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Planning Commission submits first annual report; work continues on height, build-to-line and attainable housing
Summary
The planning commission presented its first formal annual report for 2024 and outlined ongoing work in 2025 on building-height rules, build-to-line/front-yard definitions, historic-architecture review in overlay districts and inclusionary/attainable housing policy.
Matt Clapp, planning commission secretary, presented the commission's 2024 annual report to borough council and summarized initial 2025 tasks, including ordinance amendments on building height, clarifying the build-to-line versus front-yard setback language, and starting work on attainable housing incentives.
Clapp said the Pennsylvania Municipal Planning Code requires a planning commission annual report by March 1; the commission missed that deadline for 2024 but told council it intends to produce the report annually going forward and will submit the 2024 document to council within weeks.
He summarized actions taken in 2024 — applications reviewed, votes and recommendations — and said the report's body includes detailed motions and current status for each property reviewed. "The report's broken up into 2 sections, SALDO applications reviewed in 2024 and then, community planning issues, ordinance amendments, that we discussed and or acted on in 2024," he said.
Work priorities for 2025 include a previously drafted building-height ordinance amendment that the commission voted to recommend and returned to council for final action; a streamlining of the build-to-line text that the commission finds conflated with front-yard setbacks; and a proposal to ensure HAARB (historic-architecture review) reviews apply to projects in HO-60 and HO-75 height-overlay districts so architectural-review consultants sign off on compliance with design guidelines.
Clapp said the commission is also beginning a focused effort on inclusionary and attainable housing, using a draft ordinance prepared by Ray Ott as a starting point and planning meetings with the solicitor and external experts to identify incentives and alternatives in West Chester’s context.
Clapp and council members also discussed the boroughs dark-skies initiative and how applicants provide lighting plans showing foot-candle grids and cutoff fixtures; the commission told council it is asking applicants to document light spill and Kelvin temperature so projects do not overlight walkable sidewalks.
What’s next: the planning commission will submit its 2024 annual report to council, proceed with refined ordinance drafts on building height and build-to-line/front-yard language and pursue stakeholder work on attainable/inclusionary housing. Council will receive the annual report and schedule next steps on any ordinance amendments.
