Chadds Ford Township supervisors voted to contribute $250,000 to North American Land Trust’s (NALT) grant application to buy 17 acres at 1597 Baltimore Pike. Supervisors Chairman Samantha Reiner said the money would come from open space funds. The property is the former home of N.C. Wyeth and, most recently, the Camp family. The Camps sold the property to developer Wayne Megill last year, and now NALT wants to buy the property from him. Reiner said the property would be under a conservation easement held by the township, adding that NALT would operate the site much like it does Brinton Run Preserve. The land trust’s goal is preserving the site, adding trails that would connect with Walkable Chadds Ford, and providing a habitat for pollinators. In addition to the money, the township will also write a letter of support that NALT will use in its grant application with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Township Manager Lacey Faber said NALT must pay a $500,000 nonrefundable deposit with the application. The American Battlefield Trust would put up an equal amount, but they would forfeit the deposit if NALT fails to acquire the property. The asking price is $3.7 million, Faber added. The anticipated date of acquisition is sometime in 2025.
Source: Chadds Ford Live; 3/28/2024