Chester council approves impound ordinance, street permits and multiple resolutions; approves $20,000 performer despite dissent

The City of Chester Council voted on multiple ordinances and resolutions during its March 26 meeting, adopting an ordinance regulating impoundment of parked and junk vehicles and approving a slate of resolutions covering handicap parking zones, county liquid-fuel grants, PECO street-opening permits and final land-development approval for a vehicle repair facility. Council also authorized an agreement not to exceed $20,000 with Dre Shaw Entertainment Group for a headline performer for the city's Peace, Love and Unity Festival, a measure that drew a no vote from Mayor Root.

The votes placed several operational tools in the city's toolbox: a codified towing and impound ordinance the council said will provide a regulated process for removal of damaged, abandoned or illegally parked vehicles; multiple street-opening permits tied to natural-gas service work by PECO; and county liquid-fuel grant applications to fund resurfacing projects.

Votes at a glance: - Ordinance No. 1 of 2025 (final reading): Enacts new Article 519 (impounding parked or junk vehicles) to create a regulated towing system for removal of damaged, abandoned or illegally parked motor vehicles. Motion: moved/seconded on the floor (movers not specified on the record). Vote: Councilors Green — yes; West — yes; Davis — yes; Mayor Root — yes. Outcome: approved.

- Handicap parking resolutions (seven individual addresses): Council found applicants met Department of Public Works criteria and authorized installation of designated handicap parking zones at seven blocks listed in the resolution language. Motion: moved/seconded on the floor (movers not specified). Vote: Green — yes; West — yes; Davis — yes; Mayor Root — yes. Outcome: approved.

- Resolution 36 through 39 of 2025 (row-opening permits to PECO): Grants PECO permission to install new natural-gas services at multiple streets in Chester, contingent on conditions from the city engineer, including half-width overlay/repaving for openings exceeding 100 feet, sidewalk replacement and ADA ramp compliance, traffic control and PennDOT HOP permits. Motion: moved/seconded. Vote: Green — yes; West — yes; Davis — yes; Mayor Root — yes. Outcome: approved.

- County liquid-fuel applications: Two separate resolutions authorizing application for Delaware County liquid fuel tax funds for resurfacing programs: $40,194 (2025 street resurfacing program) and $43,308 (2024 street resurfacing program). Motion: moved/seconded. Vote on each: Green — yes; West — yes; Davis — yes; Mayor Root — yes. Outcome: approved.

- Honorary street sign: Council approved an honorary sign renaming a portion of Penn Street at West Third Street to James N. Harper Sr. Way in recognition of James N. Harper Sr.'s contributions. Motion: moved/seconded. Vote: Green — yes; West — yes; Davis — yes; Mayor Root — yes. Outcome: approved; Department of Public Works authorized to order and install the sign.

- Final land-development approval (Alliance for 36 Highland LLC): Council granted final approval for a one-story, 9,600-square-foot tractor-trailer and/or bus repair building, plus parking and perimeter fencing at 436 Holland Avenue, conditioned on addressing remaining comments in Planning and Zoning and Colliers Engineering review letters. Motion: moved/seconded. Vote: Green — yes; West — yes; Davis — yes; Mayor Root — yes. Outcome: approved (conditions applied).

- Agreement with Dre Shaw Entertainment Group (Peace, Love and Unity Festival): Council authorized an agreement for a headline performer in an amount not to exceed $20,000, subject to solicitor approval. Debate on the floor questioned whether $20,000 for a roughly one-hour headline performance was the best use of special-events funds, and whether funds should be spread among local performers. Vote: Green — yes; West — yes; Davis — yes; Mayor Root — no. Outcome: approved (3-1).

Other formal administrative actions included designation of Santander Bank N.A. as a depository for city funds and routine procedural approvals of minutes and combined resolutions read by the clerk.

Council members said some approvals were conditioned on compliance with city-engineer specifications, additional permits (for example, PennDOT HOP for PECO work) and solicitor review where noted. Several council members and staff said they will publish schedules and details for resurfacing work once delivery times and road-closure information are available to reduce public inconvenience.

Mayor Root, during debate on the entertainment contract, summarized public concern about cost and local benefit, saying, "Some have questioned whether $20,000 is an appropriate amount for a single entertainer that's only going to be working for an hour. That's $20,000 an hour." Council members also reminded the public that a special-events fund exists and that fund-raising by event organizers is expected to supplement any city contribution.

The council meeting packet and clerk's records contain the full ordinance and resolution texts and the formal vote roll calls.