Narberth schedules Feb. 26 open house on zoning recodification and downtown proposals

Narberth Borough Council on Feb. 19 confirmed an open‑house session for Thursday, Feb. 26, to share Planning Commission work on zoning recodification and to solicit public feedback on proposed changes affecting downtown and Montgomery Avenue.

The borough said the event, led by county planner Adam Shantz, will be an informal tabling format rather than a formal, recorded hearing. Attendees will be able to review posters and maps, leave written comments and speak with planners and commissioners; staff said there will be opportunities for more than three minutes of discussion during the in‑person open house but no online component. “It’s going to be more like a tabling event,” a borough official said, explaining there will be easels and stations for feedback.

The session will cover a content‑neutral recodification — an editorial reorganization of the zoning code meant to preserve existing rights — and a parallel track of substantive proposals the borough is flagging separately. Among the specific items mentioned are modest changes to the 5B and 4A districts that would allow four stories while retaining the current 45‑foot maximum height, and possible adjustments to ground‑floor use rules. Council members emphasized that the recodification itself is intended to be status‑quo (no change in what is permitted) and that any substantive zoning changes will be clearly advertised and discussed.

A member of the public, Carol Marie Scallen, asked whether the open house would be a formal forum with microphones and recorded public testimony. Scallen said: “Will the open house be a formal meeting where people can stand at a microphone and ask questions and state concerns of council and planning commission, or is it an informal walkabout meeting?” Borough staff replied that the event will not be recorded and that written comments will be accepted; planning commission recommendations and other materials will be posted online when available.

The borough asked staff to post Planning Commission recommendation letters and related materials on the zoning ordinance update web page in the days ahead so residents can review proposals before attending. Council members encouraged residents who want a formal comment record to use the borough’s regular meeting public‑comment opportunities or submit written comments to be included in the public record.

The open house is one step in a multi‑stage process: Planning Commission review will continue, the recodification packet will be forwarded to council when ready, and council said it may also take separate action on any substantive zoning amendments after further discussion and public notice.