Of Honest Intentions and Inebriated Beavers in Wynnewood: Lower Merion Fence Regulations

Disputed Wynnewood fence: trimmed and untrimmed portions.

Make sure to review Lower Merion fence-building regulations before allowing your contractor to get started. These Wynnewood homeowners with street frontage near the well-traveled crossroads of Bowman Ave. & Wynnewood Rd. said they grew weary of passerby-litterbugs tossing trash into the backyard where their children play.

This spring, they decided to erect a solid, picket-fence similar in size and construction to the one which protects their neighbors' adjacent property. Despite their reasonable goals: Preventing folks from using their yard as a trashcan, And doing so with a fence in visual harmony with that of the neighbors, Lower Merion township rebuked the finished product.

While the fence was handsome and nearly identical to the neighbors' 6-foot fence, it was built 2-feet taller than current township regulations permit. Township codes do clearly indicate that all newly-constructed, solid fences (on property with frontage on township roads) may not exceed 4-feet in height. The homeowners appealed the township's rejection of their fence on grounds it did not exceed the size of any neighboring ones. They also stressed the importance of its stature in terms of quality of life and deterring drive-by littering.

Much of fence was roughly hemmed to comply with Twp Regs.

Township authorities denied an exemption to the height ordinance and the homeowners complied with the order of removal - sort of. Only the code-offending portions of the fence (the parts exceeding four feet) were removed. In some places it appears inebriated beavers were in charge of the project. What's left is unsightly and not representative of the honorable intentions of all parties.

The tax-paying new homeowners wished to protect their kids and investment with a nice fence, that wasn't out of character with those nearby. Meanwhile, the Township seeks to appease both traffic-safety sight lines and the aesthetic of Lower Merion as a community and not a collection of fortresses.

Bottom line is that fence-building rules in Lower Merion are not terribly restrictive; however, the rules do have some strict parameters. For everyone's best interest, review the regs online before building a fence, or better yet, before buying that new home. And just because a home has an existing solid fence higher than code, it is very likely grand-fathered, and will not be legally replaceable unless it conforms to current rules.

Havertown Home Prices Summer 2012 Present Excellent Alternative to Pricier Lower Merion

Prices in Havertown/Haverford Township - the next school district over from Penn Wynne and Lower Merion - can run 10-20% less than Lower Merion School District. The schools are quality and the community is solid, though each has somewhat less prestige than Lower Merion. This doesn't mean folks are not enjoying high quality of life, good schools and larger more updated houses for less money. In many cases, its just the designer Lower Merion label and Mainline moniker that one does without. But by the same token, while a Havertown house may cost less going in, the growth for resale will likely follow suit due to erroneous but hard to shake status assumptions versus Lower Merion.

Havertown is a generally stable and mature suburb, with most construction 50+ years old. Neighborhoods are well-settled, knitted, family-oriented.and decidedly residential. With some significant exceptions, such as quaint Brookline, much of Havertown lacks great walkability to shopping, restaurants, attractions. Subdivisions created with the automobile in mind mean most outings involve a short drive; however, the quality Pre-Vietnam era planning pays off with generous backyards and plenty of public park space. It's a good bet you will live within a short walk to a quality park.

Prices Paid for Single Family Homes in Havertown, Pa. During July & August 2012

Street Address	Sold For	Beds	Baths	Sq Ft.	Listed For
314 Francis Dr	$127,000	3	1.1	2,112	$144,000
721 Howard Ave	$145,000	2	1	700	$145,000
1201 Garfield Ave	$185,000	4	2.1	3,032	$199,000
352 Glen Gary Dr	$211,000	3	1.1	1,656	$226,900
1818 Rose Tree Ln	$216,000	4	2	1,694	$219,900
44 Rodmor Rd	$217,500	4	1.1	1,254	$225,000
1711 Tyson Rd	$231,000	3	2.2	1,854	$230,000
302 Glen Ridge Rd	$235,000	3	1.1	1,597	$249,900
214 Strathmore Rd	$235,000	4	1	1,706	$229,000
406 Devon Rd	$238,500	3	1	1,292	$249,000
101 Greenbrier Ln	$240,000	3	1.1	1,344	$249,900
613 Covington Rd	$249,500	3	1	1,367	$249,500
625 Merion Ave	$249,900	2	1.1	1,462	$249,900
139 Wyndmoor Rd	$250,000	3	1.1	1,530	$255,000
1414 Brierwood Rd	$255,000	4	2.1	2,134	$260,000
301 Sagamore Rd	$260,000	4	1	1,812	$250,000
1735 Green Valley Rd	$267,000	3	2.1	1,890	$275,000
49 Braeburn Rd	$267,000	3	2	1,540	$259,900
301 Greenview Ln	$273,000	4	1.1	1,523	$289,900
214 Heatherwood Rd	$275,000	3	3	1,393	$279,000
204 Pine Ridge Rd	$280,000	3	1.1	1,628	$297,500
105 Columbus Ave	$285,000	4	2.1	2,967	$299,900
1425 Sunnyhill Ln	$285,250	3	2	1,528	$296,000
229 Brookline Blvd	$289,000	4	1.1	1,868	$285,000
110 Myrtle Ave	$293,000	3	2.1	1,630	$294,500
116 N Belfield Ave	$300,000	3	2	1,720	$315,000
108 Colfax Rd	$305,000	4	1.1	1,927	$309,000
6 Chelton Rd	$312,000	6	1.1	3,072	$325,000
216 David Dr	$315,000	3	2.1	1,878	$335,900
320 Glen Ridge Rd	$319,000	3	1.1	1,564	$319,000
116 Decatur Rd	$320,000	3	1.1	1,901	$300,000
13 Maryland Ave	$322,500	3	2	1,504	$334,900
240 E Turnbull Ave	$339,000	3	2.1	1,566	$339,000
1627 Surrey Ln	$340,000	3	2	1,889	$347,000
628 Penfield Ave	$344,500	3	1.1	1,950	$357,500
1401 Virginia Ave	$362,400	4	3	2,500	$364,900
18 Nancy Dr	$362,500	4	2.1	2,600	$374,900
713 Penfield Ave	$366,000	3	3.1	2,176	$369,900
2726 Woodleigh Rd	$369,500	4	2.1	1,908	$375,000
7 Joann Cir	$372,000	4	2.2	2,874	$399,999
533 Washington Ave	$400,000	4	2.2	1,925	$435,000
114 Terra Alta Cir	$420,000	3	2.1	2,525	$419,900
221 Wendover Dr	$425,000	4	2.1	2,500	$455,000
1254 Fairview Ave	$440,000	4	2.1	3,360	$450,000
205 E Eagle Rd	$455,000	4	2.1	3,500	$465,000
104 N Morgan Ave	$472,500	5	3.3	3,208	$500,000

Beyond the Big 3: 2012 Lower Merion Condo Sales

Penthouse Unit at Mansard House: 200k

While Oak Hill, Presidential and Green Hill combine for about half of all condos sold in Lower Merion, a plethora of options exist from Bala Cynwyd to Bryn Mawr. This bi-level Penthouse unit at Montgomery Ave's Mansard House offered a spectacular view of the Merion Cricket Club's opulent fields of green. This unit needed an overhaul and a major kitchen revamp but sold for a very modest $200,000 given the dynamic location. Fees below are monthly.

Building	Street Address	Sold	Beds	Baths	HOA
1219 Wynnewood	1219 W Wynnewood 508	$136,000	1	2	$400
1219 Wynnewood	1219 W Wynnewood 511	$182,000	2	2	$423
1219 Wynnewood	1219 W Wynnewood 103	$195,000	2	2	$423
Ardmore Crossing	209 Cobblestone Dr	$345,000	3	2.1	$265
Ardmore Crossing	232 W Spring Ave	$370,000	3	2.1	$265
Benson House	930 Montgomery Ave 603	$231,250	3	2	$571
Cambridge Sq	120 Sibley Ave 205	$410,000	3	2	$609
Cambridge Sq	120 Sibley Ave 202	$550,000	2	2.1	$607
Churchill Court	237 W Montgomery 3J	$300,000	3	2.1	$462
Corinthian	190 Presidential Blvd 304	$525,000	2	2.1	$850
Corinthian	190 Presidential Blvd 419	$660,000	3	3.1	$1,185
Corinthian	190 Presidential Blvd 418	$725,000	3	3.1	$1,184
Corinthian	190 Presidential Blvd PH1	$830,000	3	3.1	$1,105
Graystone	428 W Montgomery 8C	$190,000	2	1.1	$412
Greenhouse	19 Rock Hill Rd 3E	$119,000	2	2	$450
Greenleaf	61 Llanfair Rd A4	$113,000	2	1	$350
Greenleaf	102 Llanfair Rd 2-1	$210,000	2	2	$250
Greenleaf	102 Llanfair Rd 1-1	$216,500	2	2	$250
Hampshire	104 Woodside Rd C301	$235,000	2	2	$382
Hampshire	104 Woodside Rd A101	$265,000	3	2.1	$484
Haverford Towers	260 W Montgomery 204	$167,000	3	2	$444
Haverford Towers	260 Montgomery Ave 404	$290,000	3	2	$488
Hunter House	449 W Montgomery 303	$97,500	1	1	$480
Hunter House	449 W Montgomery 203	$102,500	1	1	$491
Hunter House	449 W Montgomery 301	$180,000	2	1.1	$650
Ivyside	919 W Montgomery Ave G3	$151,000	2	2	$220
Ivyside	919 W Montgomery Ave 2-3	$164,650	2	2	$230
Latchs Lane	40 Old Lancaster Rd 204	$145,000	2	2	$495
Mansard House	264 W Montgomery 401	$200,000	1	2	$634
Mansard House	264 W Montgomery 404	$351,500	2	2	$611
Mayflower Square	922 W Montgomery Ave K1	$124,000	2	1.1	$323
Montgomery Ct	119 E Montgomery Ave 7	$496,000	4	3.1	$303
Narberth	312 Windsor Ave A	$255,000	2	2	$200
Pennswood	601 W Montgomery 102	$250,000	2	2	$491
Sutton Terrace	50 Belmont Ave 301	$89,900	1	1	$571
Sutton Terrace	50 Belmont Ave 711	$160,000	2	2	$794
Sutton Terrace	50 Belmont Ave 1002	$296,000	2	2	$794
Sutton Terrace	50 Belmont Ave 505	$305,000	2	2	$794
Thacher Ct	251 W Montgomery  9	$590,000	4	3.1	$350
The Fairmont	41 Conshohocken St 104	$141,000	2	2	$886
The Fairmont	41 Conshohocken St 301	$185,000	2	2	$805
The Fairmont	41 Conshohocken St 306	$220,000	2	2	$805
The Fairmont	41 Conshohocken St 711	$273,500	2	2	$1,055
The Fairmont	41 Conshohocken St 714	$275,000	2	2	$763
Wynnewood Plaza	346 E Lancaster Ave 514	$117,500	1	1	$305
Yorklynne Manor	415 City Ave J1	$120,000	2	2	$555
Yorklynne Manor	415 City Ave B3	$155,000	2	2	$542