The immediate question for the Mozino Tract is whether preservationists can assemble roughly $8 million—and who would own the land if a public purchase goes ahead. The 15-acre wooded parcel in Drexel Hill could instead be developed with 56 homes under the plan Greg Lingo of Rockwell Development Group says he would pursue if the preservation effort falls short.
The Mozino Tract sits between State Road and Township Line Road in Drexel Hill, within Upper Darby Township, and is described as a 15-acre undeveloped wooded parcel, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. The land is owned by the Peter S. and Catherine G. Mozino Deed of Trust and is under contract to be sold to Lingo's company, Rockwell Drexel, LLC, the Inquirer reports. A separate report from 6abc described Rockwell Development Group as the property's owner, a discrepancy neither outlet has resolved. Delaware County property records list the tract's assessed value at $446,920.
The current standoff follows the collapse of a more expansive proposal. Lingo had proposed a mixed-use development with single-family homes, townhouses, apartments, ground-floor commercial space, and community gathering areas, according to the Inquirer's earlier August coverage. Township staff argued the plan would boost tax revenue and add housing options, while residents urged the township to reject it. Upper Darby Council unanimously tabled the rezoning ordinance in August, halting that version of the project.
A Fallback Plan Already Cleared for Takeoff
Lingo says he has abandoned the mixed-use concept. If preservation funding does not materialize, he plans to return to his original by-right plan for 56 single-family homes, which he says is permitted under current zoning and requires no special township approvals.
Lingo has told organizers he would be willing to sell the land to Upper Darby Township for roughly $8 million, the same figure preservationists are trying to raise. If that effort fails, Rockwell Development Group plans to enter an agreement with a public or national homebuilder to proceed with the 56-home project, according to the Inquirer.
Not everyone agrees on the zoning math. A report from EnviroDelco stated that Rockwell could build up to 52 single-family homes right now without council approval, a figure that doesn't match the 56-home count cited elsewhere. The discrepancy remains unresolved in the available reporting.
Neighbors Organize a Race Against the Clock
Bonnie Hallam is leading the effort to preserve the tract. The Inquirer reports that she believes local environmentalists are confident they can raise the $8 million needed to buy it. Hallam has pointed to the property's wildlife habitat, tall trees, and creek as environmental benefits for the township. EnviroDelco adds that deer and other wildlife use the site and that a proposed trail could eventually connect it to Collenbrook Farm and the Darby Creek Trail System.
The Save the Mozino Forest group submitted its first grant application to the Open Space Institute on Sept. 25 and is also pursuing funding from the William Penn Foundation and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, which runs a statewide land-acquisition grant program for parks and open space, according to the state agency's own description. Organizers also plan a community fundraising campaign through the Foundation for Delaware County. The group is organizing a rally at Collenbrook Church this Saturday.
Government Hesitates While a County Ballot Measure Looms
The potential buyer and eventual title holder remain unsettled. Delaware County spokesperson George Basile told the Inquirer the county has not had conversations with Lingo about purchasing the tract. Upper Darby Township is exploring its options but has not agreed to take title, leaving open who would own the property if the preservation effort succeeds.
A countywide ballot measure could create another source of conservation funding, though it does not identify the Mozino Tract for support. Delaware County Council voted unanimously to place a referendum on the Nov. 3 ballot asking voters to authorize up to $120 million in bonds for open-space and environmental projects, according to the Delaware County Times. The same outlet reported that the county's Green Ways program has been stalled since 2023 for lack of funding.
What the County Bond Could—and Could Not—Do
According to the Delaware County Digest, the November ballot question would give Council the option to issue up to $120 million in bonds for land conservation across the county. The announcement does not dedicate a specific amount to Mozino or explain whether or how bond proceeds could be directed to a purchase there, so the measure would not by itself secure funding for the tract. The Delaware County Planning Department says the Green Ways program has committed approximately $16.8 million since 2019 and leveraged more than $33.7 million in outside funding. Those are countywide program figures, not evidence of money available or committed for Mozino.
The referendum has critics. The Philadelphia Business Journal reported that opponents argue the bond measure could hamper development and worsen the housing shortage—a debate also reflected in the dispute over the Mozino Tract, where the choice is between preserving woods and building homes allowed under current zoning.
Lingo says he remains in regular contact with the environmental groups seeking to buy the property. In earlier remarks cited by the Inquirer, he acknowledged that neighbors did not want development on the tract and said he had assumed, incorrectly, that he knew what was best for the community. The outcome now hinges on whether the preservation effort can reach its fundraising target and establish a public owner for the land.
