[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6621968,"mediaKeyId","2793156-2166556a116ed2a98629b0c9c72b70d7","parentId",2793156,"title","City planner proposes zoning amendment to restrict smoke-shop paraphernalia in Chester","audioSeconds",659,"startMs",2069000,"endMs",2728000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2793156-2166556a116ed2a98629b0c9c72b70d7&start=2069&end=2728","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2793156-2166556a116ed2a98629b0c9c72b70d7/thumbnail_2069000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6621968/Chester/Delaware-County/Pennsylvania/City-planner-proposes-zoning-amendment-to-restrict-smoke-shop-paraphernalia-in-Chester","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6621968-f7c576e806708b0a3e9cecd95715f232/orig.mp4?Expires=1771135939&Signature=kCgFu0xoSijxrxHByiQ8dzGSmLkFtdVPEVleaGpkHxRFaF5jYmNsM0EaJGuclm1vpYk49~bWXD9VzmMsO67dr7Hxp6zilKUKjc9jbmM1XiOl3f2J3UGZWddLb1nCIWVyKH-xFRzIXM-lR-xNRM0yXThgsn3A2tdaR240aajj0FfbdXYDjye69xChbkuvBIra8z-6lEy~buCAPsfTu4odli03Al75-uSVBR2io5qSos4GKU2NJXxS8919KgjFIKB8m34B-H6ylu3QbenWn8OFAQVO-~G0TVsM-lHI-57Hao2H0ZD7yfJ1bOjB4Uu1FNsLD7xi60nFOtRohoABMNQx5g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Chester, PA","date","2025-03-27T10:15:10.177Z","article","Paul Fritz, head of the Bureau of Planning and Zoning (introduced earlier in the meeting), presented a proposed zoning-text amendment to classify and restrict smoke shops and tobacco-paraphernalia sales in Chester's zoning ordinance. Fritz said he prepared a memo and a draft amendment for the planning commission and the committee and seeks county input before advancing the measure.

\"What I was hoping to do today is just give you an introduction to a zoning amendment that we're proposing for smoke shops and tobacco shops,\" Fritz said, adding he would send a draft to the county and return to the committee with any county feedback.

What staff is proposing: Fritz said the draft would do two things: (1) create a defined land-use category for smoke shops and paraphernalia sales distinct from general retail, and (2) restrict how and where those uses may operate. Proposed controls include square-footage limits for mixed retail stores that sell paraphernalia, separation distances from schools, parks, daycares and similar institutions, and limits on proximity between like uses. Fritz said the county had supplied templates and examples from nearby municipalities such as Sharon Hill and Darby Borough.

Limits and legal constraints: Fritz noted the city cannot prohibit an otherwise-allowed use everywhere because of legal constraints similar to nondiscrimination and fair-use requirements; instead the draft targets specific districts. His staff's initial recommendation is to place the principal allowance in the MIC (Medium Industrial Commercial) zoning district and consider limited allowances in the Central Business District (CBD) with tight restrictions. \"We're using an example that Sharon Hill did, Darby Burrow, and I think you just, I think asked and just, approved something recently. So it's something Delaware County's highly familiar with and is a proponent of us doing this,\" Fritz said.

Enforcement and existing retailers: Committee members asked whether the amendment would affect existing stores that already sell paraphernalia in mixed retail contexts and how the city would enforce sales to underage customers. Fritz said the amendment would primarily prevent future permits that establish larger smoke-shop uses and would allow the city to require compliance when a current mixed-use retail operation exceeds proposed size thresholds. He said enforcement of existing retailers and underage sales may also involve state-level programs; staff will research enforcement avenues.

Public-safety concern and local anecdotes: Several committee members described public-safety concerns and anecdotes about youth access to vaping products and paraphernalia. One committee member cited recent instances of vapes containing fentanyl and said the concentration of paraphernalia near schools and parks created risks for children. Fritz said the draft amendment would include square-footage and distance limits to reduce easy access near sensitive sites.

Next steps: Fritz said he would circulate the draft to county planners, incorporate feedback, present a revised draft to the planning commission and return to the committee before the ordinance is forwarded to council for formal consideration. Planning commission members present at prior review were described as generally supportive.

Ending: No zoning amendment vote was taken at the committee meeting; staff plans to return with a revised draft after county review and public vetting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Housing & Community Development Committee Meeting | March 24, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","A planning staff member presented a draft zoning amendment to define and limit smoke shops and paraphernalia sales by distance from schools, parks and daycares and by square footage; staff will vet the draft with county planners before returning to the committee.","taxTitle","Chester, Delaware County, Pennsylvania","taxId",64857,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6621972,"Chester staff recommends repealing presale inspection ordinance to focus on rental registration and enforcement",802,70000,872000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2793156-2166556a116ed2a98629b0c9c72b70d7&start=70&end=872","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2793156-2166556a116ed2a98629b0c9c72b70d7/thumbnail_70000.jpg","/articles/6621972/Chester/Delaware-County/Pennsylvania/Chester-staff-recommends-repealing-presale-inspection-ordinance-to-focus-on-rental-registration-and-enforcement","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6621972-083d0f47e504c891763801147b4a9c68/orig.mp4?Expires=1771135939&Signature=NU3qKoGw3n8QNHUduzy3imH8wAPr~hpp6~iQUa56G6hNAAIhfiDkN--2519LQiw5yjMuH3HljlRomgfHxITtdto9ZS4KIoczA-3Bq60xlAu1Qt8T7lTlBC43b0DXJsQN~bNEaJjHzFqDWR-X3tiwk9N~ubt96Wfh3oxXct~ywz5HvVHp5ajLO7h9PJXo~cyFn5yYYJx3EsyNpWtcvcOXFRVIX9EZKGcOGbT-IpI5hOflqTz5Ubhwr5yQd1b5VAa4la2QYYCONiO4vSYWne~iSPuHXS3jS-Q8DgTbJtvqqTqxuru5qxVatsSSM0-uYfh3u3~nwcZ-p68fZllY8A3D4A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Nikki Wegman, interim director of the Department of Community and Economic Development, told the Housing and Community Development Committee that staff recommends repealing Chester's presale inspection ordinance and refocusing inspection capacity on the city's rental registration and vacancy registry programs.

The recommendation, presented at a committee meeting, is intended to concentrate limited inspection resources on tenant-occupied units, nuisance abatement and follow-through on violations rather than triggering inspections for every real estate transaction. \"This presentation is just gonna give a brief overview of the rental registration program and another ordinance that the Bureau has on the books called the presale program,\" Wegman said during her introduction.

Why it matters: Wegman told the committee there are an estimated 13,000 rental units in Chester (the census shows about 14,000 total housing units) and that rental registration is designed to promote safe housing and compliance with property maintenance codes. Under the current rules, rental units are licensed every three years and tenant-occupied units are registered annually; presale inspections are triggered by recorded property transactions.

Wegman described how the presale inspection works: when a recorded transaction is reported to the city, inspectors run a checklist, report violations to the seller and the report is shared with the buyer. \"That report is then shared with Paul to let him know these are the violations that exist. And if Paul says this is great, I'll buy as is. Paul will buy the property and then he is 6 months from the possession of the property to cure any of those violations,\" Wegman said. Staff said private-market inspections often duplicate the city's effort and that the presale program is not consistently followed; Wegman estimated about 50% follow-through on transactions.

Enforcement tools and gaps: Wegman reviewed enforcement tools available under the rental registration ordinance, including revocation of licenses for failure to cure violations or failure to pay registration fees, and the option to withhold permits for noncompliant owners. \"The city does have the right to revoke their rental license and tag that as an illegal unit,\" she said. The department also uses violation letters, citations and magistrate hearings when owners fail to comply.

Committee members pressed for specifics on tenant remedies and problem properties. Wegman described the city's response to life-safety complaints (for example, no-heat complaints receive 24-hour compliance requirements) and said inspectors follow up to confirm remediation. She said staff has recently standardized inspection training and processes and is working to improve follow-through: \"We're getting to a point of, I feel proud about where we started and where we are now, but there's still a lot more that we need to get done.\"

Lead testing and owner-occupied homes: Councilor Warren and other members asked how the city would continue to track lead inspections if the presale ordinance is repealed. Wegman noted the code enforcement team completed lead training and the city can request lead inspection reports from transactions, but she said there is not a clear, automatic method to require or obtain lead reports for owner-occupied sales without a specific reporting requirement. \"We couldn't come up with a clear cut way of doing inspections on homeowner occupied properties unless we made it a requirement that we are to get a copy of any sort of report,\" Wegman said.

Examples and problem sites: Committee members raised longstanding complaints about specific developments, including Benjamin Banneker (referred to in the meeting as Benjamin Bannekers) and Crowley/Crosby Square Apartments, citing poor living conditions and repeated tenant complaints. Wegman said the bureau is prioritizing critical inspections at large complexes and standardizing compliance timelines, which she called a recent focus of her six-month tenure.

Recommendation and next steps: Wegman asked the committee to consider allowing staff to repeal the presale inspection requirement and reallocate those resources to rental registration, vacant property registry enforcement, nuisance abatement and stronger follow-through on issued compliance dates. She characterized the presale inspections as largely duplicative of private-market inspections and not central to the bureau's mission. The committee did not take a formal vote on the repeal at the meeting; Wegman asked for consideration and suggested executive session for further discussion.

Meeting outcome: No formal repeal vote was recorded at the meeting. The committee moved to adjourn following public comments and the planning discussion that followed.

Ending: Staff said they would provide further details to the committee, follow up on outstanding inspection questions for named developments and return with any recommended ordinance language or procedural changes for the committee's consideration.","Interim director Nikki Wegman told the Housing and Community Development Committee staff recommends repealing the city's presale inspection ordinance and redirecting capacity to the rental registration program, citing capacity limits, overlap between programs and enforcement priorities such as lead testing and nuisance abatement.","actionData","errors"]

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City planner proposes zoning amendment to restrict smoke-shop paraphernalia in Chester

Chester staff recommends repealing presale inspection ordinance to focus on rental registration and enforcement