Council to send solicitor to June 23 zoning hearing on 400 North Penn Street educational use

Westchester Borough Council discussed June 17 whether to have the borough solicitor attend a June 23 Zoning Hearing Board session on a special-exception request for 400 North Penn Street and agreed that solicitor attendance would be appropriate.

The Westchester School District acquired the property in 2025 and applied for a special exception to use the two-story dwelling for an educational purpose tied to its independent-living transition program, the council was told. The building’s exterior would not change under the plan, and the district reported two on-site employees; the application seeks a variance from borough off-street parking requirements because the property currently has one off-street space.

Council members expressed concern about future changes, off-street parking adequacy and the potential for the site to generate on-street parking impacts in a residential neighborhood. Staff advised that special exceptions are permitted uses that the Zoning Hearing Board grants subject to conditions and that the borough can request conditions limiting future expansion or requiring use of adjacent school parking.

Council directed the borough solicitor to attend the June 23 hearing to advise the borough and to seek conditions that preserve the residential character of the property and address parking impacts. No formal opposition was adopted at the council meeting; the solicitor’s presence is intended to ensure the borough can request appropriate conditions before the Zoning Hearing Board votes.

The council asked staff to monitor the hearing and return any recommended follow-up steps to the council.