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Committee hears PennDOT draft guidance could change downtown cafe platforms; staff to revisit policy in March
Summary
A Downtown Westchester representative outlined proposed PennDOT standards for platforms on state roads — setback rules, a market-value fee and safety barriers — prompting committee discussion about removing a two-platform-per-block policy and planning an ordinance/fee update next month.
Representatives and staff briefed the Smart Growth Committee on proposed PennDOT guidance for dining platforms on state-owned streets and discussed whether the borough should change its rule limiting platforms to two per block.
John OBrien, executive director of Downtown Westchester, summarized draft PennDOT proposals under consideration at the state level: require platforms limited to the width of the building, mandate a three-foot setback on either side of the platform, require a one-foot setback from the traffic lane, and impose a fair-market-value fee for use of state right-of-way (OBrien cited a Doylestown test case with a roughly $600 figure). OBrien also said PennDOT may require a water-filled barrier or another heavy barrier at the platform edge for crash protection.
Committee members and staff discussed practical implications for Market Street and other state roads in the borough, including whether existing bump-outs and platforms would meet new state criteria. Staff noted that PennDOTs proposed timeline could make the rules effective this season and that boroughs will submit fees to the state on behalf of applicants. The Downtown Westchester representative and some committee members suggested removing the borough policy limiting two platforms per block, arguing the downtown has limited capacity and that construction costs make mass proliferation unlikely.
Staff proposed bringing a revised outdoor-dining policy and an updated fee schedule to the committee in March so applicants and businesses would have clarified rules before the spring season. Committee members agreed to review the proposed policy and any fee implications ahead of accepting new platform applications.
