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Council and staff discuss zoning barriers for former daycare property and other development items
Summary
Council and planning staff reviewed options for a vacant commercial building formerly used as a daycare, discussed zoning constraints in R-2 districts, and flagged related planning items including Ramblewood modification, Montgomery Road contracting and sidewalk placement for upcoming developments.
Council members and borough planning staff discussed a vacant property previously used as a daycare and whether changes to R-2 zoning or conditional-use rules might allow a new small commercial or community-oriented use there.
Planning staff said the site is zoned R-2 and that a daycare or other nonresidential use would be difficult without either a conditional-use approval or an ordinance change. "I think your best bet is to have council change the ordinance," one staff member said while cautioning that a legislative change based on a single property raises concerns.
Council and staff suggested alternatives such as drafting a targeted conditional-use standard (with specific requirements and parking limits) or an overlay that would allow limited convenience or community uses without broad rezoning. Staff also reported other development items: the planning commission received a major modification for Ramblewood and the borough awaits contract completion for Montgomery Road construction before a kickoff meeting. Sidewalk placement on Nicholson Road and recent permit-status cleanup also came up in public-works and planning updates.
Ending: Staff said they will review R-2 permitted uses, consider whether a narrowly tailored ordinance amendment or conditional-use pathway would address the property, and confer with the planning commission and solicitor on next steps.
