Chester planning commission reviews sketch plan to consolidate three West Third Street lots for banquet-hall parking

The City of Chester Planning Commission on March 12 reviewed a sketch plan proposing to consolidate three adjacent lots at 2626/2604–2606 West Third Street so the vacant lot could serve as an 11-space parking area for a banquet-hall use in the C2R (general commercial-residential) zoning district.

The item, presented during the commission’s March meeting by Assistant Planning Director Kim Gardner, was informational only: "the very first and only item of business today, is a sketch plan, that'll be brought before you," Gardner said. Planning staff and a Colliers Engineering reviewer told the commission the sketch raises zoning, parking, landscaping and public-safety issues that the applicant will need to address before a formal land development submission.

Why it matters: the property owner intends to revive the former banquet use and add off-street parking to reduce on-street impacts for neighbors. Planning staff flagged several potential zoning nonconformities that could require variances from the Zoning Hearing Board and engineering changes that affect sidewalks, handicap access and stormwater.

What the applicant proposed and said Kenneth Johnson, the project architect, described the parking layout to the commission: "it's gonna be paved about approximately 11 parking spaces. 2 of them will be ADA accessible. There will…