Finance Committee approves fee change for dining platforms, grant resolution for Gay Street and multiple budget modifications

The West Chester Finance Committee voted March 12 to approve a set of fee, grant and budget items, including a change to the downtown dining-platform fee schedule, a grant application for the Gay Street open-air marketplace and multiple capital and operating payments. All recorded roll-call decisions were 2-0 in favor.

The committee approved changing the dining-platform parking fee methodology. Staff said the borough historically charged $3,500 per space under a single-space meter model; with conversion to multispace meters, staff proposed charging by linear frontage at about $160 per linear foot per year so applicants may permit dining platforms only in front of their own businesses from edge to edge of property. The committee recorded the vote as 2-0 in favor.

The committee then approved a resolution to include in a Chester County Community Revitalization Program application a grant request for phase 2 of the Gay Street open-air marketplace. Mr. Williams, the presenter, said the county grant ask is about $829,000 with a 15% local match requirement and that the total project cost is expected to be about $1.1 million. He…