they will even build the casinos.

But hey, that's just me.