Harpers Ferry council rezones 460 Washington Street to business for proposed coffee shop

Harpers Ferry Town Council voted 6-1 on Feb. 10 to rezone 460 Washington Street from residential to business zoning, clearing a regulatory obstacle to an applicant's plan to open a community coffee shop there.

The decision follows a months-long review by the planning commission and a Jan. 21 public hearing at which, the planning commission's report states, 17 people spoke in favor of the coffee shop. Planning commission materials and council discussion laid out three possible paths: a map amendment to rezone to commercial, an amendment to add the parcel to the town's Promontory Overlay District, or other text amendments to allow the use without changing base zoning. Council members debated legal and policy questions about spot rezoning, the local Promontory Overlay, and overlapping management of the nearby Tourism Development District (TDD).

Applicant representatives and supporters said the proposal would create a community gathering place. "That's why I'm asking tonight that the town council approves our amendment for commercial zoning so that we can open the doors to the stone house and create a community space for our neighbors," said Nate Shapiro, who told the council he would operate the coffee shop if the rezoning is approved. Chris…