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Radnor Planning Commission Rejects Villanova's Expansion Plan

By Brad Segall

NORRISTOWN, Pa. (CBS) -- A project that would bring a major expansion to the campus of Villanova University in Delaware County has been given the "thumbs down" by the Radnor Township Planning Commission.

The university had been looking for a zoning change that would have allowed a major expansion including new dorms, a parking garage, a performing arts center and some retail stores. But the panel overwhelmingly turned down the $200 million project concerned that a change would go beyond the university, which is looking for a denser development than allowed.

Jim Yannopoulos is with the group Friends to Preserve Radnor.

"Residents, whether they live close to it or not, are concerned about the size and scope of what they want to do and how out of scale it is compared to anything else in Radnor Township."

He believes the ball is now in Villanova's court.

"Villanova still has the right to take their proposed amendment of the zoning laws to the Board of Commissioners and ask them to vote yes or no on it and I believe that's probably what they are going to do next."

No vote has been scheduled by the Board of Commissioners.

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