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Borough staff preview housing, land‑development and parks items for Monday meeting; LSA grant sought for Burr Garage site
Summary
Borough staff told the Committee of the Whole that a conditional land‑development recommendation, a zoning hearing for a reduced‑size apartment unit, and a proposed $1 million LSA grant for the Burr Garage site will be listed for council action Monday.
Borough staff and planning officials briefed the Committee of the Whole Thursday on a suite of land‑use, housing and parks projects to be listed on the Monday council agenda.
Planning staff recommended conditional, preliminary/final land development approval for work at 301 Keystone Boulevard after reviewing stormwater and other site issues; the recommendation includes granting several waivers related to environmental study and tree/landscaping requirements, subject to payment of applicable ordinance fees and satisfaction of review‑letter conditions.
Zoning staff announced a zoning hearing board application for 204 East High Street, scheduled for Aug. 27 at 7 p.m. The owner proposes converting commercial space on the second floor into a third residential unit; the applicant seeks a variance to reduce the minimum required residential unit size from 800 square feet to 706 square feet. Staff said council may choose to support, oppose or remain neutral on the application.
Staff also described a planned Local Share Account (LSA) grant application tied to the property at 657 Beach Street (the former Burr Garage). The borough seeks $1,000,000 in partnership with Habitat for Humanity to reroute an underground stormwater arch so the lot can be redeveloped. Staff provided an initial full‑project estimate of about $1.5 million including engineering; the borough’s match for engineering is estimated at $160,000 to come from capital reserves. The proposed redevelopment would enable Habitat for Humanity to construct roughly 10 units (five twin structures) for low‑ and moderate‑income households, though staff said additional funding and approvals are required before demolition or construction could begin. Staff noted the project would require relocating a CCLU mural on the building if demolition proceeds; staff said they have already begun talking with mural stakeholders about potential relocation sites.
On parks, the borough manager announced US Soccer Foundation approval of a grant for a mini soccer pitch at Pollock Park and thanked partners and Parks & Recreation staff. The manager said remediation work is underway at the nearby BASF brownfield site at 860 Cross Street and that park improvements (paving, new basketball stanchions) are near completion; those improvements are part of a longer agreement requiring DEP clearance of groundwater remediation before final property transfer. The manager said an alternate location for the mini pitch (Maple Street Park) is available if remediation or installation timelines change.
Public‑works and authority updates noted completion of the authority’s 2025 water and sewer main replacement project and phase 2 of a lead‑line replacement project; contractors are preparing test pits near Rupert Elementary and will move into replacements in that area soon. PECO utility work in the North Evans Street corridor will cause intermittent traffic interruptions through October, staff said.
Several of the items — the Keystone Boulevard land‑development approval and the LSA grant resolution — were listed for Monday’s council meeting for formal action. The zoning variance, the LSA funding request and budget/midyear adjustments were presented for council consideration next week; no final votes on those items occurred at Thursday’s Committee of the Whole.
