Committee backs returning to town-center 'build-to' standard, discusses 410 South High unified housing use; staff zoning officer to be appointed

The Westchester Borough Smart Growth Committee on Sept. 10 resumed a long-running discussion about the town-center build-to line and related zoning standards, favoring a return to a 0-foot build-to setback for most Town Center parcels and a stepped-back requirement in the height overlay district. Jim Cherry, chair of the planning commission, described the change as reverting to the prior requirement and said the goal is to "reinforce the street" for pedestrians while allowing limited upper-story setbacks in taller buildings. Cherry said the planning commission and staff are proposing a 0-foot front and side setback in the Town Center, with a 10-foot setback for buildings that take advantage of the height overlay district, to provide room for trees, plantings and a more comfortable pedestrian experience. "What we're really looking for is buildings that reinforce the street, but we we want some a little bit of, texture and breaks in them to allow for building entrances, articulation of buildings," Cherry said. The committee also discussed a developer sketch plan for 410 South High Street — a contested infill parcel where litigation has occurred — and a staff-proposed alternative: creating a new "unified housing development" use tailored to the site so the project can meet design objectives without requiring a weakening of the zoning code through broad text amendments. Aaron Flook described the concept as giving a one-acre minimum and site-specific design criteria that would allow 42–47 townhouses, semi-detached and two-family units and would maintain the existing maximum heights for the district. Committee action and related zoning items: members agreed to move the build-to line amendment forward to the solicitor for drafting and to "move that forward" toward planning commission and council review. The committee also instructed the solicitor to attend the zoning hearing board for the 436 North Church Street application and to oppose that variance application; a previously noted application at 531 Marshall Drive was withdrawn. On staffing and administration of zoning, the committee voted to appoint Aaron Flook as zoning officer, bringing zoning review in-house. Flook said the change should reduce third-party fees and speed reviews: "It also speeds things up. We do have some lag because they're you you know, we have been very, very busy on our zoning.... It's much easier to get it through quicker and with better quality if we have it in house." He said he is a member of the Pennsylvania Association of Zoning Officers and plans further ICC training for an accredited zoning certification. Discussion vs. decision: committee discussion included design and pedestrian-quality rationale, fire-safety and maintenance concerns about 0-lot-line buildings, and a plan to draft precise ordinance language. The committee took informal committee-level actions to recommend drafting and to send the solicitor to the zoning hearing board; the appointment of Flook was recommended by committee for council implementation. Ending: Staff will work with the solicitor to draft amendment language for the build-to standard and related height-overlay setbacks, return the unified-housing-use proposal for the planning commission and then bring recommendation(s) to the council; the zoning officer appointment will move forward as an administrative change.