Committee forwards change to Allentown zoning definition to clarify meal service at community centers

The Allentown City Community and Economic Development Committee on an unrecorded voice vote moved Bill 16 to the full City Council for a public hearing and further consideration. The proposal would amend the city zoning code (Chapter 660, Section 6605) to remove language that limits meal preparation and provision at community centers to senior citizens.

City planning staff said the requested text change is intended to remove ambiguity that has prompted enforcement and legal disputes. "The petitioner is requesting the definition of community center be amended to more readily facilitate the provision of meals in a social service setting," city staff said, describing the proposal to strike the sentence that restricts meal provision to senior citizens. Staff and both the Allentown City Planning Commission and the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission recommended approval, the presentation said.

Petitioners and nonprofit operators told the committee the current wording has already produced real-world impacts. Sherry Rockafinder, executive director of Ripple Community Inc. (RCI Village Properties), said a Lehigh County judge interpreted the existing language to mean "nonprofit community centers may only serve meals to senior citizens and not to other individuals." She said the decision placed multiple Allentown nonprofit community centers at risk and cited potential fines or the cessation of services if enforcement actions were pursued. "With this decision, every nonprofit community center in the city of Allentown that serves meals to non senior citizens is now out of compliance with the current zoning ordinance," Rockafinder said.

Opponents urged caution. Marvareta Margarita, representing the West Park Civic Association, said the association submitted a letter opposing the change and argued that the present wording links meal service to potential neighborhood impacts. "We are opposing the change of definition. We do not see the definition of senior citizen as an ambiguous, you know, definition," Margarita said, adding that the association preferred to let the citywide zoning rewrite proceed before making an interim change.

Planning staff emphasized that Bill 16 is a definition change, not a rezoning, and that use rules and zoning districts would remain the same. "If this applicant was denied a community center special exception use request, they would need to apply again and have a hearing to have that decision be made," staff said. The presentation reiterated that community centers in commercial and industrial districts generally remain permitted by right, while community centers in most residential districts would still require a special-exception process before the Zoning Hearing Board. Staff also noted health bureau requirements would still apply to any food preparation.

Committee members moved the measure to full council so the public could comment at the next stage. The committee tentatively scheduled a public hearing for June 4 at 6:00 p.m. on the full council agenda, and the item will be legally advertised before that hearing, staff said.

The committee record contains public testimony from nonprofit operators and neighborhood representatives and the staff presentation; the committee action at this meeting was to forward the bill to full council for a public hearing and further action.