Council debates private-alley policy, rejects reauthorization over landlord-signature concerns

Norristown council debated whether to reauthorize a private alley policy first adopted in 2021 that allows residents to petition for limited municipal maintenance and, in some circumstances, municipal acceptance of private alleys. Staff described the policy, noted it had expired on Dec. 31, 2021, and asked council to reauthorize it through the end of 2026. The council considered Resolution 25-80 but the motion failed by roll call.

Staff explained the policy has two components: limited maintenance (subject to available funds) and a petition route by which property owners on a private alley can agree to improvements and later have the alley accepted as a public way. "If this alley is maintained and brought to city standard, then the city will now adopt it and it becomes a public street," a staff presenter said. Under the policy language staff presented, petitions require signatures from 75% of property owners abutting an alley for the acceptance pathway; costs would be recaptured from owners based on frontage.

Several council members and residents raised concerns that many affected properties are renter-occupied or owned by absentee landlords, which has hindered prior petitions. Staff said the office had received several applications in the past but that many were initiated by tenants, not the property owners, and that lack of owner participation prevented completion of the process. Council members asked whether the 75% threshold could be lowered or whether language could be drafted to address nonresponsive owners; staff and counsel indicated the 75% figure was drawn from borough-code precedent but could be revised if council chose to do so.

When the resolution came to a vote, the roll call was: Dustin Queenan — yes; William McCoy — yes; Deierra Robinson — no; Jasmine Griffin — no; Natalie Colson — no; Rashad Bates — yes; Rebecca Smith — no. The motion received three yes votes and four no votes and therefore failed. Several councillors said they would like to keep working on revisions and suggested a workshop to craft language addressing landlord/tenant issues before bringing a revised ordinance back to council.

Background: staff said the ordinance was intended as a pilot to help residents of private alleys access municipal maintenance when owners agreed to assessments. Staff said the policy had produced a handful of applications in the prior adoption window but none reached the 75% owner-signature threshold required for acceptance into the municipal maintenance system.