S.A.V.E.'s mission is to preserve the quality of life and community character of southern Chester County, Pennsylvania, through Smart Growth principles that support safe transportation, agriculture, villages & the environment.

Our vision is for southern Chester County to be an inclusive and sustainable community, characterized by protected rural countryside with vibrant urban centers that are connected by uncongested scenic roads and supported by efficient and effective infrastructure.

A proposal in 1997 to expand PA Route 41 by constructing bypasses, additional lanes, and grade-separated intersections led to concerns about the direct and indirect impacts of such a project. Community members were alarmed that potential consequences such as sprawling development, loss of open space and farmland, and degradation to the environment were not being properly addressed. S.A.V.E. was founded the same year to develop and promote an alternative to this conventional approach to highway improvements.

• Daniel M. Linderman, Chair - New Garden Township

• Grant DeCosta, Vice Chair - Londonderry Township

• J. Denis Newbold, PhD, Treasurer - Penn Township

• Louis A. Kaplan, PhD, Secretary - London Grove Township

• George Hundt, Jr., Executive Director - London Grove Township

• W. Boulton Alexander - Highland Township

• Blair Fleischmann - Upper Oxford Township

• Theodosia Price, Esq - Hockessin, Delaware

• Jess Provinski - Newlin Township
   

• Rikki M. Saunders, Founder - Londonderry Township

S.A.V.E. advocates for sustainable land use and infrastructure policies and practices that preserve the quality of life throughout southern Chester County. 

We strive to be a consistent voice for sustainable land use decisions and continue to offer an annual event featuring provocative, stimulating, and informative speakers. The 2017 guest speaker was Joe Minicozzi of Urban3, the 2018 speaker was Chuck Marohn of Strong Towns, and in 2019 the speaker was Tom Murphy of the Urban Land Institute.  Our 2020 speaker was Mark Johnson, P.E., of MTJ Roundabout Engineering. Tom Daniels, PhD, from the University of Pennsylvania spoke in 2022 about the farm of the future. Our keynote speaker in 2023 was Kristen Scudder from the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission.